Religious freedom on the Arkansas ballot: what to know

What ought to Catholics suppose?

The Diocese of Little Rock, which encompasses the whole state of Arkansas, has not but commented publicly on Concern 3. CNA reached out to the diocese for remark. 

Nevertheless, Bishop Anthony Taylor provided a fulsome evaluation of Act 975 in 2015. 

“In the USA non secular liberty is our first and most cherished liberty. It’s a God-given proper protected by our nation’s Structure, federal regulation, and now state regulation. Not solely Catholics, however folks of all non secular faiths and worshipping communities in our nation have to be free to dwell their religion and act in accordance with their conscience with out worry of presidency interference,” Taylor wrote on the time. 

Taylor famous that some observers had characterised Act 975 as a license to discriminate towards those that determine as LGBT. He mentioned that Catholics’ proper to say no to take part in LGBT ceremonies or actions doesn’t quantity to discrimination or hatred however is reasonably an train of their proper to observe their very own religion. 

“Selecting to not take part in sure ceremonies or actions because of non secular convictions just isn’t discrimination towards the individuals concerned, neither is it essentially an expression of hatred towards the individuals concerned,” Taylor wrote. 

“Quite, it is extremely merely a option to abstain from collaborating in conduct or actions that could be irreconcilable with one’s honest non secular beliefs, and it’s the proper to abstain from these actions which the Arkansas Non secular Freedom Restoration Act seeks to guard. The Catholic Church teaches and believes that each one individuals (together with LGBT individuals) have an inherent price and dignity, and that each one individuals, exactly as a result of they’re individuals, needs to be accorded dignity and respect.”