Bryan Terry
The anti-gay bills are already coming in Tennessee, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all 50 states must allow same-sex marriage.
Tennessee State Representative Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro) has said that he’s drafting the “Tennessee Pastor Protection Act,” which would allow religious clergy to deny performing same-sex marriage and provide legal protection from being “forced to perform same sex marriages on church property,” according to a press release issued this morning from State Representative Andy Holt’s (R-Dresden) office. Holt has said he’d be the co-sponsor of this bill.
“It comes as no surprise that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage. I have had multiple constituents concerned with how the ruling may impact their church and their religious beliefs. If the issue is truly about equality of civil liberties and benefits, then this ruling should have minimal legal impact on churches,” said Terry. “However, if the issue and the cause is about redefining marriage to require others to change their deeply held religious beliefs, then the concerns of many will be valid.”
In the release, Holt said that he would not recognize the court’s ruling as valid. According to Holt, “God is the ultimate Supreme Court and he has spoken. Marriage is between one man, and one woman.”
