密歇根新闻广播 州议会意在阻止同性婚姻法案通过

 

State Rep. Todd Courser, R-Lapeer, is attempting to head same-sex marriage off at the pass with a new package of bills that would take secular¹ elected officials out of the marriage business altogether.

Only clergy² would legally be allowed to marry people in Michigan.

Meanwhile, Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, is asking for legislation that would protect pastors³ from being forced to marry same-sex couples.

Robert Sedler teaches courses in constitutional law and conflict of laws at Wayne State University Law School, and he tells us that the legislation introduced by Courser is unconstitutional.

"That's a clear violation⁴ of the Establishment Clause," Sedler says.

Sedler explains that marriage is a legal relationship established by the state, and to require religious marriage would be unconstitutional.

"This idea is absolutely ridiculous," he says. "Let's move on."

He goes on to tell us that the protections Glenn is asking for are already granted by the Free Exercise Clause, and that there's no real reason for state legislation to confront an issue already taken care of by the U.S. Constitution.

The Supreme⁵ Court's decisions on a number of cases regarding same-sex marriage are expected to be handed down this week or early next week.

1 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

2 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

3 pastors   

n.（基督教的）牧师( pastor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do we show respect to our pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers? 我们有没有尊敬牧师、宣教士，以及主日学的老师？ 来自互联网
• Should pastors or elders be paid, or serve as a volunteer? 牧师或长老需要付给酬劳，还是志愿的事奉呢？ 来自互联网

4 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。