New York City, N.Y., Jul 31, 2012 / 01:03 am
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat said in a recent column that the reactions against the Chick-fil-A president's stance on "gay marriage" reveal that many people only maintain a "facade" of respect for religious freedom.
Douthat suggested in his July 29 column that many people now believe religious beliefs cannot be exercised or expressed "in ways that might make anyone uncomfortable with his or her own sexual choices or identity."
As examples, he pointed to the Department of Health and Human Services mandate requiring employers, including many Catholic institutions, to provide insurance coverage for sterilization and contraception. He noted a German court's ban on circumcision as a violation of a newborn's human rights.
Douthat also saw this trend in the reaction to the Chick-fil-A's president Dan Cathy's comments in support of the definition of marriage between a man and a woman.