Providence bishop says gay marriage 'unnecessary'

The leader of Rhode Island’s Roman Catholic Diocese has again entered the debate over gay marriage, calling it ‘‘immoral and unnecessary.’’

Bishop Thomas Tobin released a statement Monday urging lawmakers to drop legislation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

Tobin says the Catholic Church rejects the ‘‘homosexual lifestyle’’ and says gay marriage threatens religious freedom.

Tobin argues Rhode Island should wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in. He adds that if the state must consider gay marriage, it should be placed before voters as a referendum.

Meanwhile, a coalition of more than 100 leaders from other religious groups issued a statement Monday supporting gay marriage.

Lawmakers are expected to consider gay marriage legislation this year. The five other New England states allow same-sex couples to marry.
I don't know about you, but I reject the "Catholic lifestyle" and teachings because it threatens my secular freedom and I find their religious dogma offensive and repugnant, that, and I believe that if they insist on practicing their lifestyle choice in any state, it should be put up to a public, state by state voter referendum.
I also believe *strongly* that if the Catholic church keeps using it's pulpit to coerce it's constituency too vote a certain political way, they can no longer be considered a religion but a political movement and should have their tax exempt status revoked!