The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is threatening to pull out of contracts it has with the District to provide various social service programs for the city’s needy if a proposed gay marriage law goes into effect next month. Churches would not be forced to conduct gay marriages. They, along with every other business or organization in the District, simply would not be allowed to discriminate against gay or lesbian people because they were gay or lesbian people.

I hate to point out the obvious, but Jesus wouldn’t discriminate anyone. Though he never spoke about gay people, Jesus was all about extending love and kindness to the people everyone else looked down upon. Is there a group of people more looked down upon today than gays and lesbians?

Jesus ministered to everyone, but he made a point of especially ministering to those that everyone else despised and rejected. If the Catholic Church is correct and gays and lesbians are sinners for being gay or lesbian, then these are just the people they should be ministering to. Jesus would not discriminate against gay or lesbian people.

Jesus wouldn’t withhold love or kindness from someone because the local government enacted a policy he didn’t agree with. Jesus cured lepers and healed the sick even though I’m sure he didn’t agree with everything the Roman Empire did. To think otherwise is just silly.

When Jesus said to go out and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, and to comfort those in distress, he didn’t preface it first by saying to only do these things if the local government passed laws you agree with.

Catholic Church gives D.C. ultimatum [Washington Post]