• Bigstock

Are some of the country’s largest religious groups going to be painted as bigots and buffoons, cast out from society? That’s the concern they’ve raised with the U.S. Supreme Court as they prepare to hear arguments on the legality of same-sex marriage.

The court was set to begin hearing oral arguments April 28 in cases challenging state bans on same-sex marriage, and a decision is expected before July. But Southern Baptists, evangelicals, Mormons, Catholic bishops and others aren’t waiting for a decision before they freak out.

“A decision that traditional marriage laws are grounded in animus would demean us and our beliefs,” said the groups in a brief filed with the court. “It would stigmatize us as fools or bigots, akin to racists. In time, it would impede full participation in democratic life, as our beliefs concerning marriage, family and sexuality are placed beyond the constitutional pale.”

Oof. Can you imagine being stigmatized, being told that something you feel so deeply is wrong, and possibly having your family ostracize you because they can’t accept your way of life?

If only gay people knew how hard it might hypothetically be someday to be the poor, put-upon religious people seeking to deny them equal rights.