My church supports gay marriages

[central scrutinizer]

If you can call Unitarians a church, that is:

http://www.uua.org/

(Boston, MA – Feb. 24, 2004) In response to today's announcement that President Bush will back a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-gender marriage, UUA president William G. Sinkford issued the following statement:

Amending the United States constitution to deny same-gender couples the rights and responsibilities of marriage would be to enshrine discrimination into the document that provides the foundation for our democracy. While the constitution has been amended in the past, it has never been altered with the express intent to deny equal protection to an entire class of citizens, and now is no time to start. Instead, successive generations of Americans have found new ways to honor the spirit of the constitution by extending its promise to an ever-widening circle of American citizens. The document that granted freedom and full citizenship to African Americans and gave women the right to vote must not be used as a weapon with which to attack the families of our country's gay and lesbian citizens.

more articles at the website.

[bahrbearian]

1. I belong to a church that supports gay marriage...

the chruch of Bahrbearia membership 1

[PATRICK]

2. Biblical quandaries

The Old Testament accepts polygamy to say the least. It is common practice or social need that determined unions for whatever social reasons. Christ spoke against divorce in his context which the Church needed in its pagan/Christian spouse dilemma context. Marriage came centuries later in its sacramental seal- a Catholic not a fundamentalist symbolization. So intertwining the religious aspect at all would mean a reversal of the polygamy laws, the divorce laws or any details or forms some amorphous religious group deems desirable with deference to ancient Roman Catholic tradition?

The idiots opened up this can of worms because they think they have absolute power to be self contradictory as well as self-righteous. The issue is entirely social order in a pluralistic society and the legalities involved in personal contracts. I should think Lee Marvin's palimony suit brought that to the fore long ago. But it's all specious hypocritical politics of cruelty after all.

Someone should stop arguing with these loons from Mars and just call a nut a nut or a nutty idea a nutty idea and get the blazes away from civil government. This is on a logical sincerity par with the Mars Quest but this time it is personal.

[wellstone_democrat]

3. I guess mine does too! Or, its up to me

I just realized that I did indeed become a minister in the Universal Life Church some years back. And, since I set the theology for my own corner of that church, here is the position my "congregation" and its minister take:

We approve of the union of loving and responsible adults. They are the foundation of a decent, civil, and caring society. Therefore, within my church, we welcome and support gay marriage with the same support and enthusiasm as straight marriage.

Let me know if you want me to marry you! No fees requested or accepted!

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Hey! You too?

I did that a while back.

We can marry anyone we want and it's legal-- except in New York City.

Of course, if gay marriage isn't recognized by the state we happen to be in, the state won't recognize the marriage, so it's all kinda moot. thye still need a marriage license.

And some places get a bit picky about just what a "church" is.

There's that Eye of God thing, though.

[wellstone_democrat]

8. Absolutely!

Although, at the moment, I guess we could offer our services in SF if they are still issuing licenses! NYC? Who would have guessed! I'm sort of surprised that I could, in theory at least, marry people in Texas. Goes to show...well, I don't know *what* it goes to show.

[noonwitch]

4. My church does, too, as does the denominaton I grew up in

I'm currently a member of Renaissance Unity in Warren, MI, which is part of the Unity denomination. My church has outreach programs for gays, and there are lots of gay and lesbian couples who attend (it's a big church). I grew up attending a United Church of Christ, which also supports gay marriage.

[kayell]

5. My mothers Episcopalian church perform marriage ceremonies

for gays and lesbians. I'm not Christian, but it comforts me that the family members that are have chosen inclusive churches.

[Kazak]

7. Mine too! Wha'd'ya'know!

:) My dad, a retired Unitarian minister, used to perform gay unions (since marriages aren't allowed) in Texas all the time.

[Ilsa]

9. My dad is a Southern Baptist, and he supports

civil unions. Most of the others at his church lovingly (?) want to burn GLBT's at the stake.