A Church led the Toronto Pride Parade last Sunday

[Telly Savalas]

Check it out.

It aint a black and white world.

[FreedomAngel82]

1. Wow

Now that's awesome. Gotta love Canada!

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Church people were in the forefront of the civil rights movement --

M.L. King was a clergyman. The church is only one American institution that the Right has taken over, or is trying to take over: our government, our schools, our press and media, our medical system, etc. All of us who oppose this take-over, whether religious or non-religious, are in this fight together.

[gratuitous]

3. I marched (drove, actually) with my church

In Portland's Pride Parade on June 19. Along with the other 40 or so local congregations in the Community of Welcoming Congregations.

Don't let anyone try to persuade you that all Christians (or Jews, or Mormons, or Unitarian Universalists, or any community of faith) uniformly discriminate against the g/l/b/t/i community.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Excellent!

[CaliTeacher]

6. Jesus, the original hippie.

...and a socialist to boot. Eat that George.

[meganmonkey]

7. Ain't that the truth - walking around barefoot, talking about love

:hippie:

[dogday]

5. nominated

exactly, let's have some grey

[Minstrel Boy]

8. The LARGEST Protestant denomination in Canada,

the United Church of Canada (formed in 1925 by an almagam of Methodist and Presbyterian churches), has been a leading advocate for gay rights and same sex marriage - and social and economic justice for all - for years. (Check out its page on justice.)

In Canada, the "social gospel" of the Left has been the principal tradition for public expression of Christian faith. Many of the founders of our socialist party, the NDP, were also Ministers, including Tommy Douglas, the father of our public health-care system (and voted "Greatest Canadian"). MP Bill Blaikie, who finished second in the last leadership race, is also a United Church Minister. In an address to United Church divinity students, Blaikie said:

"As a Christian on the left I would want to argue, for instance, that there is a vast realm called ‘the economy’, and all the values and practices that it explicitly and implicitly reinforces, that should be judged, in the Christian mind, by whether or not it conforms to the teachings of Jesus Christ, whether any false gods, like the market, are worshipped therein, whether the poor and the oppressed are given priority, and whether, environmentally speaking, creation is being looked after."

About the United Church and Gay Rights:

United Church Urges Parliament to Vote in Favour of Same-Sex Marriage Legislation

Monday, June 27, 2005

Toronto: In a statement released today, The United Church of Canada has called on the Canadian government to move in a timely way to end the debate on Bill C-38 and to vote in favour of same-sex marriage legislation.

"Marriage will be enhanced, not diminished, religious freedom will be protected, not threatened, and Canadian society will be strengthened, not weakened, as a result of this legislation," says Richard Chambers of the Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit.

Chambers says that further rancorous debate over this issue will only serve to polarize positions rather than contribute to building a strong civil society based on the values of inclusion, diversity, mutual respect, and fairness.

http://www.united-church.ca/news/2005/0627.shtm


"2005-FEB-01: The United Church of Canada, Canada's largest Protestant denomination, congratulated the government of Canada on its proposed same-sex marriage (SSM) law which the Church called a 'win-win solution in the same-sex marriage debate.' Rev. Dr. Jim Sinclair, General Secretary of the General Council, said: 'Marriage will be enhanced, not diminished, religious freedom will be protected, not threatened, and Canadian society will be strengthened, not weakened, as a result of this legislation.'"
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_ucc.htm

The United Church of Canada commends Ottawa's action on Same-Sex Unions

June 20, 2003

Toronto: In a statement released today, The United Church of Canada has commended the Prime Minister and the Liberal Cabinet on the announcement this week that the Federal Government will soon draft legislation that will legally recognize same-sex civil marriages.

...

The United Church has long supported the civil recognition of same-sex partnerships. In 2000, the 37th General Council affirmed that human sexual orientations, whether heterosexual or homosexual, are a gift from God and part of the marvellous diversity of creation. The Council further resolved to advocate for the civil recognition of same-sex partnerships.
http://www.united-church.ca/news/2003/0620.shtm

[Telly Savalas]

9. A toast to Bill Blaikie...

and the other MP's who will vote for same sex marriage later today. I may be Murkin, but I'm proud as hell to have a Canadian daughter.

:toast:

[hippywife]

10. Our UCC and UU Churches

also marched in the Pride Parade here in Tulsa a couple of weekends ago.

[jim3775]

11. The chief of police and the leader of the federal NDP party also marched.