Virginia Church Quits UCC Over Gay Marriage

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/01/010806church.htm

The United Church of Christ's endorsement of same-sex marriage wasn't the only disagreement Suffolk Christian Church had with the national group.

"Although for a lot of people, that was the straw that broke the camel's back," said the Rev. Michael D. Halley, minister of the 145-year-old church, which agreed by more than a two-thirds majority in the fall to leave the 1.3 million-member denomination.

The action was in response to the vote by the UCC's General Synod, a biennial meeting of delegates from member churches, affirming "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender."

Congregations also were asked to oppose campaigns that advocate constitutional amendments to limit marriage according to gender. Virginia is among the states with such a campaign. If the General Assembly votes again this year, as it did last year, to ban same-sex civil unions, the measure could go before the state's voters as a constitutional amendment this fall.

[xchrom]

1. buh-bye!

[Squatch]

2. Hampton Roads has been in the news quite a bit lately...

and not necessarily the good kind:

- 2 mormon missionaries shot in Chesapeake
- Pat Robertson playing the "Wrath of God" card on Sharon
- Marcus Vick announcing at a Hampton restaurant that he's entering the draft
- And now this.

[mntleo2]

3. As A UCC Member

I find this sad and myopic, but also think it is perhaps good these people find another conference. Most UCC members are enlightened and thoughtful people and I am not saying these folks are not, but I do think they are misguided. With new scientific indications people are born gay, it is almost as if many christians are saying God is wrong if God made people this way. These are the same people who would be horrified to say such a thing, but it is in essence what they are saying, if they do not allow people who are made in the image of God, to be treated as anyone else. I have gay friends and they are good citizens who deserve to have the same rights as any other citizen ~ and this is the reason I am a member of such a religious body.

My 2 cents

Cat In Seattle

[kestrel91316]

4. Sadly, I bet most of these people believe that if you're born gay,

then you're not actually created in the image of God, and therefore not fully human.