Religious Left

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Believe it or not the proponents of proposition 8 and I agree. We agree on the point that children will be affected. However, we disagree on the how children will be affected! The proponents will have you believe children will be harmed by equality while the truth of the matter is that children will reap great rewards. And, in turn the world will be a better place for all. Let’s think about the children who are wards of the state and children who are currently being raised in a same-sex household. By the simple existence of children who are wards of the state we know there obviously are more children than parents to care for them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were no such thing as wards of the state? Doesn’t it make sense if there are more parents then there will be less wards of the state? How about children currently being raised in a same-sex household? Do you not realize the next step in all of this is to remove those children from their homes? After all, if lovi...

Chris Thompson, The Windsor Star The contentious issue of same-sex marriage is at the heart of a move by a Windsor Anglican church to break away from the local diocese and join a more conservative South American wing, the acting bishop of the diocese says. On Sunday, 109 votes were unanimously cast at St. Aidan's parish on Wyandotte Street East in favour of ceding from the Huron Diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada and joining the breakaway Anglican Network in Canada (ANIC), which is part of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. full article

By John Canalis, Staff Writer Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California LONG BEACH - Rick McArdle, a self-proclaimed "street evangelist," disagrees that Proposition 8 would tread on the civil rights of same-sex couples. The member of Parkcrest Community Church in East Long Beach supports the Nov. 4 ballot measure that would ban gay marriage by amending the state Constitution. Just as they interpret Scriptures differently, Long Beach-area churches are not uniformly supportive of Proposition 8. "God loves all people, and we think all relationships of committed love between people are good," said the Rev. Jerald Stinson of First Congregational Church in downtown Long Beach. "We have, for many years, done gay weddings, just without the license, and blessed those relationships." Stinson said about 40 percent of his 500 members are gay, and that the church has taken a strong No-on-8 stance. full article

Written by Press Editorial Board Tracy Press, Tracy, California Proposition 8 would outlaw same-sex marriage by adding the following words to the state Constitution: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Despite what this initiative’s supporters say, marriage and domestic partnerships are not the same — and this constitutional right doesn’t dictate health education programs for public schools. We’ve said it before in this space, and we’ll say it again. The freedom to marry is fundamental in our society, just like the freedoms of religion and speech. Our laws should treat everyone equally. No on 8. full article

Reported by: Chris Vanocur ABC 4 News HASTINGS, Neb. (ABC 4 News) - Andrew Callahan is a member of the LDS Church but he thinks not for much longer. Callahan has been speaking out against a gay marriage ban on the California ballot and Callahan now faces excommunication. He says, "We're just wrong and we need to change that and I'm not going to stop when they excommunicate me and I am not going to apologize and beg them to keep me a member of the church." And in his likely last few hours as a Mormon, Callahan wishes that... "..Thomas S. Monson would stand up bravely - like Spencer W. Kimball did in the past - and say enough is enough." full article

365gay Newscenter Staff (Miami, Florida) Moderate religious leaders from across Florida are speaking out against a proposed amendment to the state constitution which would ban same-sex marriage and could be used to deny benefits to co-habitating non-married couples - both straight and gay. Dozens of pastors and rabbis met in meetings in six areas statewide this week to denounce the proposed amendment, saying they will tell their congregations to vote against it in November. full article

By Walter Weeks , On Top Magazine California -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons) is an often misunderstood religious minority (2%) in California, but figures out this week show the 13-million member church is having a huge impact on gay marriage in the State. Mormon members have contributed between 35-and-40% of the money raised to support Proposition 8 – the constitutional amendment that seeks to ban gay marriage in the State. Despite the huge anti-gay bankroll, support for the gay marriage ban has fallen since July. The poll reveals a majority of Catholics (55%) back gay marriage. Both campaigns in California have announced plans to spend approximately $20 million on the issue. Imagine the homeless woman, hungry man, or orphaned child that money might have sparred – wasted on a self-serving attempt to deny basic rights to Americans. full article

JTA News A same-sex commitment ceremony was held in a synagogue in Sydney, an Australian first. Scott Whitmont, 47, and Christopher Whitmont-Stein, 38, stood under a chupah at the Emanuel Synagogue Sunday in front of about 75 guests. The pair, who had a secular commitment ceremony six years ago, exchanged rings, smashed a glass and walked around each other 3 1/2 times. The celebration follows a decision in May 2007 by the Council of Progressive Rabbis of Asia, Australia and New Zealand to allow its rabbis to officiate at same-sex commitment ceremonies. full article

Fatha Frank over at the Public Christianity blog makes an attempt at tolerance. He is quick to quote the Supreme Court when it is in his favor but seems to forget about them when they’ve made decisions unsupportive of his statements. Interestingly Fatha Frank writes: But to me, calling the name "marriage" a right, and not the rights the name carries (which are provided by civil unions, although only where available), is an argument over semantics. Fatha Frank I’d like to direct your attention to the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia where the Supreme Court decision states: Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man,"… I direct your attention to the words CIVIL RIGHTS. Oh, by the way, I'll stick with the Merriam-Webster definition of bigotry: big·ot·ry - 1 : the state of mind of a bigot 2 : acts or beliefs characteristic of a bigot big·ot - a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices ; especial...

Lawrence Jones, a christian post reporter writes; The Pacific Justice Institute, which specializes in religious freedom and civil liberties, has filed a complaint against the California gas and electric utility provider PG&E for giving over a quarter of a million dollars toward efforts against the California gay "marriage" ban, Proposition 8. Brad Dacus, president of the group, has filed an administrative complaint against Pacific Gas and Electric Company with the California Public Utilities Commission. PG&E provides utilities to approximately 15 million Californians. full article note: In keeping with their twisting of words, the religious right article claims PG&E is being sued. Rather then speaking the truth (a complaint was filed with the utilities commission) they seek to sensationalize. Which says volumes about their desperation!