Some Young Religious Voters Steering Away From Anti-Gay Measures
Posted on Apr 25, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Associated Press
April 25, 2008
The AP reports a growing number of religious youth are placing social justice issues, instead of divisive wedge issues, at the center of their moral and political decision making. (Link)
April 25, 2008
The AP reports a growing number of religious youth are placing social justice issues, instead of divisive wedge issues, at the center of their moral and political decision making. (Link)
United Church of Christ sees donation gain after supporting marriage equality
Posted on Apr 03, 2008 at 01:59 pm
Bay Area Reporter
April 3, 2008
Donations to the connectional ministries of the United Church of Christ increased by over a million dollars in 2007 following its endorsement of marriage equality in 2005. [Link]
April 3, 2008
Donations to the connectional ministries of the United Church of Christ increased by over a million dollars in 2007 following its endorsement of marriage equality in 2005. [Link]
Think Evangelicals Vote in Lockstep? Meet the Routhe Family
Posted on Apr 01, 2008 at 03:39 pm
Campaigns & Elections
April 1, 2008
Shifting demographics are affecting the views and votes of evangelical Christian voters, moving some to adopt more nuanced views of issues, including marriage equality. Peter Ilyan, who describes himself as a Christian environmental evangelist says, "So now when James Dobson says it's only gay marriage and abortion we should care about? One of our jokes is that gay married couples have the fewest abortions of anybody." [Link]
April 1, 2008
Shifting demographics are affecting the views and votes of evangelical Christian voters, moving some to adopt more nuanced views of issues, including marriage equality. Peter Ilyan, who describes himself as a Christian environmental evangelist says, "So now when James Dobson says it's only gay marriage and abortion we should care about? One of our jokes is that gay married couples have the fewest abortions of anybody." [Link]
From the altar, a vow of protest
Posted on Mar 31, 2008 at 01:15 pm
Baltimore Sun
March 31, 2008
A Baltimore rabbi joined a small but growing band of clergy who have decided that they won't sign any marriage licenses as agents of the state until it allows gays and lesbians to marry. Some rabbis and ministers in states including Virginia, Minnesota, Michigan and Connecticut have told their congregants that when it comes to weddings they are in the business of religious ceremonies - only - and they have redirected couples to the local courthouse for the paperwork. [Link]
March 31, 2008
A Baltimore rabbi joined a small but growing band of clergy who have decided that they won't sign any marriage licenses as agents of the state until it allows gays and lesbians to marry. Some rabbis and ministers in states including Virginia, Minnesota, Michigan and Connecticut have told their congregants that when it comes to weddings they are in the business of religious ceremonies - only - and they have redirected couples to the local courthouse for the paperwork. [Link]
Islam ‘recognizes homosexuality’
Posted on Mar 28, 2008 at 09:57 am
The Jakarta Post
March 28, 2008
Moderate Muslim scholars said there were no reasons to reject gay people under Islam, and that the condemnation by mainstream ulema and many other Muslims was based on narrow-minded interpretations of Islamic teachings. [link]
March 28, 2008
Moderate Muslim scholars said there were no reasons to reject gay people under Islam, and that the condemnation by mainstream ulema and many other Muslims was based on narrow-minded interpretations of Islamic teachings. [link]
God spoke via MA court
Posted on Feb 29, 2008 at 05:30 pm
Washington Blade
February 29, 2008
The 2003 ruling on marriage equality was a turning point for me in learning to accept my lesbian daughter. [Link]
February 29, 2008
The 2003 ruling on marriage equality was a turning point for me in learning to accept my lesbian daughter. [Link]
It’s Not a Mortal Sin to Work for Justice
Posted on Jan 30, 2008 at 11:48 pm
My husband and I have been married 49 years. We are the parents of five grown daughters, one of whom is a lesbian. I speak with passion concerning our experience, which is marked by intense sadness because of the alienation my daughter and others like her continue to suffer, especially at the hands of the Catholic Church. [Link]
Impatient witness: Reflections on the long struggle for gay rights
Posted on Jan 21, 2008 at 02:52 pm
Providence Journal
January 21, 2008
M. Charles Bakst, a non-gay columnist, wrote with powerful support for marriage equality saying, “I identified with the gay rights movement because I am Jewish, and because, the way I was brought up, you treat people decently and if there’s something amiss in the world you try to fix it… I believe discrimination against gays is evil, and marriage equality is not rocket science. Society benefits from loving, stable relationships. A man and a woman should be able to wed; two men or two women, that’s fine too. And if it’s not for you, don’t do it. I don’t get hung up on ideological or theological details.” [link]
January 21, 2008
M. Charles Bakst, a non-gay columnist, wrote with powerful support for marriage equality saying, “I identified with the gay rights movement because I am Jewish, and because, the way I was brought up, you treat people decently and if there’s something amiss in the world you try to fix it… I believe discrimination against gays is evil, and marriage equality is not rocket science. Society benefits from loving, stable relationships. A man and a woman should be able to wed; two men or two women, that’s fine too. And if it’s not for you, don’t do it. I don’t get hung up on ideological or theological details.” [link]
Gays & the Church
Posted on Jan 16, 2008 at 03:10 pm
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
January 16, 2008
As a gay man who has been partnered for 19 years, married in Canada in 2005 and parent of a 2-year-old, I can tell you that we are not attacking Catholics or marriage. We don't want anything more than what all other committed couples have: the tax, health, pension, visitation and death protections that are a part of marriage. These are not special rights. They are protections offered by the government, not the Catholic Church. [link]
January 16, 2008
As a gay man who has been partnered for 19 years, married in Canada in 2005 and parent of a 2-year-old, I can tell you that we are not attacking Catholics or marriage. We don't want anything more than what all other committed couples have: the tax, health, pension, visitation and death protections that are a part of marriage. These are not special rights. They are protections offered by the government, not the Catholic Church. [link]
In Stand For Marriage Equality, Church Cuts All Unions
Posted on Dec 14, 2007 at 02:16 pm
WCCO
December 14, 2007
It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight, you can't get legally married at Lyndale United Church of Christ. The small, liberal church in south Minneapolis was the first of several Twin Cities congregations last year to stop performing civil marriage ceremonies as long as gay marriage is illegal. These churches, and a handful of others around the country that took the same step, will still hold a religious ceremony to bless the unions of straight and gay couples -- but straight couples must go separately to a judge or justice of the peace for the marriage license. "If you feel that gay and lesbian people are loved and credited by God, then how can we continue to discriminate against our brothers and sisters?" asked Rev. Don Portwood, the reserved Nebraska native who's been lead pastor at the 120-member Lyndale United Church of Christ for 27 years. [link]
December 14, 2007
It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight, you can't get legally married at Lyndale United Church of Christ. The small, liberal church in south Minneapolis was the first of several Twin Cities congregations last year to stop performing civil marriage ceremonies as long as gay marriage is illegal. These churches, and a handful of others around the country that took the same step, will still hold a religious ceremony to bless the unions of straight and gay couples -- but straight couples must go separately to a judge or justice of the peace for the marriage license. "If you feel that gay and lesbian people are loved and credited by God, then how can we continue to discriminate against our brothers and sisters?" asked Rev. Don Portwood, the reserved Nebraska native who's been lead pastor at the 120-member Lyndale United Church of Christ for 27 years. [link]