[Vision2020] 06-04-04 NY Times: Religious Leaders Assail Amendment on Gay Marriage

Art Deco aka W. Fox deco@moscow.com
Fri, 4 Jun 2004 06:47:08 -0700 

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      June 4, 2004
      Religious Leaders Assail Amendment on Gay Marriage
      By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

      fficials of several religious organizations, including the Presbyterian,
Lutheran and Episcopal churches, sent an open letter to Congress yesterday
opposing the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

      "Although we have differing opinions on rights for same-sex couples, we
believe the Federal Marriage Amendment reflects a fundamental disregard for
individual civil rights and ignores differences among our nation's many
religious traditions," the letter said. The United Church of Christ and the
Unitarian Universalist Association, which recognize same-sex marriages, also
signed the letter. So did representatives of the Anti-Defamation League, the
Union for Reform Judaism, the liberal Alliance of Baptists and the Quakers.

      The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for
Separation of Church and State, helped orchestrate the letter. As United Church
of Christ minister, he said, "I am disturbed that even though I can perform a
religious ritual to unite a same-gender couple, the state won't recognize it
because some different religious group thinks I am theologically wrong."

      But Diane L. Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion and
Democracy, a group that seeks to push the liberal Protestant denominations in a
more conservative direction, called the letter "a blatant attempt by
left-leaning religious leaders to undercut and intimidate other religious
voices." She said the amendment would define marriage in civil law, not
religious ritual.



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      <H5>June 4, 2004</H5><NYT_HEADLINE type=3D" " version=3D"1.0">
      <H2>Religious Leaders Assail Amendment on Gay=20
      Marriage</H2></NYT_HEADLINE><NYT_BYLINE type=3D" " =
version=3D"1.0"><FONT=20
      size=3D-1><STRONG>By DAVID D. =
KIRKPATRICK</STRONG></FONT><BR></NYT_BYLINE>
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          <TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><NYT_TEXT>
      <P><IMG height=3D34 alt=3DO=20
      src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/dropcap/o.gif" =
width=3D32=20
      align=3Dleft border=3D0>fficials of several religious =
organizations, including=20
      the Presbyterian, Lutheran and Episcopal churches, sent an open =
letter to=20
      Congress yesterday opposing the proposed constitutional amendment =
banning=20
      same-sex marriage.</P>
      <P>"Although we have differing opinions on rights for same-sex =
couples, we=20
      believe the Federal Marriage Amendment reflects a fundamental =
disregard=20
      for individual civil rights and ignores differences among our =
nation's=20
      many religious traditions," the letter said. The United Church of =
Christ=20
      and the Unitarian Universalist Association, which recognize =
same-sex=20
      marriages, also signed the letter. So did representatives of the=20
      Anti-Defamation League, the Union for Reform Judaism, the liberal =
Alliance=20
      of Baptists and the Quakers.</P>
      <P>The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United =
for=20
      Separation of Church and State, helped orchestrate the letter. As =
United=20
      Church of Christ minister, he said, "I am disturbed that even =
though I can=20
      perform a religious ritual to unite a same-gender couple, the =
state won't=20
      recognize it because some different religious group thinks I am=20
      theologically wrong."</P>
      <P>But Diane L. Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion =
and=20
      Democracy, a group that seeks to push the liberal Protestant =
denominations=20
      in a more conservative direction, called the letter "a blatant =
attempt by=20
      left-leaning religious leaders to undercut and intimidate other =
religious=20
      voices." She said the amendment would define marriage in civil =
law, not=20
      religious ritual.</P></NYT_TEXT><BR>
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