I am gratified that there are religious groups like the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry out there that are celebrating marriage equality, rather than abhoring it. You'd think, from what's out there in the media, that all religions are anti-same-sex-marriage and it's just the heathen, liberal free-thinkers that are trying to turn everyone's heads. I found RCFM online and say hear, hear to their plea to Massassachusetts Bishops! I do hope those esteemed men (and women?) of the cloth are reading:
"Open Letter to Cardinal O’Malley and
the Roman Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts
As ministers, rabbis and religious leaders of many faith traditions, we urge you to stop your political campaign to take away civil marriage rights from gay and lesbian citizens. At a time when the Roman Catholic Church says it is trying to promote tolerance and diversity it is lobbying the legislature and campaigning publicly to ban same-sex marriage in the Commonwealth.
The Roman Catholic magisterium teaches that homosexuality and gay unions are gravely immoral. We disagree with that doctrine, and we rejoice and celebrate marriage equality in Massachusetts. However, we honor your right to believe as you wish. We respect your right to practice your faith according to your laws.
We ask that you respect our faith traditions in return. Taking away civil marriage rights from committed, loving gay and lesbian couples would deny us the right to practice our beliefs. We would no longer be able to marry same-sex couples legally. The state would be in the position of granting full rights and protections to everyone married according to your beliefs, while denying those rights and protections to couples married according to ours.
You are promoting prejudice through your political campaign, intentionally or not.
By proclaiming homosexuality and same-sex unions to be universally immoral and worthy of second-class status under state law, you are sending a message that our faith communities are immoral. You are harming us and our families and your own faithful as well. Thousands of Roman Catholics have signed our Roman Catholic Statement in support of marriage equality. They have signed out of their pain and their love and concern for the Church.
We all have a right to speak our minds and to vote according to our beliefs, but in the political realm, we also have a constitutional responsibility to protect minorities, including the gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual individuals and our minority religious communities. Our founding fathers understood the importance of protecting minorities and of preventing sectarian beliefs from becoming civil laws.
Worldwide, we can witness the unfortunate consequences when religious groups try to use government power to impose their will on multi-cultural societies. Respecting and protecting the dignity of every soul, regardless of sexual orientation or religious beliefs, is the American way -- and the only way to protect the religious freedom and the democratic society we all cherish.
We urge you to stop trying to make your religious definition of marriage and family the law of our Commonwealth. Please stop trying to put personal faith up for a popular vote in 2008. Let’s return our focus to our common mission of promoting a socially just and tolerant society.
Faithfully,
The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry Board:
The Rev’d. Anne C. Fowler, President
Rabbi Howard Berman
Rabbi Devon A. Lerner, Executive Director
Rev. Quinn Caldwell
The Rev’d. George C. Welles, Jr.
Rev. Tiffany Steinwert
Rev. David Pettee
Rabbi Daniel Judson
Charles Martel, Roman Catholic Liaison
Rev. Irving Cummings
Constance Cervone, Roman Catholic Liaison
Rev. Maureen Reddington-Wilde"
nice to know that there are sane religious people. i tend to froth about the religious right and forget that there are many respectful people of faith, who believe, correctly, that religion shouldn't be legislated.
ReplyDelete>"At a time when the Roman Catholic Church says it is trying to promote tolerance and diversity it is lobbying the legislature and campaigning publicly to ban same-sex marriage in the Commonwealth."
ReplyDeleteYep. The Catholic Church does indeed promote tolerance. The Church doesn't promote permissiveness. There is a distinct difference. The RCFM may have missed that distinction.
God bless...
+Timothy
Our church will perform ceremonies. Of course, they have no legal bearing since our state banned any avenue for gay marriage/ civil unions, but we do what we can.
ReplyDelete