More than 75 religious bodies in Maine are expected to take part in Sabbath Weekend for the Freedom of All to Marry Sept. 14-16, led by the Religious Coalition Against Discrimination to highlight how people of faith from diverse traditions support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.
Voters will consider a referendum allowing same-sex civil unions in Maine when they go to the polls on Nov. 6.
The religious coalition initiated the Sabbath Weekend to urge people of faith to reach out to others who may be conflicted about this issue, and talk about how they have come to support marriage equality because of their faith.
Religious Coalition Against Discrimination is joined in this effort by Catholics for Marriage Equality, or Catholics4ME, and Mainers United
for Marriage with the understanding that the majority of people who are conflicted about supporting same-sex marriage are people of faith, and how people of faith vote could determine the outcome at the polls, according to a press statement.
“People of faith in every tradition highly value marriage and also want to strengthen all Maine families, including same-sex couples and their families,” said the Rev. Marvin Ellison, president of the Religious Coalition Against Discrimination board, in the statement. “The good news is that our faith and values give us strong reason to support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.”
Anne Underwood, a director of the Catholics for Marriage Equality board, said the group believes civil marriage must include same-sex couples.
“Catholics for Marriage Equality is working across the state to give Catholics the opportunity to voice their conscience on the freedom to marry for same-sex couples,” she said in the prepared statement.
While nationally the Episcopalian church still is debating this issue, many Maine Episcopal clergy, including Bishop Stephen Lane, have announced their support for Referendum No. 1. Some Maine Methodist and Lutheran ministers also plan to encourage congregants to reach out to conflicted people of faith and share their stories of how they came to reconcile their faith with support of marriage equality. Conservative and reform Jewish clergy in Maine have made their support of Referendum No. 1 public, and plan to use Rosh Hashanah, which begins Sunday, to affirm the message of equality, according to the release.
Additionally, several United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist communities are planning activities during their regularly scheduled services, as well as community forums, from now until Election Day.
Religious “sects”? How about “denominations”? Sects makes them sound like cults.
If they don’t believe Jesus is the only way to salvation, they ARE cults.
Nope. Poor definition. Your brand of Christianity does not have a monopoly, especially when compared with other Christians.
Then you are calling Jesus a liar.
I was referring to the exclusionist dogma of “ye must personally accept Christ” churches. Most other Christians regard salvation/grace as a gift–to all. Granted my post didn’t come off too well.
Not all these sects are Christian sects, so it’s amazingly disrespectful of you to spew this kind of antisemetic stuff in the comments section of an article that includes people of the Jewish faith. Judaism is NOT a “cult”, I think you should apologize.
The cult of ignorance apparently doesn’t see the irony in referring to sects as cults.
Sects are different branches of several religions. Denominations are branches within one religion.
They are a cult, the whole homosexual movement is. While the unemployment is high, the Middle East is completely in disarray , oil and gas price have gone through the roof … homosexuals and their fans are focused on their genitals. They are the most self centered, immature people. They value marriage as much as heterosexuals do. They just want people to accept their aberrant lifestyle.
You seem to me to be the only one here focused on “homosexuals genitals”.
And just how many homosexuals do you “know” ?
Well if they do not believe in God’s word, Sect is a good word.
Which translation or interpretation? KJV only? And your interptretaton only?
Too bad you have to defeat the people of faith to win. Shows you where gay marriage comes from – straight from the pit of hell. It’s against nature and it’s against God.
Romans 1:26-27
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. ”
If one reads Romans 1:26-27 in context, one realizes that this is echoing the Leviticus with reference to public religious orgies. What we call homosexuality was such an ingrained part of culture during ‘biblical’ times, that there was not even a word for the act, nor was there a word for heterosexuality. Apparently it is not against nature, else there would not be multiple wild animal species who also engage in this manner. My suggestion for people of faith is to tend your own personal dinner table; what someone else eats does not make you fat.
The context is about how people turn from light and truth found in creation, the Word of God and our own conscience we were given by God are given up to their own sinful ways, desires and practices. One of those being same sex relationships. He is not just referring to some context back in the book of Leviticus. It is a universal condemnation of man sinning against the Light God has given him and in their foolish darkened minds worship nature, animals, birds and even worshiping man himself.
And yes He did have a name for that sin in ‘bible times’ – it was called Sodomy. It is as wicked and disgusting as bestiality and God destroyed those wicked people of Sodom for their sin. If you think you can drag God’s Name and His Bible into support for gay marriage and not receive some form of judgement from Him you are mistaken. Being given over to our own sinful desires can sometime be a form of judgement. People have hardened reprobate minds so that their sin doesn’t bother them and they practice the deceiving of their own hearts. Gay people need to be pitied but not supported. The person who takes side with gay marriage is taking sides against God.
The gay marriage movement isn’t really about love and marriage, it’s about sexual orientation.
I think the terminology is yours, not God’s.
So, what’s your opinion of female-female relationships?
“Sodomy” is a term that refers also to oral sex.
If you’re SO committed to stamping-out “sodomy”, then you should be railing against the people who do it most often.
Heterosexuals.
Get back to us and let us know how THAT campaign is going for you.
You might actually study the Bible and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah while you’re at it, as there is no consensus among Bible scholars as to exactly what it means. Some might say it’s about what a very bad idea it is to be hostile towards angels is. Your camps interpretation is that it means the townspeople wanted to have sex with angels. Many scholars point out that the original word for “to know” that THAT interpretation is based on isn’t used anywhere else in the passage to refer to sex, so I’ll just let people decide for themselves who the real perverts are when it comes to the Bible and mal-translating it to fit an agenda of absurdity and hate.
I dont get my morals from animals nor do I wish to engage in their sometimes odd behaviors. Good grief, use some common sense.
When 75 religious groups (including at least some Catholics) are participating, it shows that the conservatives have no monopoly on “persons of faith”. Looks like the movement is ordained rather than from hell.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
(2Peter 2:1)
They are not speaking from the truth of Scripture when they come to you with support of gay marriage because the Bible speaks against it not for it.
I don’t care if you get 75000 religious groups to support gay marriage it’s still wrong according to the Bible. One person standing on the truth of God is the majority if you ask me because God’s Word is all that matters.
Ordained by whom? Satan?
cp444 and GodIsTrue: you two are the sadducees and parisees of today. You both know the law but you do not know compassion. Neither of you want gay marriage? Then don’t be gay and get married to the same sex. There are those among us who are same sex and wish to marry. It is a civil question and has not one thing to do with your religious beliefs. Outlawing same sex marriage will not get either of you into heaven. Compassion might.
Okay, you both may start splitting hairs now! You can start with ” Yes, but….” Sadducee and pharisee.
Nope.
“Ordained by whom? Satan?”
Do you really want to go there ?
Okay. You asked for it.
Pat Robertson: “Become Muslim So You Can Beat Your Wife” (VIDEO)Twirlit – 12 hours ago’Outspoken’ bigot/televangelist Pat Robert….
http://www.twirlit.com/2012/09/12/pat-robertson-become-muslim-so-you-can-beat-your-wife-video/
Kansas City Bishop Convicted of Shielding Pedophile Priest …
http://www.nytimes.com/…/kansas-city-bishop-convicted-of-shieldin..
You shall know the false profits …(pun intended )… how ?
By looking in their mirrors ?
How are they able to and call themselves Christian, too?
Sounds familiar…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62Qfbrc1jdo
The First Book of Samuel
18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a
covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
“More than 75 religious bodies in Maine are expected to take part in Sabbath Weekend for the Freedom of All to Marry Sept. 14-16, led by the Religious Coalition Against Discrimination to highlight how people of faith from diverse traditions support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.’
Whose opposed to them and freedom of religion, God … ?
If you don’t think homosexuals are confused enough read this. It’s just getting more bizarre by the day. http://engagefamilyminute.com/2012/08/boys-wearing-dresses-and-pan-sexuals-are-we-confused/
Citing an article from a known hate group that has ties to other hate groups that support violence and crimes against gay people ?
Please, by all means, do tell us more !
When did it become same sex union instead of marriage?
Apparently in the eyes of the conservatives only (that is, sexual aspects only).
” These people who are making a big deal out of gay marriage? I don’t give
a fu ck about who wants to get married to anybody else! Why not?! We’re
making a big deal out of things we shouldn’t be making a deal out of.
They go on and on with all this bullsh it about “sanctity” — don’t give
me that sanctity crap! Just give everybody the chance to have the life
they want.”- Clint Eastwood
Perhaps the time for the members of these 75 religious bodies could be better spent searching the Word of God over the weekend.
Perhaps you could take your own advise.