You Can't Fight Hate With Hate

In the discussion of the anti-same-sex marriage ballot measure, Proposition 8, much has been said against those who support the measure and hence wish to outlaw same-sex marriage rights.  And sadly much of that has been bigotry towards Christians, chiefly Mormons and Catholics.

It is true that a number of evangelical Christian, Mormon and Catholic organizations have supported the Yes on 8 measure.  It is also true that a number of religious organizations however have endorsed marriage equity and the No on 8 campaign (including Catholic and Mormon groups).

Which brings me to an important point.  One of the chief Christian churches that not only opposes Prop 8 but has a long (back to the 70s) and strong record of support for the rights of gays and lesbians and same-sex marriage.  That would be the United Church of Christ, the very denomination that both Barack Obama and I belong to.

Which to me makes it more disingenious that Obama does not support same-sex marriage and claims it for religious reasons.  While I take issue with Senator John McCain, Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin's stance on the issue, all three are members of denominations (McCain - Southern Baptist, Biden - Roman Catholic, Palin - Non-denominational Evangelical) that have a historic opposition to same-sex marriage.

Obama needs to come clean and say that he either opposes gay marriage for political reasons or personal reasons because our church doesn't hold the belief he says it does. Of course I was baptized into the church a good 24 years before Obama was so maybe he missed that Sunday School class.