BLACK CLERGY GATHERING TO FIGHT GAY MATRIMONY: From the San Francisco Chronicle

Conservative evangelical groups -- including the Christian men's movement, Promise Keepers -- are mobilizing African American church leaders for a renewed campaign against same-sex marriage.

Some of the nation's best-known black clergymen will come together in Washington, D.C., on Monday to denounce homosexual unions -- the same day judges in Massachusetts begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. The Supreme Court refused Friday to intervene and block clerks from issuing these marriage licenses.

The gathering on Capitol Hill will be followed next weekend with a large rally in Texas called "Not on My Watch." ...

In San Francisco, a coalition of seven African American pastors called San Francisco Tabernacle Clergy have prepared their own joint statement condemning same-sex marriage and comparisons to the civil rights movement. ...

Bishop Donald Green, the pastor of San Francisco Christian Center and chairman of the coalition, said they are not part of the new national campaign organized by the Traditional Values Coalition.

But they make similar arguments based on their understanding of the Bible and experience in black churches.

"As African American pastors, teachers, counselors and leaders, we see and live with the horrors of a declining society," they state. "Same-sex marriage would serve to advance the decline of marriage and ... family values in the African American community."

Joining Green in that statement were the pastors of Bethel AME Church, Missionary Temple CME Church, First AME Zion Church, Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, True Hope Church of God in Christ and Providence Baptist Church.

Of course, not all African American church leaders in San Francisco agree.

The Rev. Cecil Williams, the longtime leader of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, said Christian right leaders mobilizing black clergy are "attempting to divert attention from the real issue."

"They need to open up to other perspectives," Williams said. "I've said this (the gay rights movement) is a part of the civil rights movement. The issue is to bring out freedom in people's lives."

On this issue, however, Williams appears outnumbered by black clergy opposed to same-sex marriage. ...

By actively backing the May 22 "Not on My Watch" rally in Arlington, Texas, Fortman gives same-sex marriage opponents the resources of Promise Keepers -- which has brought an estimated 5 million men to stadium-sized rallies over the past 13 years.

Meanwhile, another powerful conservative evangelical lobby, the Traditional Values Coalition, has lined up some nationally known African American church leaders for the Monday start of "a state-by-state grassroots effort to pass legislation protecting marriage."

Bishop Paul Morton, the presiding bishop of the fast-growing Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship; evangelist and former NFL star Darrell Green; and California television evangelist Frederick K.C. Price are among those black Christian luminaries who will call on the Congressional Black Caucus to oppose civil unions for homosexual couples.

more
posted by Eve at 7:15 PM | Link |

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home