Gay-Marriage Fight Finds Ambivalence From Evangelicals

[Hamlette]

Prominent evangelical Christians in Washington have been warning the Bush administration for months that conservative Christians may not have enough motivation to vote this November if the president failed to vigorously support their effort to amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

But down in the pews of Western Michigan, a major center of evangelical Protestantism, not everyone is sure that the proposed amendment matters so much.

"For me personally, even though I have a strong religious belief, who am I to say?" said Grant Reed, a police officer, a Republican and a member of the nondenominational evangelical Ada Bible Church in Ada, a suburb of Grand Rapids. "I know my wife would say, `a marriage is between a man and a woman, and sin is sin,' " Mr. Reed said, but he has a good friend from college who is gay.

"I think we have bigger things to worry about than whether two men or two women want to get married," he said.

<snip>

Many conservative churchgoers, including Mr. Smidt of Calvin College, said they felt clear in their opposition to gay marriage but divided on the subject of a constitutional amendment. "I don't like to see it used as a political hammer," he said. "Pushing for an amendment doesn't really energize my support." He added, "It may be that when you add up the votes on this issue, it is not going to add as much as it takes away."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/28/politics/campaign/28GAYS.html?hp

I'm thinking the more people think about this amendment the more they don't like it. Except of course for those who think gay marriage will ruin our soiciety and our schools (!?! from the article)

Bush is an idiot and I wonder if Rove is losing his touch.

[kayell]

1. Yet another good reason to be fully out

"For me personally, even though I have a strong religious belief, who am I to say?" said Grant Reed, a police officer, a Republican and a member of the nondenominational evangelical Ada Bible Church in Ada, a suburb of Grand Rapids. "I know my wife would say, `a marriage is between a man and a woman, and sin is sin,' " Mr. Reed said, but he has a good friend from college who is gay.

"I think we have bigger things to worry about than whether two men or two women want to get married," he said.

I have been wrestling a bit with this. I am essentially out, but not fully, especially at work. I don't hide, and I speak up if anyone bashes, but I don't make it a point to tell people at work. The people who know at work are very limited, and don't include my boss. There are 2 serious fundie women who work with me. Most of us just avoid talking politics at work. Discussion of these things is pretty out of our office culture.

I am debating whether to pointedly come out to them, or whether it can/should be done in a subtle way without wacking them over the head with it, esp. given office culture. Unfortunately I can't just pop a spouse picture on my desk, since I'm not involved now. I do have some pics of the SF wedding couples on my screen saver, but most people don't see that - semi private office.

Thoughts on this are welcome.

[Jade Fox]

3. Good luck to you....

There are two gay men and one lesbian who work in my Christian organization
office building. All of them discuss openly their partners, but its kind of like
an elephant in the living room in other ways: everybody knows its there but
no one talks about it. Also, one of the Pastors is obviously gay, but there is
big denial about that. I had a conversation with an elderly male employee
(who I love) who was going on about why this good-looking man had not
found himself a wife. Not wanting to out someone against his will I kept
my mouth shut, but it was hard!

[x-g.o.p.er]

6. True Friends and/or Christians will accept you for who you are

and not be judgmental. Good luck to you. It's a judgement call on your part, but those who care don't matter and those who matter won't care...they'll still like you for who you are.

[Mari333]

2. We have a strong gay community here in West Michigan

in Saugutuck Michigan and some oasis places even in Grand Rapids...and people have been fighting for gay rights even more , since the idiots at the american family association starting sending their idiot moron Gary Glenn to Michigan to keep communities from passing gay rights ordinances..
Sean Kosovsky of www.tri.org has worked tirelessly for gay rights and he is to be commended in his efforts.

[gristy]

4. Good to see this being reported.

I am not surprised by what is in the article. Not at all.

[x-g.o.p.er]

5. Please Delete..responding to incorrect post