National Religious Leaders Reject Pope's Defamation of Same-Sex Couples

[Ian David]

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NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE /
NATIONAL RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE

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Richard Lindsay, Religious Roundtable Liason
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February 24, 2005

National Religious Leaders Reject Pope's Defamation of Same-Sex
Couples

Washington D.C. The National Religious Leadership Roundtable
today rejected Pope John Paul II's statement in his
recently-published book calling equal civil marriage rights for
same-sex couples "part of a new ideology of evil."

"We share with the rest of the world concerns for the Pope's
health in light of his recent illness, and pray for his strength
and wholeness. But we cannot be silent when he questions the
human dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
people," said Bob Gibeling* on behalf of the National Religious
Leadership Roundtable.

"As the Pope's fellow clergy and religious leaders, we strongly
disagree with the Pope's statement that protecting the rights of
gay people, 'attempts to pit human rights against the family and
against man,'" Gibeling continued, "We call on him to remember
that the essence of the Christian faith and all religious
tradition is the continued empowerment of the poor, the outcast
and the marginalized. We believe that greater recognition of the
inherent value of gay and lesbian families through equal rights
can only lead to strengthening of the family and humankind."

Gibeling added, "As people of faith, we call on the Pope to pray
and consider the devastating results of his statements to
millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians.
We challenge all religious leaders to contemplate the reality
that history and the Creator have brought the world to a place
of understanding that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
people are a necessary component of the human family."

National Religious Leadership Roundtable member Sam Sinnett,
President of Dignity USA further commented, "One cannot properly
teach morality on homosexuality if one excludes the vast body of
medical and social science knowledge that shows it is a normal
part of the great diversity of God's creation and if one
excludes the lived experience of same-sex couples experiencing
love and intimacy in the families they form," Sinnett called on
the Pope and other Roman Catholic leaders to, "properly form
their consciences and abandon their misguided attempts to equate
homosexuality and same-gender marriage with evil."

"If same-sex marriage qualifies as part of 'a new ideology of
evil,' then the world is in far better shape than I thought,"
said Catholic theologian and National Religious Leadership
Roundtable member Mary Hunt, Co-director of Women's Alliance for
Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER). "Marriage, whether in a
same-sex or opposite-sex context, is a celebration of love and
commitment, fidelity and family, and all desirable aspects of
common life. Poverty, greed, war, and ecological destruction
would better fit the Pope's category of 'evil' and be more
worthy of his scrutiny. In a world full of such evil, the power
of same-sex love is a refreshing antidote."

* Bob Gibeling is a member of the steering committee of the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership
Roundtable and a member of Lutherans Concerned.

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First convened in 1998, the National Religious Leadership
Roundtable of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is an
interfaith collaboration of more than forty denominations and
faith-related organizations. The Roundtable seeks to reframe the
public religious dialogue on issues involving the lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community by amplifying the
voices of LGBT-affirming people of faith, countering religious
voices of bigotry and intolerance, and working to advance full
equality for all.

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[arwalden]

1. And I Thank Them For Speaking Out Against The Pope's Hateful Words...

... and the anti-gay bigotry of the RCC. I'm delighted that these people are taking a stand. I'm disappointed that more so-called liberal Catholics (even gay Catholics) refuse to reject the bigotry of the RCC and instead they make excuses or by their silence they are expressing their consent and approval.

> "If same-sex marriage qualifies as part of 'a new ideology of
> evil,' then the world is in far better shape than I thought,"
> said Catholic theologian and National Religious Leadership
> Roundtable member Mary Hunt, Co-director of Women's Alliance for
> Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER). "Marriage, whether in a
> same-sex or opposite-sex context, is a celebration of love and
> commitment, fidelity and family, and all desirable aspects of
> common life. Poverty, greed, war, and ecological destruction
> would better fit the Pope's category of 'evil' and be more
> worthy of his scrutiny. In a world full of such evil, the power
> of same-sex love is a refreshing antidote."

Great quote!