Sunday, July 03, 2005

Show Some `nads, Says Rev. Young

Religion in action means something open and loving apparently to Rev. Andrew Young. On Friday, he announced support for the UCC resolution on marriage equality.

The General Synod in Atlanta will vote on the resolution tomorrow.

Young is a lifelong UCC member, a minister, a civil-rights leader, the former Atlanta mayor and former UN ambassador. Catch the full coverage of his remarks on the UCC news site.

He said, “I’d be disappointed if we did not approve this resolution. I think it would be consistent with our historic spirit of fairness and justice. But it also would be consistent with the spirit of grace and mercy as the path to peace and that you judge not that you not be judged.”

That may be very hard for the fundamentalists who are taken so far out of their comfort zone by this challenge to rethink and check their emotions on this prejudice.

The Daily Bulletin quotes him and previous remarks by Coretta Scott King. Unfortunately Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow cannot address the synod as scheduled because of health concerns. However, in March in New Jersey, she told an audience, "Gay and lesbian people have families, and their families should have legal protection, whether by marriage or civil union."

Perhaps their combined support may make it harder for the black ministers who have spoken in brimfire terms recently of homosexuals and, the Lord forbid, same-sex marriage. Some well credentialed civil-rights leaders see the need for justice here.

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