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Loading ...Arizona Catholics & Jews told to support anti-gay amendment
09.05.2008 12:00pm EDT
(Tucson, Arizona) Roman Catholics and Orthodox Jews are being told by their respective denominations to support a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
In a pastoral letter to be read in Catholic churches across the state on Sunday, Arizona’s two Roman Catholic bishops say the amendment is “in alignment with our deeply held moral beliefs regarding marriage.”The letter, signed by Thomas Olmstead, the bishop of Phoenix, and Gerald Kincanas, the bishop of Tucson, goes on to say that if the amendment is not passed, a law already on the books limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples could be overturned by a court.
The Union for Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America also issued a statement to the state’s Orthodox Jews saying that the Torah and Jewish law “affirms marriage only between a man and woman.”
Evangelical churches throughout Arizona also are urging the faithful to support the proposed amendment, which will appear on the ballot in November.
In 2006, a similar amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions failed when put to voters. The current amendment proposal does not mention civil unions.
Public opinion polls have showed that while most people in the state oppose same-sex marriage, they do not want to enshrine that in the constitution.
Last month a dispute between Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard over the wording that will appear on the ballot was settled hours before a judge was to rule on the description.
The two agreed with the description of what a “yes” vote would mean – restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples. But Brewer objected to Goddard’s insistence that the wording also should point out that the state already has a law preventing same-sex couples from marrying.
Brewer wanted the description to state that a “no vote shall have the effect of retaining the current laws regarding marriage.”
But Goddard maintained that definition would not inform voters that the current law defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.
He wanted language describing the current law as “a statute that prohibits marriage between persons of the same sex.”
Brewer went to court to block Goddard from inserting his “no” definition into the ballot question. Shortly before a judge was to rule, the two agreed on a compromise.
The “no” definition now will say that the proposed amendment defines marriage as between one man and one woman, while keeping intact the current state law, which outlaws same-sex marriage.
Doug: Saying ‘Jews killed their god’ implies that gods can be killed and that gods can be human, neither concepts that make any sense in the context of Judaism.
Hey change the title. It’s the Orthodox, not all Jews. USCJ and URJ represent more of us, and are less discriminatory.
I don’t care if the Catholics or Jews recognize gay marriage, I just want the federal government to. The hypocrisy from organized religion is something we could all do without.
It has been said that the only things necessary to control the mob is “bread & circuses” (McDonalds & pro sports?). Toss in Marx’s “opiate of the masses” and you can effectively control 80 or 90 percent of a population. As long as the majority is well fed and entertained and under threat of eternal damnation, very little will change as those institutions are geared towards maintaining the status quo. The ultra-conservative mental cases want religious dogma law to be the status quo and will stop at nothing to accomplish this end and those that benefit (politicians) from their involvement in the government will never have the balls to tax them as a PAC like they should be taxed and held accountable.
Never having been an organized religion type of guy Ithink I have every right to tell a little of what Iknow of religion
Aquestion first. What God or deity tells it’s flock to hate another or kill in their name? Mine sure doesn’t and I would not worship or pray ib any that did. Religion has no place in the way a gov. does business, yet thge same ones in power seem to like a particular church in DC tthat attracts them like bees to q flower. I don’t know if very many catholics reade 365 or not, and if they do naughty naughty. You have been spreading a litany of hate and murder since you crucified Christ. It’s called guilt. You Jewish adherents also gave up your God to the Romans, it’s called guilt also. Isn’t it about time you just stuck to having bingo and bake sales and stay out of everyone’s life. There are more gay priests than you can shakee a stick at and I confess I don’t know much about Jewes so I can’t comment except if you like the catholics hate us, what do you expect when people get righteous and demand equal treatment. to put up a sign in front of a church with that filth, if a store or a neighbor did something like that the you’d probably be arrested. Maybe you still should be put in the stockaids. Let’s see who would get your ugly ass out of jail. You religious hypocrites make me sick. Go read your bible or torah or whatever. I’d rather read Anne Rice. Her son is gay, do you know. And as always, Peace
Well, the Catholic cult, the Mormon cult and others are already actively working to derail gay marriage in CA. I’d like to think that this will be defeated – but it’s so much easier to motivate stupid people.
The issue is about a civil contract, which coincidentally has the same name as a religious right. Since the state is incapable of performing a sacramental act, religious groups have no dog in this fight. The Catholic Church in particular has absolutely no business teaching us about human sexuality.
To the religious groups, and especially to Pope Maledict, I say, “Sit down and shut up.”
And I say that as an ordained minister.
Separation of Church and State no longer exists in our country, except to protect one’s personal religious beliefs. In Florida for instance, attempts to get the required number of petition signatures, “from the general public”, to get the anti-gay marriage amendment on the ballot failed for six years. It wasn’t until petitions were made available during church services and church members were pressured into signing it, that it finally made it to the ballot. Churches that use their pulpits to legislate and dictate laws on non-church members, should lose their tax exempt status. People need to educated that the wording of many of these amendments, such as Florida, go much further than just reiterating existing state laws banning same-gender marriage. They will not only deny any future possibility of civil unions legislation. And most importantly, as we learned from Michigan, amendment supporters vehemently denied they would go after domestic partners registries. However, once their amendment passed, briefs were filed to repeal existing domestic partnerships, and they win. This had an adverse effect on both gay and heterosexual couples.Your support and votes against Arizona, California and Florida’s anti-gay marriage amendments, has never been more important. We can ill afford to allow the religious rights fundies to strip us of our existing or future rights by allowing these amendments to pass.
isn’t this Illegal? Tax Free status removal should fix the problem.
It really is time that churches and religious organizations be taxed for their political activism.
If and when the Dominionist-Reconstructionist-Fundamentalist-Fascist Konservative Kristianist Krazies DO seize power, Roman Catholics, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, etc. and anybody ELSE who doesn’t confess Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour to the satisfaction of the Religious Thought Police will be astonished at how quickly they are pushed out the back door of the Wrong-Wing juggernaut bus. Evangelicals HATE Catholics and Jews; they support Israel for one reason and one reason only: to bring on Armageddon (!). They may make common cause with them against gay people at the moment, but that’ll last about thirty second after they gain control of the government.
Bud Clark
San Diego CA USA
desert bat: Doubt it. The Orthodox Jews wouldn’t eat the Catholics’ food.
The Catholic Church has really devolved into a sick twisted cult some time ago – they are just more open about it now. Anyone who pays any attention to what these creepy people have to say should have their head examined (and yes, I was raised Catholic – so I know what they’re really like). Fortunately, the brainwashing doesn’t stick to everyone – and for that I “thank God”. (Not their bizarre version of God – a God that is actually a positive force, not one built around guilt).
Are the Catholics and the Orthodox Jews all that friendly? Was there a pot luck or something?
Oy vey. I really wish the Rabbinical Council of America and the Orthodox Union would stop trying to shun everyone within their structure that speaks out that this approach to the matter is shameful and hateful.
Orthodox Judaism is NOT united against rights for gay people… But the Orthodox political games are presently favoring the homophobes, which sucks for the rest of us. :\