Religious Education Update: September 14, 2008
Standing on the Side of Love
I believe that one of the most important messages we can give our children and youth is that UU’s take a stand on important issues. When UU’s see injustice, they often feel compelled to speak out, frequently long before a position is popular. Our forebears took a stand on women’s suffrage, slavery, and the Civil Rights movement. They wrote, marched, and sometimes even lost their lives to promote the welfare of others.
Our UU General Assembly passed a resolution in 1984 which supported the right of UU clergy to perform unions for same sex couples. In 1996, our General Assembly passed a resolution supporting the legalization of gay marriage. Later, in both Massachusetts and California, UU’s were instrumental in filing briefs with the state Supreme Courts regarding the basic civil right of all people to marry the person they love.
Some UU clergy made a personal stand as well, and refused to sign marriage certificates for any couples, until all couples have the right to marry. The Rev. Rhett Baird, of Fayetteville, Arkansas wrote in February of 2003, “I have come to believe that the state of Arkansas has no right to say that a love that exists between two adults has no standing in law because the gender of one of the persons is not pleasing to the state. I will honorably and joyfully create and officiate at religious ceremonies that honor and celebrate the love between two people, but I will not sign marriage certificates legalizing a bond that is not accessible to all persons, without regard to gender. “
Last Sunday, the members of UUP voted to oppose Proposition 8, which would take away the fundamental human right of marriage from same sex couples. We are standing on the side of love.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
I believe that one of the most important messages we can give our children and youth is that UU’s take a stand on important issues. When UU’s see injustice, they often feel compelled to speak out, frequently long before a position is popular. Our forebears took a stand on women’s suffrage, slavery, and the Civil Rights movement. They wrote, marched, and sometimes even lost their lives to promote the welfare of others.
Our UU General Assembly passed a resolution in 1984 which supported the right of UU clergy to perform unions for same sex couples. In 1996, our General Assembly passed a resolution supporting the legalization of gay marriage. Later, in both Massachusetts and California, UU’s were instrumental in filing briefs with the state Supreme Courts regarding the basic civil right of all people to marry the person they love.
Some UU clergy made a personal stand as well, and refused to sign marriage certificates for any couples, until all couples have the right to marry. The Rev. Rhett Baird, of Fayetteville, Arkansas wrote in February of 2003, “I have come to believe that the state of Arkansas has no right to say that a love that exists between two adults has no standing in law because the gender of one of the persons is not pleasing to the state. I will honorably and joyfully create and officiate at religious ceremonies that honor and celebrate the love between two people, but I will not sign marriage certificates legalizing a bond that is not accessible to all persons, without regard to gender. “
Last Sunday, the members of UUP voted to oppose Proposition 8, which would take away the fundamental human right of marriage from same sex couples. We are standing on the side of love.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
posted by Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma @ 7:41 PM
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