If marriage is 'religious' and not 'civil', then why is the state dictating to the church?

The argument that marriage is a 'religious' concept and not a 'civil' concept is easily disproved. But for shits and giggles, let's say that it is a religious concept--why would the state be able to tell these 1000 religious leaders in Massachusetts alone that they can't perform their duties as ministers because other ministers might disagree with their religion? If religion is a primarily religious concept, then the US government is forbidding thousands of people from exercising their religious freedoms. You cannot say "civil unions" for secular people and "marriage" for religious people because you will still have same-sex marriage unless you tell certain denominations and reverends that their religions don't count.

There is a super simple solution: no gender or chromosomal requirements for marriage between two adults. Churches can choose whether or not to perform ceremonies based on whether or not the couple has their blessing, but they cannot tell the State to regulate who gets to marry based on their particular blessing. It's absurd on every level.


Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Signers of the Declaration of Religious Support for SameSex
Marriage

This List Was Printed On: 6/6/07
Buddhist
Buddhist Boundless Way Zen
Cambridge Zen Center
Mr. Brian P. Betty
Mr. John Makransky
Mr. Edward C. Oberholtzer
Christian
American Baptist
Old Cambridge Baptist Church
Rev. Betsy Bowers
Rev. Jennifer L. Cas Stevens
Rev. Jean A. Chapman
Rev. Craig Collmer
Rev. Irving C. Cummings
Rev. Lydia C. Hews
Rev. Jeffrey LongMiddleton
Rev. Beth C Loughhead
Rev. Jim P. Maynard
Rev. Thomas R McKibbens
Rev. Marnette Saz
Rev. Michael Scott
Rev. Will J Seals
Rev. Betsy J Sowers
Rev. Gordon C. Swan
Rev. Michael Walker
The Rev. Ashlee WiestLaird
The Rev. Jonathan W. WrightGray
American Ecumenical Catholic
Rev. John B. French
Baptist
Rev. Irene Monroe
Catholic Apostolic Church in North
Rev. Peter S. Miller F.C.R.
Denominational Organizations
Dignity Boston
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Disciples of Christ
Rev. Mark C. Johnston Ph.D.
Episcopal
Episcopal Church of St. John the
Evangelist
Grace Church on Martha's Vineyard
Parish of the Messiah
St. David's Episcopal Church
St. John's Episcopal Church JP
St. Luke's and St. Margaret's
St. Mary of the Harbor
St. Paul's Parish Malden
The Church of Our Saviour Milton
The Rev'd Anoma Abeyaratne
The Rev'd Ellen B. Aitken
The Rev'd Ellen B. Aitken
The Rev'd Edward P. Allen
The Rev'd Ramon Aymerich
The Rev'd Steve Ayres
The Rev'd Robert R.M. Bagwell
The Rev'd G. Stewart Barns
The Rev'd William H. Barnwell
The Rev'd Kevin D. Bean
The Rev'd Cynthia Bell
The Rev'd Elizabeth S. Berman
The Rev'd Karen Z. Bettacchi
The Rev'd Katharine Black
The Rev'd Bruce D. Blois
The Rev'd Anne Berry Bonnyman
The Rev'd Steven Bonsey
The Rev'd Mark BozuttiJones
The Rev'd William J. Bradbury
The Rev'd Lyn G. Brakeman
The Rev'd H. Ray Bronk
The Rev'd Roy F. Brown
The Rev'd Gwen Buehrens
The Rev'd Margaret BullittJonas
The Rev'd Anthony F. Buquor
The Rev'd Matthew Cadwell
The Rev'd Joyce Caggiano
The Rev'd Tom Callard
The Rev'd Julie Carson
The Right Rev'd Roy F. Cederholm Jr.
The Rev'd Arrington Chambliss
The Rev'd George M Chapman
The Right Rev'd Steven Charleston
The Rev'd Peter Chase
The Rev'd Ran Chase
The Rev'd Brad Clark
The Rev'd John R. Clarke
The Rev'd Ted Cole
The Rev'd Patricia Colenbach
The Rev'd Louise Conant
The Rev'd Walter Connelly
The Rev'd Sarah Conner
The Rev'd Mary E. Conroy
The Rev'd Timothy Crellin
The Rev'd Daniel F. Crowley
The Rev'd Gale Davis Morris
The Rev'd Michael B Deangelo
The Rev'd Marya DeCarlen
The Rev'd Edith W. Dolnikowski
The Rev'd Ian T. Douglas Ph.D
The Rev'd Michael D. Dudley
The Rev'd Joseph Duggan
The Rev'd Julia Dunbar
The Rev'd Sarah Eastman
The Rev'd Chris Eastman
The Rev'd William Eddy
The Rev'd Robert Edson
The Rev'd Noah H. Evans
The Rev'd Gareth C. Evans
The Rev'd Norman Faramelli
The Rev'd Manny Faria
The Rev'd Heidi Fieldston
The Rev'd Christopher Fike
The Rev'd John H. Finley
The Rev'd Carol M Flett
The Rev'd Francis Fornaro
The Rev'd E. Louise Forrest
The Rev'd Pamela L. Foster
The Rev'd Anne C. Fowler
The Rev'd Ann H. Franklin
The Rev'd Edward A. Franks
The Rev'd David A. Frederickson
The Rev'd Karen B. Fritz
The Rev'd Carol D. Gadsden
The Rev'd Dr. Ted J. Gaiser
The Rev'd Robert J. Gallagher
The Rev'd Miriam C. Gelfer
The Rev'd Cathy H. George
The Rev'd Jeffrey Gill
The Rev'd Wallace Gober
The Rev'd Jane Soyster Gould
The Rev'd Colin B. Gracey
The Rev'd Gretchen S. Grimshaw
The Rev'd Elizabeth A. Grundy
The Rev'd Lyle Hall
The Rev'd Addison Hall
The Rev'd Lisbeth Hall
The Rev'd John J. Hamilton
The Rev'd Jack Haney
The Right Rev'd Gayle E. Harris
The Rev'd Cornelius Hastie
The Rev'd David Hefling
The Rev'd Robert E. Hensley
The Rev'd Alan R. Hesse
The Rev'd William Heuss
The Rev'd Carter Heyward
The Rev'd Robert Hirschfeld
The Rev'd Michael J. Hodges
The Rev'd James Hornsby
The Rev'd Jennifer S Hughes
The Rev'd Marshall Hunt
The Rev'd Joel M. Ives
The Rev'd Philip C. Jacobs III
The Rev'd Gregory A. Jacobs
The Rev'd Thea KeithLucas
The Rev'd Peter Kelley
The Rev'd Maureen Kemeza
The Rev'd Arthur Kimber
The Rev'd James Kodera
The Rev'd William M. Kondrath
The Rev'd Beulah Koulouris
The Rev'd Mark Kozielec
The Rev'd Sheryl A. Kujawa
The Rev'd David Lillian
The Rev'd Deborah Little Wyman
The Rev'd Margaret E. Lloyd
The Rev'd Craig Loya
The Rev'd Alan B. MacKillop
The Rev'd Ranjit K. Matthews
The Rev'd Kathleen A. McAdams
The Rev'd Richard McCall
The Rev'd Dorsey M McConnell
The Rev'd Amy McCreath
The Rev'd Devin S. McLachlan
The Rev'd Wendel W. Meyer
The Rev'd Anne Mansfield Minton
The Rev'd Davis Muller
The Rev'd Brian J. Murdoch
The Rev'd Jeannette Myers
The Rev'd Sherrell Osborn
The Rev'd Alison Palmer
The Rev'd Eleanor Panasevich
The Rev'd Terry R. Pannell
The Rev'd Cameron Partridge
The Rev'd John C. Pearson
The Rev'd Edwin C. Pease
The Rev'd Barbara A. Peterson
The Rev'd Deborah Phillips
The Rev'd Kathryn Piccard
The Rev'd Wanda Pizzonia
The Rev'd Dennis R. Plummer
The Rev'd Pamela Porter
The Rev'd Fairbairn Powers
The Rev'd Sharon Powers
The Rev'd Linda Privitera
The Rev'd Warren R. Radtke
The Rev'd Katherine Hancock Ragsdale
The Rev'd Nat Reece
The Rev'd Edward G. Rice
The Rev'd William W. Rich
The Rev'd Rosalie Richards
The Rev'd Edward Rodman
The Rev'd Samuel S. Rodman
The Rev'd Michael J. Roeske
The Rev'd Laurie Rofinot
The Rev'd Timothy J. Rogers
The Rev'd Stefanie Schatz
The Right Rev'd M. Thomas Shaw
The Rev'd Sarah Shofstall
The Rev'd Richard J. Simeone
The Rev'd Edward R. Sims
The Rev'd Claude A. Smith
The Rev'd Martin L. Smith
The Rev'd John F. Smith
The Rev'd Mildred J. Solomon
The Rev'd Stephanie Spellers
The Rev'd Bonnie Sarah Spencer
The Rev'd Adrian Stair
Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Signers of the Declaration of Religious Support for SameSex
Marriage in Massachusetts
11 Beacon Street, Suite 1125 Boston,
MA 02118
(
617) 8782390
www.
rcfm.org
This List Was Printed On: 6/6/07
The Rev'd Katharine E. Stebinger
The Rev'd George Stevens
The Rev'd Ann W. Stevenson
The Rev'd Matthew W. Stewart
The Rev'd Jon C. Strand
The Very Rev'd John P. Streit Jr.
The Rev'd Judith L. Stuart
The Rev'd Thomas V. Sullivan
The Rev'd Maryalice Sullivan
The Rev'd Evan L. Thayer
The Rev'd Michele A. Torres
The Rev'd Robert Trache
The Rev'd William Underhill
The Rev'd Dale L. Van Meter
The Rev'd Mary Scott Wagner
The Rev'd George H. Welles Jr.
The Rev'd Victoria Wells Hunt
The Rev'd Peter W. Wenner
The Rev'd Pamela L. Werntz
The Rev'd K. Gordon White
The Rev'd Bailey Whitrech
The Rev'd Joe Wilkes
The Rev'd Stephen J.C. Williams
The Rev'd Perry R. Williams
The Rev'd Donald Williamson
The Rev'd Barbara S. Williamson
The Rev'd Robert G. Windsor
The Rev'd Robert W. Woodroofe III
The Rev'd Clare Yarborough
The Rev'd Pat Zifcak
Lutheran
Rev. Joanne Elise Engquist
Rev. Angela Freeman
The Rev. John Stendahl
Melkite Catholic
Rev. Dr. Richard Rasi
Metropolitan Community Church
Metropolitan Community Church of
Boston
Rev. Patrick S. Cheng
Rev. Michael Cooper
Rev. George S. McDermott
Rev. Joan M. Saniuk
Presbyterian
Church of the Covenant
Rev. Jan E. Gough
Rev. Elliot Hipp
Rev. Helen Nablo
Rev. Jean K. Southard
The Rev. Richard E. Spalding
Rev. Elizabeth Wieman
Roman Catholic
Rev. Robert E. Nee
Society of Friends
Amesbury Friends Meeting
Beacon Hill Friends Meeting
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Fresh Pond Monthly Meeting
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Northampton Friends Meeting
Salem Quarterly Meeting
South Berkshire Monthly Meeting
Wellesley Monthly Meeting of Friends
Ms. Margaret Jane Arny
Mr. Thomas P. Ash
Mr. David Bogartz
Ms. Win Busby
Ms. Elizabeth ClaggettBorne
Ms. Susan P. Davies
Ms. Janice Doppler
Ms. Lucille A. Fandel
Mr. Jim Fauntleroy
Ms. Katherine A. Fisher
Ms. Lisa D. Graustein
Ms. Marguerite Helen
Ms. Barbara Hildt
Mr. Ken Hoffman
Ms. Jan Hoffman
Mr. Alexander Levering Kern
Mr. Geoff Lobenstine
Ms. Susan Loucks
Mr. David P. McAllester
Mr. Chuck McCorkle
Ms. Jeanne McKnight
Mr. Pat Micks
Mr. George Munger
Mr. Bob Murray
Mr. David M. Norcross
Mr. Perry Norton
Ms. Alana Parkes
Mr. Ronald Pinheiro
Ms. Mary Ellen Preston
Mr. John Preston
Dr. Marie G. Rudden
Ms. Wendy Sanford
Ms. Amelie Scheltema
Mr. Rudolf Scheltema
Ms. Barbara Schwartz
Ms. Jill Scobie
Ms. Nancy Shippen
Ms. Sarah Spencer
Mr. William Taber
Mr. Harry White
Southern Baptist
Rev. Cindy King
United Church of Christ
Bethany Christian United Parish,
Worcester
Central Congregational Church, Jamaica
Plain
Emmanuel Church Boston
Feeding Hills Congregational Church
The Open and Affirming Task Force
United Parish of Auburndale
West Parish of Barnstable
Rev. Reine Abele
Rev. Jean M. Alexander
Rev. Kent E. Allen
Rev. Meredith A. Allen
Rev. Sheri Anderson
Rev. Fred W. Anderson
Rev. Dianne E. Arakawa
Rev. Matthew D. Arnett
Rev. Judith B. Arnold
Rev. Candice Ashenden
Rev. Carol Ashton
Rev. Lee Atherton
Rev. Lael P. Atkinson
Rev. Dr. Richard AubinFischer
The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian
Rev. Marie A.. Bacchiocchi
Rev. Robert S. Bachelder
Rev. Reed Baer
Rev. Kenneth F. Baily
Rev. Jeffrey T. Balcher
Rev. Dr. Norman B. Bendroth
Rev. Tim Benson
Rev. Malcolm C. Bertram
Rev. Laura P. Biddle
Rev. Edward B. Blackman
Rev. Gary Blume
Rev. Thomas T. Boates
Rev. Dr. Frances A. Bogle
Rev. Adele Bonham
Rev. Susan Boone
Rev. Suzanne W Bossert
Rev. Judith B. Brain
Rev. Ginger BrasherCunningham
Rev. Helen W Bross
Rev. Robert K. Buckwalter
Rev. Janet Burdewik
The Rev. Andrew C. Burr
Rev. Mark S. Burrows
Rev. Nan Eaton Butera
Rev. Quinn G. Caldwell
Rev. Thomas C. Carlton
Rev. William R. Carter
Rev. Susan Cartmell
Rev. Dr. Karin A. Case
Rev. Quentin Chin
Rev. Richard N. Chrisman
Rev. Michele D. Cijka
Rev. Deborah L. Clark
Rev. Deene D. Clark
Rev. Allen M. Comstock
Rev. Peter M. Cook
Rev. Joyce G. Crowder
Rev. Ann B. Day
Pastor Daniel Dibble
Rev. Carolyn Dittes
Rev. Robert C. Donaldson
Rev. Janet Dorman
Rev. Franklin A. Dorman
Prof. Sarah B. Drummond
Rev. Michael J. Duda
Rev. Dr. Stan Duncan
Rev. Dr. Bev Duncan
Rev. Paula J. Elizabeth
Rev. Meredith Ellis
Rev. Todd Farnsworth
Rev. Sanford Fasth
Rev. Randy Ferrara
Rev Terry Fitzgerald
Rev. William J. Fleming
Rev. James W. Fraser
Rev. Phyllis B. Frechette
Rev. Theodore P. Fritsch
Rev. W, Alan Froggatt Jr
Rev. Kelly A. Gallagher
Rev. Mary E. Giles
Rev. Brita L. GillAustern
Rev. Patricia Glore
Rev. M. Gay Godfrey
Rev. Jill D. Graham
Rev. Susanna Knox Griefen
Rev. David C. GrishawJones
Rev. Frank Groggett
Rev. Robert M.J. Hagopian
Rev. Meredith B. Handspicker
Rev. Joan M. Haner
Rev. E. George Hangen
Rev. Lois Happe
Rev. Phil Hardwick
Rev. Charles H. Harper
Rev. Patricia F. Hazeltine
Rev. Dale A. Hempen
Rev. Mary Heney
Rev. Jamie Ruth Howard
Rev. John F. Hudson
Rev. Dr. Anne Ierardi
Rev. Peter B. Ives
Rev. Christine Jaronski
Rev. Keith Jenkins Man
Rev. Polly Jenkins Man
Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Signers of the Declaration of Religious Support for SameSex
Marriage in Massachusetts
11 Beacon Street, Suite 1125 Boston,
MA 02118
(
617) 8782390
www.
rcfm.org
This List Was Printed On: 6/6/07
Rev. Jeffrey P. Johnson
Rev. Richard F Jones
Rev. Peter J. Kakos
The Rev. Art Kaufman
Rev. Rebecca Kavich Girash
Rev. James Keck
Rev. Rachael Keefe
Rev. Edgar Kemp
Rev. Anthony S. Kill
Rev. Heidi N. King
Rev. David S. King
Rev. Elizabeth Ann King
Rev. Heather KirkDavidoff
Rev. R. Paul Koons
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Larsen
Rev. Evelyn E. Lavelli
Rev. Kate Layzer
Rev. Richard G. Leavitt
Rev. Ross W. Lilley
The Rev. Robert L. Livingston
Rev. Dr. John C. Lombard
Rev. Patricia A. Long
Rev. Peter A. Lovett
Rev. Ian Lynch
Rev. Thomas MacLachlan
Rev. Richard E. Malmberg
Rev. Kerry Ann Maloney
Rev. Bert Marshall
Rev. Terry Martinson
Rev. Cynthia Maybeck
Rev. Philip Joseph Mayher
Rev. Karen McArthur
Rev. Virgina Ann McDaniel
Rev. Paul McDaniel
Rev. Elizabeth McGill
Rev. Catherine Michael
Rev. Linda Michel
Rev. Karla Jean Miller
Rev. Wendy Miller Olapade
Rev. Jennifer MillsKnutsen
Rev. Douglas Mitchell
The Rev. Diane E. Mix
Rev. Ute S. Molitor
Rev. Kathleen Musser
Rev. Dr. Calvin F. Mutti
Rev. David W Nason
Rev. John A. Nelson
Rev. Ted Newcomb
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth C. Nordbeck
Rev. Jean Novotny
Rev. Daniel Novotny
Rev Peggy O'Connor
Rev. Pamela E. Oddy
Rev. Rose Ann Olmstead
Rev. Kenneth H. Orth
Rev. L. Weldon Palmer
Rev. Rand Peabody
Rev. Stephen Pepper
Rev. Gustave E. Peterson
Rev. Molly Phinney
Rev. Allyson Platt
Rev. Beverly PrestwoodTaylor
Rev. Rebecca Pugh Brown
Rev. Ross W. Putnam
Rev. Eric Redard
Rev. Linda J. Reilly
Rev. Don Remick
Rev. Nancy E. Richards
Rev. Nancy D Richardson
Rev. Dr. Phil Rider
Rev. Mary Redner Robinson
Rev. Nancy Rockwell
Rev. Dr. Michele RogersBrigham
Rev. Dudley C. Rose
Rev. Renate Rose
Rev. Susan Grant Rosen
Rev. Marilyn R. Rossier
Rev. Anne M. Rousseau
Rev. Yvonne Schaudt Waegemann
Rev. Marlayna Schmidt
Rev. Lisa D. Schoenwetter
Rev. Carl F. Schultz
Rev. Dadgie Scott
Rev. Cynthia Shoemaker
Rev. Daniel A. Smith
Rev. Penny Rich Smith
The Rev. Karen Nell Smith
Rev. Peter SouthwellSander
Rev. Peg Stearn
Rev. Lisa Stedman
Rev. Kate Stevens
Rev. Nancy E. Stillman
Rev. Wayne A. Strever
Rev. Clark Taylor
Rev. Dr. Nancy S. Taylor
Rev. Jonathan C. Tetherly
Rev. Mary Martha Thiel
Rev. Rona Tyndall
Rev. Marguerite Unwin Voelkel
Rev. Amy L. Van Cleave
Rev. Wendy E. Vanderhart
Rev. Dr. George W. Waterbury
Rev. Bradford T. Watters
Rev. Dr. Peter Wells
Rev. John R. White
Rev. Janice Wilcox
Rev. Marilyn WilcoxAnderson
Rev. Cynthia WorthingtonBerry
Rev. Katrina Wuensch
Rev. Katrina Wuensch
Rev. Elinor L. Yeo
Rev. Kenneth Ziebell
United Methodist
Rev. Dr. Amy Alletzhauser
Rev. Allen Anderson
The Rev. Carole B. Calhoun
The Rev. William A. Campbell
The Rev'd Scott Campbell
Rev. Dr. William C. Coleman
The Rev. Jerry O. Cook
Rev. Dr. Robert Neville Cummings
Rev. Paul Deats
Rev. F. Oliver Drake
Rev. Leigh Dry
Rev. Eric M. Dupee
The Rev'd Paula J Fletcher
Rev. Virginia Fryer
Rev. Cynthia A. Good
Rev. Marion Grant
Rev. Joel Guillemette
Rev. Richard E. Harding
Rev. Charles G. Hartman
Rev. Debbie Holt
Rev. Donald Holt
Rev. Anne Marie Hunter
Rev. Dr. Susan JarekGlidden
Rev. Tony JarekGlidden
Rev. Dr. Ellis B. Johnson
Rev. Samuel M. Johnson
Rev. Dr. David A. Kerr
Rev. David Kim
Rev. Stacy Lanier
Rev. Stewart Lanier
Rev. Wendell Luke
Rev. Dr. Pat MacHugh
Rev. Freda E. Maier
Rev. Lynn McCracken
The Rev. Donald B. McGaw
Rev. Jay P. Mitchell
Rev. Lehlohonolo Henrietta Montjane
Rev. Robert Moore
Rev. Gary F. Nettleton
Rev. Steven Notis
Rev. Ruth Oduor
Rev. Carol Anne Parsons
Rev. Sydney Pierce
The Rev. Sally P. Poland
The Rev. Theodore R. Poland
Rev. Dr. David A. Purdy
Rev. Gary Richards
Rev. Ruth E.S. Robinson
The Rev. Donald J. Rudalevige
Rev. Laurel E. Scott
Rev. Dr. Margaret Sheffield
Rev. Donella G. Siktberg
Rev. Harry Soper, Jr.
Rev. Tiffany L. Steinwert
The Rev. Richard R. Swan
Rev. James G. Todd
Rev. Kelly Turney
Rev. Wayne Underhill
Rev. Kristin L. White
Rev. Willard A. Williams
Rev. Donald A. Williams
Rev. Walter Woitasek
Rev. Linda B. WoodBoyle
Rev. Vicki L. Woods
Rev. Dr. James Young
Ethical Culture Society
Ethical Culture Society
Ms. Susan Rose Teshu
Hindu
Hindu
Dr. Sitansu S. Mittra
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Jewish Alliance for Law and Social
Action
Jewish
Boston Jewish Spirit
Congregation Am Tivka
Congregation Keshet Yam
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Rabbi Stephanie M. Alexander
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Rabbi Albert S. Axelrad
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Rabbi Dr. Terry R. Bard
Rabbi David Dunn Bauer
Rabbi H. Philip Berkowitz D.D.
Rabbi Howard A. Berman
Rabbi Seth L. Bernstein
Rabbi Herman J. Blumberg
Rabbi Carey A. Brown
Rabbi Sharon J. Clevenger
Rabbi Sigma F. Coran
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Rabbi Justin David
Rabbi Braham David
Rabbi Gail C. Diamond
Rabbi Deanna L. Douglas
Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Signers of the Declaration of Religious Support for SameSex
Marriage in Massachusetts
11 Beacon Street, Suite 1125 Boston,
MA 02118
(
617) 8782390
www.
rcfm.org
This List Was Printed On: 6/6/07
Rabbi H. Bruce Ehrmann
Rabbi Lisa Eiduson
Cantor Roy B. Einhorn
Rabbi Judith F. Epstein
Rabbi Greg M. Epstein
Rabbi Paula L. Feldstein
Rabbi Susan Fendrick
Rabbi Arnold Fertig
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Rabbi Sally R. Finestone
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Rabbi Eric S. Gurvis
Rabbi Debra R. Hachen
Rabbi Kevin Haile
Rabbi Boaz Heilman
Rabbi Devorah L. Jacobson
Rabbi Howard L. Jaffe
Rabbi Shira H. Joseph
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Rabbi Judith Kummer
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner
Rabbi Karen Landy
Rabbi Edn Leader
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Rabbi Alan Lehmann
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Rabbi Emily Gopen Lipof
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Rabbi Laurence E Milder
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Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Signers of the Declaration of Religious Support for SameSex
Marriage in Massachusetts
11 Beacon Street, Suite 1125 Boston,
MA 02118
(
617) 8782390
www.
rcfm.org
This List Was Printed On: 6/6/07
Rev. Robert T. Dick
Rev. Judith Downing
Rev. Kathy Duhon
Rev. Lucinda S. Duncan
Rev. Claudia Elferdink
Rev. Dr. Dorothy May Emerson
Rev. Steven W. Emmett
Rev. Dr. Anita FarberRobertson
Rev. Richard M. Fewkes
Rev. Kelly M. Fink
Rev. Wendy Fitting
Rev. Sandra D. FitzHenry
Rev. Charles F. Flagg
Rev. James Ishmael Ford
Rev. Melody Foti
Rev. Ann C. Fox
Rev. Cynthia A. Frado
Rev. Marc S. Fredette
Rev. William J. Gardiner
Rev. John E. Gibbons
Rev. Margaret H. Gifford
Rev. Dr. Philip R. Giles
Rev. Nannene Gowdy
Rev. Robin R. Gray
Rev. Jeffrey P. Greene
Rev. Georganne Greene
Rev. Andrea K. Greenwood
Rev. Robert W. Haney
Rev. Edward A. Hardy
Rev. Dr. Kristen L. Harper
Rev. Dan Harper
Rev. Mary J. Harrington
Rev. Mark W. Harris
Rev. Dr. Richard S. Hasty
Rev. Barbara Maria Haugen
Rev. Marshall Sanborn Hawkins
Rev. John E. Hickey
Rev. Mary HnottavangeTelleen
Rev. Judith Hoehler
Rev. Harry Hoehler
Rev. Patricia Ann Hoertdoerfer
Rev. Dr. Barbara Hollerorth
Rev. Dr. Hugo Hollerorth
Rev. Olivia Holmes
Rev. David Horst
Rev. Daniel D. Hotchkiss
Rev. Sylvia Howe
Rev. David P. Hubner
Rev. Kathy Huff
Rev. Doris Hunter
Rev. Howard Hunter
Rev. Alison Hyder
Rev. Dr. Tim W. Jensen
Rev. Myke Johnson
Rev. Dave A. Johnson
Rev. David Johnson
Rev. Walter Jonas
Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones
Rev. Jennifer Mims Justice
Rev. Carol L. Karlson
Rev. Richard A.. Kellaway
Rev. Elea J. Kemler
Rev. Stephen Kendrick
Rev. Robert Kimball
Rev. Vann Knight
Rev. Betty Kornitzer
Rev. Keith Kron
Rev. Timonthy A. Kutzmark
Rev. Paul H. L'Herrou
Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Landrum
Rev. Edwin A. Lane
Rev. Phlox Laucher
Rev. Marlin Lavanhar
Rev. Garry M. LeFevre
Rev. Cheryl Leshay
Rev. Karen Lewis Foley
Rev. Rosemary S Lloyd
Rev. Edwin C. Lynn
Rev. Judith G. Mannheim
Rev. Lisa Martelli
Rev. Dr. Art McDonald
Rev. Robert W. McKetchnie
Rev. Elizabeth McMaster
Rev. Denis G. Meacham
Rev. Jack Mendelsohn
Rev. Deborah Mero
Rev. Ralph Mero
Rev. Barbara Merritt
Rev. Dr. Thomas J.S. Mikelson
Rev. Susan Moran
Rev. Priscilla Murdock
Rev. Robert F. Murphy
Rev. Eugene B. Navias
Rev. Stephanie R. Nichols
Rev. John H. Nichols
Rev. Martha F. Niebanck
Rev. Lillian Gordon Nye
Rev. Caitlin M. O'Brien
Rev. Phyllis B. O'Connell
Rev. David Carl Olson
Rev. Judith Brown Osgood
Rev. Roger W. Paine
The Rev. David B Parke
Rev. Parisa D. Parsa
Rev. Aaron R. Payson
Rev. Lawrence X. Peers
Rev. George Pennington
Rev. Oren A. Peterson
Rev. David Pettee
Rev. Susan D. Phoenix
Rev. O. Eugene Pickett
Rev. Hank Pierce
Rev. Evelyn Plumb
Rev. David C. Pohl
Rev. Deborah J. PopeLance
Rev. Marianne McCarthy Power
Rev. Ralph Randolph
Rev. Jean M. Rankin
Rev. Hannah T. Rappolt
Rev. Kenneth H. ReadBrown
Rev. Kenneth M. Reeves
Rev. Jonathan Rehmus
Rev. Candace E. Reid
Rev. Katherine S. Reis
Rev. Ralph Yeager Roberts
Rev. Frank E. Robertson
Rev. James A. Robinson
Rev. Edmund H. Robinson
Rev. Williard S Robinson
Rev. Gretchen Robinson
Rev. Dr. Tracey RobinsonHarris
Rev. Rachele Rosi
Rev. Tom Rosiello
Rev. Carol Rosine
Rev. Dr. Robert R.N. Ross
The Rev'd Ellen Rowse Spero
Rev. Richelle C. Russell
Rev. Jane Ranney Rzepka
Rev. Victoria E. Safford
Rev. Margie King Saphier
Rev. Kenneth W. Sawyer
Rev. Thomas R. Schade
Rev. Kathy Schmitz
Rev. Carl R. Scovel
Rev. Dr. Alan L. Seaburg
Rev. Gail S. Seavey
Rev. Stephen M. Shick
Rev. Madeleine MacNeill M. Sifantus
Rev. William G. Sinkford
Rev. Fred Small
Rev. Gary E. Smith
Rev. Carlton Elliot Smith
Rev. Adele SmithPenniman
Rev. Erin E. Splaine
Rev. Fayre C Stephenson
Rev. Elizabeth B. Stevens
Rev. Sylvia Stocker
Rev. Richard M. Stower
Rev. Elizabeth M. Strong
Rev. Susan Suchocki Brown
Rev. Arline Conan Sutherland
Rev. Peter A. Sutherland
Rev. Jeffrey Symynkywicz
Rev. Karin P. Tanenholtz
Rev. Rachel G Tedesco
Rev. Diane Teichert
Rev. Robert Thayer
Rev. Barbara R. Threet
Rev. Adam James TierneyEliot
Rev. Richard Trudeau
Rev. Marta I. Valentin Chase
Rev. Melvin C. Van de Workeen
Rev. Herbert F. Vetter
Rev. Kenneth R. Warren
Rev. Victoria Weinstein
Rev. Arnold F. Westwood
Rev. Bob Wheatley
Rev. Barbara Anne WhittakerJohns
Rev. Eugene Widrick
Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom
Rev. Ann S. Willever
Rev. Beth Williams
Rev. David Nash Williams
Rev. Rhys Williams
Rev. Charles L Wilson
Rev. Dr. Thomas D. Wintle
Rev. Alison Wohler
Rev. Dr. Eugene Woodrick
Rev. Dr. Judith E. Wright
Rev. Robin Zucker

If civil benefits are given out by the state or feds, they should be equally available to citizens and not be based on religious rites.

It made her uncomfortable to be an agent of the state in a situation where the state discriminated. She said she and many other Episcopal clergy would prefer to have marriage be soley a state process, and then have churches bless what unions they wished.

"no gender or chromosomal requirements for marriage between two adults. Churches can choose whether or not to perform ceremonies based on whether or not the couple has their blessing, but they cannot tell the State to regulate who gets to marry based on their particular blessing."

This is, as I see it, the only sane solution. Hopefully this would erase all divisiveness in this country.

Thanks for the post.

Separation of church and state. They can't be stopped from marrying, and in states like Massachusetts, they can't be forced to marry any particular couple either.

I don't get the point of the letter.

:shrug:

civil unions. I heard Senator Obama, whom I support, answer a question on Hardball's College Tour on gay marriage, and he said that he supported civil unions with the full legal benefits that would apply to married couples (these are not his words, but what I understood), which is fine, but I was waiting for him to say that it was up to the couple's church to make the decision about marriage. But he didn't. It was then that it dawned on me that either 1) Obama didn't feel he had the authority to dictate what a church could do as far as marriage was concerned or 2) the terms were different from what I'd understood for these many years. I'm an Episcopalian and my diocese accepts the marriage of gay couples.

The question is whether it should be a governmental concept. Let the government bless 'civil unions,' and let others, whether church, community, family, whatever, perform rites and call them 'marriages.' Just give everyone, gay or straight or other, equal access to civil unions.

This would set up a separate-but-equal system between atheists and believers. Suddenly all people not married in a religion would merely have 'civil unions' that would not be recognized by the government. Call one religious marriage and the other civil marriage, fine, but don't invent new terms. My parents have been married for 40 years and they'll laugh in your face if you tell them that they're not in a marriage but rather a 'civil union.'

anything religiously weighted.

so.....??????????????

Are you 'civil unioned' or are you married? If you're straight, then you're married. You have all the benefits of being married. That's SOOOOOO.

there is nothing religious in my marriage yet still the word marriage is used. the word marriage doesnt seem to have anything particularly to do with religious or otherwise, just seems to be the difinition of two people opposite sex that signed a contract.

i am all for making my committment with mate whatever the gay community wants me to make it in support of their being able to have all the advantages that i do in this contracted union.

There's no command from scripture to anoint 'marriage'
as something from on high.

'Pair bonding' (the sociological term) is an occurance
seen in nature, and common to humankind throughout time.

History reveals that bonds between men and women were instituted
as a way of political alliance, and to form a legal bond with which
to protect the innocent, those who are incapable of protecting and
supporting themselves.. which means children, women and the aged.
IN most ancient and primitive cultures, patriarchy was the order of the
day, and most men had multiple wives.

Legally thoughout history, a 'marriage' is formed with the two
simply verbally and publickly announce their intent to be
'wed' as (traditionally) husband and wife. That's all there was
to it... usually a family or political affair. NO big fat churchy weddings.

But in the middle ages, the western Catholic Church thought things
were getting out of hand, and thus made 'marriage' a holy sacrament,
a means to 'heaven,' and also a means for the church to have to hand in it.

(Probably because very young people were 'self-wedding' thru the spoken
vows, and some families lost property and political alliances.)

Thus 'marriage' became aligned with The Church, and was seen as a
holy act. (But just because we say so, doesn't mean it is.) IN fact,
in the medieval church, couples weren't married in the sanctuary proper,
but outside the church doors.. but fat fancy hollywood weddings are a modern
invention, ushered in during the Victorian era.

In our modern world, there is no real legal difference between
'civil relationship' and a 'marriage.' In fact, in countries throughout
Europe, couples must apply in a civil courthouse, and sign the papers to make
it a legal binding relationship before they truck on over the church for the
big holy parade. IN fact, if you don't do the civil stuff, the church stuff
means nothing.

As an ordained clergyperson, I am appalled by the crap that the
public views as a wedding, and the big business behind it.
To most of us, a church 'wedding' is simply a blessing of the union,
and all of us must follow the laws of the state in regard to a legal
bond.

I've said it before: Civil unions for everyone.
If you want a churchy blessing, talk to a sympathetic clergy
person, but a pastor/minister/priest/rabbi don't make it
any more holy that the relationship already is..
neither does a churchy wedding guarantee 'happy ever after.'
That happens only in Disney cartoons...

Why not call it what people are comfortable with? No one wants to be civilly unionized. It's an awkward phrase that makes no sense. Why fetishize the word "marriage"? Call it a civil marriage and make it open to all on the state level.

Of course in the future, who knows...

But in this incredibly faux 'holier than thou'
climate in which we live,
I say do away with the word 'marriage'
at least for a while.

I'm so tired of bigots hiding behind some
veil of 'religiosity.'

I don't mind 'civil relationship' coz that's
what it is: a pair bond in accord with the law
that afford benefits and rights.

I guess I'm just so sick of the patriarchal
relgious right...

say at the end of the wedding? 'By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.'

What power? It is the power of the state that gave the church the ability to marry folks.

........ and all that should be granted by and recognized by required by the state. Like all else, it should be available to all without regard to all the usual litmi.

Marriage becomes the sole realm of religion (or or other belief system) and its availability shall be up to the particular church who shall be helkd immune from discrimination lawsuits. Religion, by definition, is discriminatory.