Letters to the
Editor, Home News Tribune Online,
February 24, 2007
Clergy should foster,
celebrate love as a rare,
sacred bond
As a clergy person myself, I read
with interest the opinion column of Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski published Sunday.
I have these thoughts, from a Protestant perspective, in response.
Jesus never said a word — not one — about homosexuality; and the few times that
the Bible does mention it are all so fraught with cultural and contextual
problematics as to strongly recommend an avoidance of "Thou shalt not"-style
dogmatics.
What Jesus and Paul did, in fact, say a lot about — as well as the prophets,
priests and chroniclers of the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament — was God's
welcoming love, which finds a place in the household of faith for all people of
faith, their lives, their loves, and their gifts.
I have had the privilege of knowing and ministering to many gay and lesbian
brothers and sisters of great faith, energy, wisdom and love, and many such
couples who are as committed to each other as any different-gender couple you
might name.
Human love, loyalty and commitment are rare enough quantities these days (What's
the divorce rate for different-sex marriages?) and are sacred, wherever you find
them, and should be celebrated and fostered by religious people wherever and
whenever we can.
Rev. James F. Thomas, First Presbyterian Church, Iselin, NJ
.oOo.
Civil marriage none
of bishop's business
This is in response to the Feb. 18
article by Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski regarding marriage.
Would someone please explain to the bishop a couple points about civil marriage?
Civil marriage has never been a religious sacrament; it is a civil contract
between the state and two people seeking marriage. There is no requirement
that the church be involved.
A Feb. 15 article from Rome stated that, in response to the pope's position on a
gay-rights bill, he was reminded that the Vatican had no business interfering in
politics, that the church had a concord with Italy that, in return for the
Vatican being regarded a separate state within Italy, it would not interfere in
politics. We thought we had the separation of church and state in the
United States, too.
We desire to support and protect people's right to religion, whether they are
Baptists, Catholics, Muslims, or Jews. We have a basic right not to have
religious beliefs forced on us, and under no circumstances should any of them
feel that their beliefs trump our basic civil and human rights.
John C. Campbell, Co-founder and sponsor,
GayPASG.org, Edison, NJ
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