Date: Fri, 11 Oct 96 11:48:36 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII, OCT. 11

	        EDUCATING OUR OWN FLOCK---A UUA EXAMPLE

	Once a national church convention endorses the civil right of
marriage for gays and lesbians, the education process merely begins!  Rarely
is such a decision reached by consensus, and substantial internal 
discussion and education must follow for the health of the church and the
members.

The following article appeared in the latest issue of THE WORLD (Sept/Oct '96).
It is written by John Buehrens, President of the Unitarian Universalist
Association.  The person who forwarded the article to me is a UUA member,
"proud to have read this editorial reflection".  Rightly so.


			Tom Ramsey
			Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project


HORIZONS .... reflections from the President of UUA

At some of the most traditional religious wedding ceremonies, these words
are said: "Marriage is a union of two hearts in the sacred bonds of love; a
union which the church may bless and the state make legal, but which neither
can create or annul."

As these words affirm, marriage was not created by an act of Congress, nor
is it the unique property of any one religion. Marriage is a fact of human
experience. It is reborn each time two people choose to be partners for life
"for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health."

Why, then, are 14 state legislatures and the US Congress falling over one
another to enact "marriage protection"laws, as though this sacred
institution were about to go extinct? Is it to encourage more couples to
marry? Is it to reduce divorce? Is it to provide support and services for
victims of domestic violence?

No, oddly, these "marriage protection" laws do not encourage but prevent
couples from being wed. Millions of Americans -- couples in love, mothers
and fathers who would like their unions honored and defended -- are the
enemies from whom marriage is to be "protected."

Why? Because these Americans are women who love women and men who love men.
Once strictly closeted, lesbians and gay men have begun to live openly and
joyfully. Their families are learning to accept their marriages as natural
and good, and some churches and synagogues have begun to celebrate their
weddings.

Unitarian Universalist congregations were among the first to recognize same-
sex couples deserve full honor and respect. Since 1984, our movement has
officially recognized what lesbians and gay men have long known; that love
is love, and family is family; that every couple needs the community's
encouragement to make their marriage last. The so-called marriage protection
bills will not "protect" traditional, two-sex marriages. After all, love is
not a scarce resource -- allowing John to marry Stanley takes nothing away
from Bill and Mary.


No, the real motivation behind these bills is much more sinister. it is to
whip up a storm of violence and hatred against gay people. In the 1950s,
Joseph McCarthy generated anti-Communist hysteria. Today, in a parallel
situation, some seek political advantage by playing on fears about same-sex
love. Stirring people up against a scapegoat is a time-tested political
ploy. But it is not moral or religious; and it dishonors our American
democratic traditions.

The hidden purpose of the marriage protection bills is to protect not
marriage but prejudice, to gain political ground by accommodating fear and
ignorance. Every day, acts of terror against same-sex couples are committed
around the country. The proper role of government is to protect people
against such an outrage, not to promote the fear that leads to it. I
understand that not everyone is ready to accept marriage between people of
the same sex. For many, endorsing the idea that consenting adults have the
right to love whom they love requires a lep of logic, of compassion, and,
ultimately, of faith. As people of faith, we Unitarian Universalists have
made that leap; we believe, as our General Assembly just asserted, in a
resolution of immediate witness, that it is time for this country to affirm
the worth and dignity of all people, in all ways, and to accept and affirm
the legality of gay marriage.

At our General Assembly, I introduced the delegates to some of the many gay
and lesbian couples present there with us at Indianapolis -- people living
lives of religious integrity, people whose relationships have received the
support and blessing of their Unitarian Universalist communities. The
delegates responded by passing (along with a resolution condemning the
racism behind the burning of churches) a resolution of immediate witness
about the so-called marriage protection bills. It says, in part,

     that the 1996 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist
     Association adopts a position in support of legal
     recognition for marriage between members of the same sex;
     ... urges the Unitarian Universalist Association to make
     this position known through the media; and ... urges the
     member congregations to proclaim the worth of marriage
     between any two committed persons and to make this position
     known in their home communities.

And that says it all.
 -- John Buehrens
 President, Unitarian Universalist Association