Frankly, this issue is so utterly complicated that I often avoid posting about it. The American Episcopal church seems to be falling apart over the ordination of gays and women. And there's all this gray in the middle sort of language that is meant to appease, but only succeeds in angering everyone. I'm confused. Read what the PG and the AP have to say about it.
The Episcopal Church elected a female bishop as their head honcho. The larger Anglican Communion is not pleased. The conservative wing of the Episcopal Church was already angry about both female ordination and the ordination of an openly gay bishop. The Episcopal Church expressed formal regret that the ordination caused turmoil, but not over the decision to ordain this man.
So now the conservatives in the Episcopal Church led by Pittsburgh's very own Bishop Duncan want to break away and form their own diocese who does not answer to the duly elected female head bishop. They want a floating non-geographic diocese led by someone specially appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Meanwhile progressive Episcopalians here in Pittsburgh are not sure how they fit into this whole schema.
I mean no disrespect because obviously this is a very painful issue for the entire Anglican Communion and the American Episcopal Church in particular. Especially for Episcopalians here in Pittsburgh.
But is it just me or does it seem pretty apparent that there is no real way to keep the church in union? How does a diocese that refuses to ordain woman reconcile itself with a female bishop? If the Episcopal/Anglican strain of homophobia is so rampant that Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria would openly support legislation making homosexuals illegal (not just homosexuality), how do you expect them to accept a gay bishop?
It just seems that this band-aid is being pulled off very slowly and hurting a lot of people who grow ever more divided over these issues. Kind of like the looming divorce which sometimes is much better for everyone, especially the kids.
A gay affirming congregation, they proudly displayed a rainbow flag in front of their church building as a sign that everyone is welcome.
Earlier this week, some pathetic homo-bigot decided to steal the flag, an action the church's pastor attributes to the dischord caused by the marriage amendment debate. (Wanna bet it was a self-styled Christian who stole it?)
But the real story here is how the Church has responded to this prank, mischief, theft, whatever.
The Rev. Ginny Miles has one message for whoever stole a Rainbow flag from in front of Penns Park United Methodist Church in Wrightstown: Put it back or I'll put two more flags in its place.
And Miles says that each time a flag is stolen two more will go up until there is no more room on the church lawn.
Building family depends on good, loving, generous, mature, self-giving and stable adults who are able and willing to parent. God makes those in a variety of patterns.
Amen, Sister Patricia. You tell those who are glued to their pulpits in righteous indignation that they should get out in the world and actualy work with families before them jump to their hateful little conclusions.
The well-being of children and young people is threatened by a family context of violence and dissension, by parental alcohol and drug abuse, by narcissistic behavior in adults, by parental neglect or lack of interest in their activities. I've seen young people, both rich and poor, raised by loving and devoted parents, grandparents, stepparents, foster parents, gay parents, single parents and adoptive parents who thrive and grow into mature adulthood because of loving and stable homes. And I've seen youths raised by adults who, through their own limitations, handicap children psychologically and morally for life.
Another PG luminary, columnist Reg Henry weigh in with his thoughts on how fortunate Pennsylvanias are that legislators are tackling real issues like gay marriage.
But how exactly will gays threaten traditional marriage? That is a good question, but only in the sense that no one has a good answer.
In ignoring the question, we need to heed our most prominent moral leaders, i.e., our politicians. Just because they are shifty characters you wouldn't lend a dollar to unless it was attached to a string, doesn't mean they can't thunder like Old Testament prophets.
It has been a tumultuous week in Columbus Ohio where the Episcopal Church legislative body wrestled with questions that threatened the very unity of the church, a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion (PG).
The church shocked the world with the 2003 election of New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay man. In response, a commision established by the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a report calling for a moratorium on electing gay bishops.
This Episcopal Church gathering carefully crafted a response expressing regret for not being more careful with the appointment and failing to recognize the impact it would have. It does express regret for appointing a gay man.
The gathering also rocked the boat with the election of Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop.
The conservative forces within the Anglican Church, including Pittsburgh's own Bishop Duncan, are not pleased.
The Rev. Canon David C. Anderson, president of the conservative American Anglican Communion, said the actions thus far at the convention, including the House of Deputies' vote on the "Expression of Regret," had not altered his opinion that the Episcopal Church was headed in the wrong direction.
"It was not Windsor Report-compliant to begin with," he said of the vote. "So they rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic."
And there remains other legislation dealing with the election of gay bishops and the authorization of same-sex unions that must still be voted on before the convention ends late tomorrow.
Wipe away all the rhetoric and propaganda, and all you have left is discrimination based on fear and prejudice. There is no danger to the family, there is no threat to our children. There is simply hatred and fear. And a use of language geared to incite that fear.
Stanley M. Stein of Elizabeth Township takes a different approach:
The forces of hate, bigotry and intolerance are again afoot in the land. Only this time the victims are gay people instead of people of color. But the rhetoric and hypocrisy are pretty much the same. Like hate-mongering white ministers shamelessly quoted the Bible to justify slavery and racial segregation, President Bush and the mullahs of the fundamentalist Christian right wing do the same to justify their own form of intolerance.
Stanley doesn't note that his very own state rep, David Levdansky is one of those who puts his own political career ahead of standing up to bigotry and intolerance. Mr. Levdansky may or may not harbor homophobic feelings in his heart, but his homophobic actions --- his willingness to let fear and hatred fuel his career --- speak volumes about the values he does hold dear.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The threat of a split in the worldwide Anglican family hovered over a national meeting of the Episcopal Church, as delegates considered whether they should preserve unity by temporarily barring gays from becoming bishop.
Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, head of a network of conservative Episcopal dioceses that opposed Bishop Robinson's consecration, told delegates the progressive and conservative wings of the church should acknowledge their differences and part.
"We've reached a moment where it is very difficult, indeed I think we've reached an impossible moment, in holding it together," Bishop Duncan said.
The Episcopals are in the throes of much turmoil these days in the wake of ordaining New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop. The Archbishop of Canterbury had appointed a commission to examine the rift between teh American churches and the worldwide Anglican communion with the appointment of Bishop Robinson. That commission called for a "moratorium" on future gay appointments.
In response, the American churches have proposed that they act with caution in future appointments. They also choose not to express regret over the appointment, only over failing to consult with other Anglican entities.
No one is happy. Conservatives are waiting to jump ship over the issue. Progressives call for careful wording and avoiding demonization of homosexuals.
GENE ROBINSON, the first openly gay bishop in the history of the Anglican Communion, stood before 1,500 American Episcopalians and proclaimed: ?I?m not an abomination in the eyes of God.? The Episcopal Church should ?stand up for right?, he insisted.
Last night, State Representative Dan Frankel appeared on KDKA's John McIntire program to discuss the alleged marriage protection amendment. Frankel was straightforward about the prospect that if the bill gets to the floor of the Senate for a vote, it will pass. He reasoned that the same divisive fears and desperate pandering to the right wingers will be in the heart of the good Senators of Pennsylvania (obviously, my words and not his) resulting in yet another demonstration of the gay-panic defense that pervades politics these days.
I called in and asked Representative Frankel what a good gay Democrat is to do about all the guys on OUR side who voted in favor of the amendment ....Western PA reps such as Dave Levdansky, Joseph Markosek, Harry Readshaw, Anthony DeLuca and so forth.
<There is no need to even mention Ken Ruffing of West Mifflin whose 16 visits from the police on domestic disturbances make him a fine candidate for his upcoming job with the PA Gambling thugs.- further proof that the crony system is alive and well>
Frankel told me that we need to work to ensure a Democrat majority in the house and senate and that this is a wakeup call to LGBT advocates and activists that we have to work much harder to build relationships with these officials so we can prove to them that their fears are groundless. I was taken aback at how grubby that sounds, but he's probably right. I guess its the Bob Casey trickle down effect; they are good on most issues and we can, hopefully, work with them on the others.
That still doesn't sit right with me .... I need more. What do you think --- vote 'em out or work with them? I pretty pissed off right now at these guys. And I'm STUNNED that Mike Divin voted against the amendment, although I suspect he's either trying to appeal to moderate Democrats in his battle against Democrat Chelsa Wagner or he's just giving the big F to the Republican leadership.
The PG continues to collect your opinion on the matter. Please send an e-mail with your name and hometown to postscript@post-gazette.com.
The Trib printed two letters this morning, one for and one against. The "against" letter was so boring and trite, I won't bother to quote it. But shout out to Melanie O. Paulick of Mt. Lebanon for her little missive.
It is easy to point fingers at something that may be uncomfortable for us to consider, but it is much less easy for us to fix the problem with ourselves. If banning gay marriage because it would mean children don't have both a mother and a father is truly your argument, you'd better make sure you come from the perfect family.
Melanie, dear, that would mean that all the right wingers would have to put down their fetus signs, turn off The 700 Club and go out and mingle with the great unwashed sinners in the soup kitchens, the jails, the homeless shelters, the senior centers OR maybe open their perfect little homes to foster children <gasp>. You know, the things Jesus would do. They'd rather sit home, point their fingers and use their hypocritical prayers to judge us.
Frankly, I'd rather hang with the great unwashed.
And our good friend and frequent Correspondent commenter Bob Arlia of Cranberry got a few points into the PG article on the fractious culture politics in Harrisburg.
"The representatives who voted for this bill are religion-driven, fear-mongering terrorists," Robert Arlia of Cranberry said yesterday.
"Every terrorist in the world uses religion as the basis for their actions. What the House did is use religion as the excuse to be a terrorist to all the gay and lesbian people in this state," said Mr. Arlia, who's been in a committed relationship with his male partner for 23 years.
Yesterday, a group of religious leaders formed a coalition to speak out in defense of Pennsylvania families. Not just heterosexual families. (PG)
The new group, called the Faith Coalition For Pennsylvania Families, includes pastors and officials from two Presbyterian churches (one in Pittsburgh and one in Harrisburg), the Religious Society of Friends (aka Quakers), some Baptist and United Church of Christ churches, an "independent Catholic" bishop from suburban Philadelphia, plus a nondenominational Christian church from Philadelphia and a Jewish Reformed temple in Lancaster.
Among the participants was Pittsburgh's own Reverend Janet Edwards from the Community of Reconciliation. Janet presided at a lesbian wedding ceremony last June.
The coalition will work to defeat the proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution that would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
"I am flabbergasted at the thought that the state Constitution might be amended to make same-sex couples outcasts in the eyes of the state," said the Rev. James D. Brown of Market Square Presbyterian Church here. "I cannot believe this is what God intends."
Of course, the wingnuts at the American Family Association of Pennsylvania didn't miss a beat, issuing their own press release to condemn this coalition, including a list of details on the homosexual affiliations of the participating faith communities (duh!)
?Protecting traditional marriage and defining it as only between one man and one woman is not contrary to the beliefs of members of every major religion in the world.The Bible is quite clear that marriage is between the opposite sexes and homosexual relationships are considered sinful,? stated Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
The AFA and some of their zombies will be gathering today in the Capitol to hold their own press conference denouncing gay marriage and state funding for family planning services.
Soulforce is hoping to put up 16 of these billboards in June in opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment. You can help.
The anti-gay forces are making another attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage in such a way as to exclude the families of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee is their agent for putting the Federal Marriage Amendment before the Senate.
Big shout out to 
