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Frequently the religious opponents of marriage equality speak as if their personal religious beliefs are universal. For example, Shahram Hadian made the following claim before the Washington state House Judiciary Committee today in his testimony against the Washington marriage equality bill:
This bill is discriminatory to the entire Christian community.
Mr. Hadian, a Republican candidate for governor in Washington, is pastor of Christ the King “Shine” Community Church in Everett and a member of the coalition of radical-right clergy opposing the marriage equality bill.
Although statements like Mr. Hadian’s are patently false — there are countless people of faith and entire religious denominations who support full LGBT equality — they rarely get challenged in the same forum in which they are made.
It was gratifying, then, to hear Rep. Deb Eddy (D-48, Kirkland) make the following statement just moments before the Judiciary Committee voted 7-5 to send the marriage equality bill to the House for debate and final passage:
Thank you Mr. Chair. I would have observed your wrap-up except something did come to mind that I feel needs to be said for the record. Sometimes I sit quietly when I shouldn’t.This is a matter on which people of faith may respectfully disagree. And so while I understand while we have heard testimony from people of faith who disagree with this bill, I think we ought to acknowledge that in our first hearing we also heard from communities of faith — most notably mine, a Christian community — that fully support this bill and finds it perfectly consistent with the tenets of Jesus Christ, which we were taught as children.
Thank you, Rep. Eddy, for giving the proceedings balance by speaking your truth as a woman of faith and a supporter of civil marriage equality.
Related:
* Gov. Chris Gregoire is the 3rd Catholic Governor in a Row to Champion Marriage Equality
* Pro-Equality Clergy Ask the Washington Legislature to Stop Infringing on Their Religious Freedom
3 Comments
Outstanding, Rep Eddy; for too long these extremists have been able to publically define who is or is not Christian unchallenged….Good for you!!!
We need to take control of the whole assault on religious argument. We should have been making before this heated up. Many religions do support LGBT people, and many will marry us. Why are those Christian religions being denied their freedom to practice as they wish.
These so-called Christians are so full of it. (“It,” in this case being hatred, bigotry, lies, and any number of clearly un-Christian values.) I get so sick and tired of them trying to frame the marriage debate as a religious one. My wife and I were married by OUR minister in OUR church, which not only supports but celebrates same-sex marriage. And OUR religion is just as good, just as real, just as right, just as historic, just as protected by the U.S. Constitution, and just as deserving of being the law of the land. So STFU, you bigot.