Source: Greenstreetchurch.org
POSTED BY Kaylon Kirk on Tuesday March 19, 2013.
- The Green Street United Methodist Church, in a press release, announcing that they will refuse to sign any state marriage licenses until the right to wed is granted to same-sex couples. The Green Street United Methodist Church is located in Winston-Salem, N.C (3/17/2013).
Source: Greenstreetchurch.org POSTED BY Kaylon Kirk on Tuesday March 19, 2013.
6 Comments
Caroline Leland
9/23/2013 12:18:12 am
This is fascinating to me, because the Bible expressly condemns homosexuality. I support the church's stance, but I don't understand how it can be supported ideologically through the Bible — which is the foundation of the church's philosophy, no? Regardless, I applaud this church's courage in speaking out against the status quo and standing up for what it knows is right.
Alyssa Jennings
10/1/2013 08:21:14 pm
I see this move on the part of Green Street as aligning quite well with the Pope's recent move toward inclusiveness. I've begun to see quite a few churches recognize that traditionally exclusionary and demonizing positions against gay marriage are alienating the people these institutions hope to serve. A shift in public opinion is taking place: gay marriage is becoming increasingly acceptable. The church, while maintaining its ideological position on such a topic, appears to be following suit, if only on the grounds of wanting to establish inclusiveness.
Kameron Chelsey
9/29/2013 09:58:03 am
Marriage, at the end of the day, is a contract between you and the state. Yes, it is also a declaration of two people's love and commitment to one another, but what it really is, is the merging and protection of assets wherein certain rights and privileges are guaranteed to the involved parties. Whatever your religion, whatever your race, whatever your political denomination… what all marriages have in common is what the status “married” guarantees you both socially and legally. Therefore, marriage, at it’s core, is a state issue, and not a matter of religious debate. If your personal religion discriminates against who should and should not have the right to marry, that’s fine. But it is not the responsibility, nor right, of that religion to govern what the rest of the population is allowed to do, (not everyone is Christian, Muslim, Jewish...or insert your belief here). Let’s remember our First Amendment rights, (separation of church and state). Let’s be honest, whether two people should have the right to marry is a matter of opinion. No one person, or group of individuals, has the right to weaponize their personal opinion in order to deny basic legal rights to others. I think it is great what the Green Street United Methodist Church is doing. Other churches may not agree, but, as this issue is largely a matter of opinion, they have no right to stop what Green Street is doing. The United States, despite what some try to assert, is not a Christian nation. It is, in fact, the exact opposite. It is a melting pot of different cultures built on the ethos of freedom of religion, but also freedom from religious persecution. What Green Street United Methodist Church is doing, in my opinion, is a step in the right direction; a step towards social and legal equality, towards humanity.
Jackie O'Shaughnessy
10/1/2013 03:50:36 pm
Being from a small rural North Carolina town, this press release quote is surprising, because the Green Street Methodist Church seems to stand quite alone in their opinion. Most churches surrounding my home town hold the opposite opinion to that of Green Street. While some may not agree with the efforts of the Green Street Methodist Church, I thoroughly admire their efforts to make same-sex marriage a reality in North Carolina and eventually, in the nation.
Ana Jones
2/18/2014 06:26:56 am
This is a topic I am extremely passionate about. It bothers me to my core that our state, among many other states, are so incredibly closed-minded when it comes to the matter of same-sex marriage. What does it matter if it doesn't affect you? I admire Green Street United Methodist Church's willingness to show their stand on the issue. It's a bold move for them to refuse to sign marriage license, but it gives me hope that someday changes will be made. I wish for NC to realize that legalizing same-sex marriage will do no harm to anyone. Rather it will bring joy to so many couples. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse when I say that homosexuals are people just as much as heterosexuals are. Leave a Reply. |