Clergy Announces Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- On the heels of a gala promoting same-sex marriage in Maryland, a group of clergy announces its opposition and promises a game plan.
Political reporter Pat Warren explains their target is state lawmakers.
The headliners in support of gay marriage in Maryland include Governor Martin O'Malley and other statewide elected officials, but they do not represent all the voters in the state and opponents of same-sex marriage intend to make that clear.
"We want to send a message to City Hall, as well as Annapolis, that same-sex marriage in Baltimore and Maryland will not be," said Rev. Errol Gilliard, Sr.
O'Malley is asking the General Assembly to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland next year, after it failed to pass last year, to the disappointment of supporters.
"We've been filing these bills for four or five years now and we got just short of full passage, which is a tremendous accomplishment that was sort of eclipsed by the final outcome," said Lisa Polyak.
Opponents want to see it fail again.
"Yes, God loves all human beings but I do not believe God is satisfied or pleased when you take that love he has for us and use it as a weapon against His will and against His word and against his created order," said Gilliard.
The ministers have also formed a Political Action Committee called "Prog ressive Clergy In Action" and allied themselves with the Family Research Council, a national organization that bills itself as promoting faith, family and freedom.
The group says its membership includes 35 churches in the city and in Baltimore and Prince George's counties.
