I urge you not to redefine marriage. The laws of every state also forbid siblings from marrying — why should this be? If a brother and sister claimed to be in love, would it be a violation of their civil rights to deny their marriage? Of course not. Scanty and dubious evidence that homosexuals are "born that way" should not be allowed to turn sexual preference into a civil rights issue.There is certainly more that could be said on this issue; I kept my remarks brief in the hope that the governor might take the time to read them.
I am a pastor in Dutchess County. If marriage is defined in New York State to be between any two persons regardless of gender, I regret that my conscience will not allow me to solemnize marriages in New York any longer. I will instead perform a purely religious ceremony in which a man and a woman pledge themselves to each other before God; whether or not they seek the legal status du jour for their union will be a separate matter for them to decide.
The bottom line, I suppose, is this: If we are being told that religion has no business defining marriage for the state, then the state has no business being involved in the weddings of my church.
