QUINCY, Mass. (BP)–Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams just might be rolling over in their graves.
Officials at United First Parish Church — where both former presidents are buried in crypts — want to hang a huge 34-by-4-foot sign outside the building supportive of “gay marriage.” The sign would read: “People of Faith for Marriage Equality.”
The Quincy Historic District Commission, though, voted 3-2 Feb. 27 against a permit that would have allowed the church to hang the sign for 30 days, The Boston Globe reported.
“I just think that a vinyl banner like this creates a circus atmosphere that’s not a good fit for a building with as much historic magnitude,” commissioner Thomas Koch said, according to The Globe.
The move by the church isn’t surprising, though. It is a member of the liberal Unitarian Universalist Association, which denies the deity of Christ and the miracles of the Bible. The association, in fact, would best be categorized today not as a Christian organization but instead as a body promoting secular humanism. Its belief statement does not mention Christ or the Bible even once.
When the Adamses were members of United First Parish in the early 1800s, the church was Unitarian — which, while theologically liberal for its day, did have some semblance of Christian belief. The Unitarians and Universalists joined together in 1961.
MD. CONSERVATIVES STILL TRYING — Supporters of a constitutional marriage amendment in Maryland haven’t given up in their effort to place such a proposal on the ballot this year. Anthony O’Donnell, a Republican member of the state House of Delegates, has introduced an amendment that bans “gay marriage” but leaves the issue of civil unions untouched.
A previous attempt at debating the amendment on the floor was blocked by House Speaker Michael Busch, a Democrat. It also failed in committee, which is considerably more liberal than the full body.
“This is a very different approach,” O’Donnell said, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Supporters of the amendment hope that the absence of language pertaining to civil unions will make it easier to pass.
A Maryland state judge Jan. 20 struck down the state’s marriage laws and ordered “gay marriage” to be legalized. The ruling is being appealed.
COURT PICKS BY MD. GOV. CRUCIAL — This year’s race for Maryland’s governor could have a significant impact on the outcome of a “gay marriage” case making its way through state court. Three of the seven justices on the Court of Appeals are nearing mandatory retirement (70), and their replacements could be the deciding votes in the marriage case, The Washington Post reported.
Two of the judges, Alan M. Wilner and Dale R. Cathell, will hear their last cases by January and July of 2007, respectively, The Post said. Additionally, another judge, Irma S. Raker, will hear her final case in 2008. The Court of Appeals is Maryland’s highest court, and the governor fills any open seats.
According to The Post, Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, who is running for re-election, told a radio station in February, “[P]eople need to understand that … a particular philosophical orientation is going to be reflected in a governor’s judicial selection.” He added: “My judges certainly reflect my philosophical orientation.” Ehrlich supports a marriage amendment to the Maryland Constitution.
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For more information about the national debate over “gay marriage,” visit http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage
