|
Clergy Call For Marriage Equality,
Return of Religious Freedom
 Standing outside the courthouse where the fate of Proposition 8 may be decided, clergy from across the Bay Area joined leaders of LGBT political, cultural and social groups in demanding marriage equality. The two-hour community meeting preceded Oral arguments in Perry v Schwarzenegger, the appellate review of Judge Walker's federal trial court ruling that found Prop 8 unconstitutional. Oasis President the Rev. Tom Jackson (above left) was one of the religious leaders speaking out against Prop 8.
"Prop 8 tries to force all of us to live by standards some see as 'biblically correct.' But their view of what the Bible says is radically different from mine," Jackson said. "All I want is the freedom to be the kind of Christian God calls me to be; all I ask is an end to laws and amendments that impose someone else's religion on me and my church. This is about religious freedom: about freeing me and you and you and you from a law that forces us to live by the religious beliefs of someone else. As an Episcopal priest, I should have the freedom to minister to people based on my understanding of what God calls us to do. Prop 8 tries to take away our freedom of religion. I want it back - don't you?" For his prepared comments see This is about freedom of religion: mine, yours, ours.
|
Newly Ordained Clergy
|
 |
Newly ordained priests include many friends of Oasis California. They are pictured here with the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus. Front row: Molly Haws and Ricardo Avila; Back row: Sylvia Miller-Mutia, P. Joshua (Griff) Griffin, Oasis President Tom Jackson, Bishop Andrus, Darren Miner, and Michael Lemaire.
Photo by the Rev. Bertie Pearson.
|
Oasis California Action Alert Backs
Repeal of Don't Ask/Don't Tell Law
 Oasis California issued an action alert Dec. 8 calling on its members and friends to call our US Senators and ask for an end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. DADT repeal lost on a procedural vote.
It is unclear if the current Congress will be able to pass DADT repeal.
If not, ending this unjust policy will be left to the courts. Pray that the jurists who rule on DADT are able to accomplish what a majority of almost two-thirds of the US Senate could not: an end to this shameful episode of American history.
|
ession on
