wfn.org | Metropolitan Community Churches Lament Anti-Gay Stance

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MCC, the world's largest Christian organization serving the Gay Community

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: October 8, 2003

Metropolitan Community Churches Lament Stance
MCC, the world's largest Christian organization serving the Gay Community

West Hollywood, CA b The founder of the world's largest church group of gays
and lesbians has responded to President George Bush's endorsement of a
Religious Right plan to deny equality to gay couples.

Rev. Troy Perry, human rights activist and Founder of Metropolitan Community
Churches, expressed alarm at President's Bush's proclamation on Friday in
support of bMarriage Protection Week,b an event launched by such
conservative
social and religious groups to bpreserve the sacred institution of
marriageb by
denying the right to marry to gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender
people.

In President Bush's proclamation, he wrote: "Marriage is a sacred
institution, and its protection is essential to the continued strength of our
society.
Marriage Protection Week provides an opportunity to focus our efforts on
preserving the sanctity of marriage and on building strong and healthy
marriages in
America."

"President Bush is wrong," Perry said. "He is playing the politics of
division and pandering to the Religious Right. The President promised us
"compassionate conservatism," but he has again failed to show compassion to
millions of
this nation's same-sex couples who deserve equality and justice under the
law.b

"The so-called "Marriage Protection Week" is misnamed," said Perry. "In
reality, it is yet another attempt to deny equality to America's gay and
lesbian
citizens."

Rev. Perry, whose churches perform more than 6000 same-sex weddings annually,
countered President Bush's assertion that denying marital civil rights to
gays and lesbians would strengthen marriage in America by pointing out the
discrepancies in his statement.

"bIn a nation that upholds the value of separation between church and state,
questions about the sanctity of marriage should be addressed in our nation's
churches and synagogues and mosques, and not in our legislative halls,b
Perry
said. bThe gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities pay taxes for
the
very rights we are denied access to. We cannot take sick leave should our
love
d ones become ill, we can't file joint tax returns, we can't even openly
serve our country in the military."

Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) across the United States will join
hands with many other faith communities to observe October 12-19 as
bMarriage
Equality Week,b a week dedicated to the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Metropolitan Community Churches is an international Christian denomination
with more
than 43,000 members and adherents in 22 countries.

To launch plans for Marriage Equality Week, MCC has unveiled a new section of
its website at www.mccchurch.org that is specifically dedicated to the issue
of same-sex marriage. The website includes a resource kit for use by local
faith communities, ideas for local activists, a letter from MCC's founder,
Rev.
Troy Perry, and links to other civil rights activist groups.

"Metropolitan Community Churches' observance of "Marriage Equality Week" will
provide a positive countervoice for all types of families, including gay and
lesbian families," said Rev. Perry, a former delegate to the White House
Conference on Hate Crimes and the first openly gay member of the Los Angeles
Human
Rights Commission. bDuring the same week that some groups will work to deny
a
basic human right to gays and lesbians, hundreds to faith communities will
take public stands in support of equality in the marriage laws for gay
couples.b

"We are not seeking special treatment," Rev. Perry added. "We seek equality.
We are asking that the marriage laws be applied equally to all couples,
regardless of sexual orientation. That is the only gay agenda b equality for
everyone under the law."

Rev. Perry wed his partner of 18 years, Phillip Ray DeBlieck, in Toronto
earlier this year after Ontario's historic legalization of same-sex marriage
in
June. In July, he announced a Five-Step Plan to legalize same-sex marriage in
the U.S. that includes Valentine's Day demonstrations, partnering with other
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activist groups and eventually, a
legal
case. At the present time, Rev. Perrybs marriage and the marriages of
hundreds
of others who were legally married in Canada, are not recognized in the U.S.

"These are weddings that are blessed in the sight of God, but still not
recognized by most governments," Perry said. "To not recognize my marriage
and
the
marriages of thousands of other same-sex couples, would be discrimination b
and we will not stand for that any longer.b

For more information on MCC activities for Marriage Equality Week visit
www.MCCchurch.org.

For Additional Information, Contact:
Roman Cardenas, Associate Director of Communications
Metropolitan Community Churches
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069
Tel. 310-360-8640, Ext. 228
Cell 310-625-4138
E-Mail: romancardenas@MCCchurch.org

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