A letter to President Obama (see more details on today's blog post)

Reply to the President

We are all are children of the same universe, and we each have a right to be here, marry who we want and to serve our nation in every capacity when needed.

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you for your response to our previous communications. I have taken into consideration the issues that you face and the momentous strategies that you are now forced to deal with. Nonetheless, your mantra of the “fierce urgency of now” rises to the forefront of this issue-- equality for all Americans in all areas, black and white, young and old and now homosexual and straight.

Your reply letter implicates a new strategy of gradualism which acts to maintain a wrong, rather than to cure a bigoted injustice. Gradualism has no place in the denial of civil or human rights. Gradualism is but a crumb from the table as opposed to an equal piece of the American pie of justice. I recall Dr. King’s address at Riverside Church, wherein he raised the issue of “why we can’t wait” saying:

“We tolerated hate; we tolerated the sick stimulation of violence in all walks of life; and we tolerated the differential application of law, which said that a man's life was sacred only if we agreed with his views.”

Mr. President, neither God nor Nature can wait for a scheduled gradualism in this 21st Century of Change.

I come as a redeemed sinner with a compelling purpose. A purpose to plead heaven and nature’s hidden truth: God made homosexual people and that heaven and nature demand justice, truth and fair play.

The LGBT community has been subjected to work and housing discrimination, bashings, lynching and murder throughout the history of this country. Let us not forget a young homosexual student, crucified on a fence and left to bleed to death on a cold Wyoming winter night, and many other similar situations too numerous to mention here. Nor can we ignore the latest studies showing that since 1999 there has been an increase in hate crimes, resulting in death and injury throughout America. One cannot hide the rising number of suicides by homosexual teenagers, or the number of teenagers who are bullied, beaten and abandoned by their families and churches, simply because God and Nature decreed their sexuality to be different from the majority.

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” - MLK

American hate derives from institutional instruction and attitudes which rise from the indifference of school officials who to turn a blind eye when they see a bully teasing a homosexual child. Moreover, it is reflected in the attitudes of the military, which contrary to the best interests of our country, insists upon rejecting soldiers simply because God made them homosexual. These actions wrongly support existing bigotry and teach our children that gays are not equal citizens among God’s children.

Mr. President, the world and Heaven is watching you. Our counsel to you is to follow the lessons of presidential history and tradition, empanel a Presidential Commission to set a date certain to remove “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and stay all pending DADT discharges. The nominees to head up this panel should be former President Clinton, former Vice President penis Cheney, Senator John McCain, and last but most important, former General Colin Powell. They well understand the “urgency of now.” They will bring the prestige and experience to unite our military in line with the policies of our NATO military allies.

“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love” - MLK

Today, we ask that you instruct our Solicitor General to speak that truth. The truth that the United States of America respects the individuality and sexuality of all Americans, that we are all are children of the same universe, and that we each have a right to be here, marry who we want and to serve our nation in every capacity when needed.


Your Thoughts?

My greatest thought is THANK YOU ! THANK YOU ! THANK YOU for putting so beautifully into words what the rest of us feel. This is an injustice that has been carried for so long is it beyond belief. I am one who is not usually without words but this seem to have left me speechless. so I am stuck with just ... THANK YOU.

What if some of our ministers might not want to officiate at same sex weddings? Now I would have no problem with it, but some of our more orthodox members might not approve of it. I personally feel that the state should keep out of marriage all together, and not tell us who we can, and can not marry. Also from what I've noticed, it seems like we as a religious body are for the most part unitarian universalist, in our sentiments. This stand in favor of homosexual rights is just one such similarity between the Universal Life Church, and the policies of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Which is fine by me, as I am in agreement with UU. But I feel that we should let prospectful ordainees know exactly what we believe, in general.

Dear Jason24;
Use the search engine on this site to see the myriad of posts/debates/heated arguments on same sex marriage if you want to see just how diverse we are here.

But let me add an example for your concern; Say I am an ordained minister who ascribes to a doctrine of equality for all and a heterosexual couple asks me to perform their wedding. Am I required to perform that wedding? No. It is of my own choosing. The same is true of a homosexual wedding. If a minister chooses not to endorse this doctrine, he/she is not obligated to perform that wedding. And of course the legality of such unions is still being debated in most states in our country. This has not however prevented me from performing such unions. I believe in the marriage of heart, mind, and spirit. And no man can deny what dwells there, only God knows that.....God's Peace....To`na Wanagi

Know that you have my full support and I appreciate your efforts.

Rev. Michael J. Cauley

You have my full support also, We are all gods children and deserve equal treatment.

I dont believe in homosexual people getting married, however any way a person chooses to live their life is their choice. I also believe that God didnt make homosexual people I believe that being homosexual is a choice that people make. In the garden of Eden there wasnt two man or two women and after that God rested(His work was done). God bless

Hatred, bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, and persecution are also choices that the world of man chooses.

Peace, love, compassion, understanding, and empathy are also choices that I choose to follow after God.

In fact, the book of Genesis describes the days of creation and indicates that on the 6th day God made man and woman in their (plural) own image. After he made man and woman, he made Adam and created for him specifically, a woman whose name was called Eve. But there were other humans populating this earth, not just Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were a type of person who were blessed with God's favor.

God bless Obama for signing the hate crimes bill into law yesterday 10-28-2009 and for specifically including the transgender community into this bill as well....The Truth will set us free....God's Peace....To`na Wanagi

Dont hate gays whatever a person decide to be in this life is their choice. In Sodom and Gomorrah evil was destroyed and homosexuality was apart of it, not the only thing but apart of it. Its all about the choices we make in this lifetime you choose to be what you want to be. God bless

roddio,

You have the right to believe what you want and I am very glad to hear that you believe people at least have the freedom to choose. But I just want to ask you one thing. From you post I am assuming you are a heterosexual. I was wondering if you wake up every morning and say "Hey, I think im going to be straight today?" I know certainly don't. I was born heterosexual, I don't choose to be. I don't understand how you could say someone chooses to be homosexual. I actually read a study the other day (I wish I could remember where it was so I could link to it) and it said they are starting to make progress on identifing several genes that are significantly more common in homosexual males than heterosexual males, though they have failed to make any progress with identifing similar gene patterns in females. I believe that homosexuality is not choosen, as proven (at least well enough to myself) by the fact that I do not choose to be straight or homosexual, I am simply straight. And if God created up, then he created homosexuals. Its as simple as that. Also, in the Sodom and Gomorrah story, God lists the sins of the cities, and homosexuality is not one of them.

But don't take my word for it, think for yourself.
P.Duck.

Thank you P.Duck for your words.
You know, people believe what they want to believe. And if they have grown up in an oppressive or bigoted family, in the military, or an extreme interpretation of religion, then chances are they will belive the same prejudicial beliefs they were taught by their family or peers. They tend to ignore the facts as proven by science and/or scripture, or even simple logic, if this;then this.
Here are some scientific facts to consider for those who seem to think homosexuality is a choice;
1. The determination as to whether one is bormn a male or female is determined in the 2nd trimester within the womb. Prior to this all fetuses are essentially female.
2. The thalmus in a male is larger than the females and is the gland that determines whether an individual identifies as a male or female. Since the earliest times, there have been obvious variations within this gland and are seen for instance, in males who appear effeminate or females who appear more masculine.
3. The hormonal balance in every male and female on the planet is not balanced or equally divided. It occurs in each person at different levels and may cause characteristics such as beard growth on women or feminine attributes in men. In this case, the balance can be so extreme that a child may be born hermaphroditic, displaying the genitalia of both sexes. One sex may be more obvious than the other, but this does not make the child necessarily male or female. The unfortunate thing about this is that too frequently the parents are asked to choose early on which gender they wish the child to be. And all to often their choice is wrong. Often this is because they have not considered how the child may mature and how the thalmus may cause the child to think; male or female. These first three are physiological disorders and genetic defects that can and do occur frequently.
4. Currently around the world, there are pllutants in our water that cause fish and amphibians to be born with shrunken male genitalia. Humans consume these animals and the toxins in their flesh and as a result, more and more children are being born with the same androgynist characteristics as the creatures they have consumed. This is the result of chemicals and large quantities of medications that enter our water supplies every day. In these cases it is an environmental factor and a resulting mutation of the genetic pool.
5. Within certain factions of governments, religions, and military, there are fear factors that are imposed upon people to integrate, assimilate, or die. I know a little of this as I am a Native American. The fear that is incorporated into a line of thinking is usually enough to force the individual in question to conform to the norms of the social order. This does not change the makeup of the individual but only cause them to suppress what they know about themselves. This is usually the case in the homosexual agenda. A homosexual person may stay in the closet out of fear, knowing if they are found out society will persecute them, maybe even murder them. Nowhere was this extreme seen more than during the years of Hitler's madness. Gays were identified with a pink or black triangle and were destined for extermination and experimentation. This same mentality exists today and is frequently hidden by claims of righteousness to rid the world of such despicable creatures. This is a governmental/religious imposition.
6. Within certain cultures, such as many Native American tribes, people who are born of a different persuasion are allowed to choose when they are older which path they would go and which they are most comfortable with. It would not be unusal for a woman to become a warrior or a man to stay in the camp and take on the duties of the women. Among many tribes, we are identified as 'two-spirit people' having a foot in both worlds of the male and female. I am such a person. This a social order which accepts that we are born to be who we are and does not question the rationale of our Creator. Not all social orders are as accepting as my people.

The lesson here is that we have much to learn from one another. The message is that we are all created by God, and as such, are all children of God.

The arguments will continue. And those who want to believe what they want to believe, and not hear the truth of their foolishness, are destined to be hateful and bigoted individuals who have nothing better to do than to judge and persecute others, and to make themselves appear righteous to their social order of bullies and peers. They are chasing the wind. They enjoy humiliating others and pointing the finger because they are unable to live with their own uncomfortable identities. These people frequently engage in drugs, alcohol, self-injurious behaviors, because they despise who they are. Unfortunately, the same mentality and behaviors occurs to those victims who are the ones being persecuted because they too are uncomfortable with how the world has labeled and stigmatized them.
It is indeed a sad thing to see when we could instead just love one another as God and Jesus have so appropriately appealed to us. Let us pray that we will someday see an end to these oppressions and bigotries.....God's Peace.....To`na Wanagi

homosexual staright I dont care if 2 people r in love i am happy for them and so we all should b. A bit more Love here and there can only b a good thing. p.s If GOD never made HOMOSEXUAL people who or what do you think did

My wife thinks that it is a choice. Apparently, you wake up one morning and decide you are going to choose a lifestyle that will cause you to be ridiculed, hated, and potentially harmed or murdered, not to mention limits your legal rights. Just as casually as deciding to go to Wal-Mart, or have tuna for lunch.

I agree with the genetic disposition towards sexuality. You can modify your beliefs and desires with enough effort, to almost anything, but that does not change who you really are. You will be living a lie.

I disagree with government involvement in marriage. It IS and should REMAIN a sacred union! Separation of church and state, which protects us from a state controlled religion, should include all religious, spiritual and clerical business.

I say forget same sex marriage!

Lets get the government out of marriage completely!!!

There still needs to be an option for people who do not want spiritual or religious unions though.

I have been saying this for years.

There are ceremonies for those whom you have described. I performed such a marriage back in September for an atheist and an agnostic. I can forward it to you if you would like.....God's Peace....To`na Wanagi

I mean that an option must remain open for people who are not spiritual or religious to marry. We do not need to make officiating a marriage the sole right of religious leaders. We do need to stop imposing the religious doctrines of one group of faiths on everyone.

Requirements of age, ability to consent, and not being able to marry if you are already married without the consent of your spouse should be enforced.

I agree with 18 being the minimum age without parental consent. I also think that marriage counseling should be mandatory. Parenting classes too. These need not cost anything, nor take a long time. Parenting classes should be taught in high school. Marriage counseling could be performed by a minister, pastor, life coach or any number of sources. A simple online course could be provided for teaching communication skills.

I do not believe that the only way is one man and one woman.

My mother is a homosexual, and has been with the same partner since 1997. I had the honor of officiating their handfasting. Do they have problems? Of course, what long term relationships don’t! However, they work through them, they stick together through the good and bad. They deal with each others quirks, health problems, money problems, crazy families and everything else. They are there for each other no matter what, good times and bad. If that is not what marriage is about then I do not know what. I have seen many heterosexual relationships come and go, but my mom and her life partner just go on and on. My mom had a stay in the hospital a while back, and I had to go up there for paperwork because she was out of it due to staph poisoning her blood. Her life partner, who knows my mom’s medical history better than I do, could not make decisions for her because of the current illegality of their union. This foolishness slowed down my mothers medical treatment.

If my mother dies first, which is very likely, I will leave all of the decisions up to her life partner. She has devoted her life to my mother and should have all the rights associated with that kind of love.

If you believe that I chose to be a homosexual, then I believe that you chose to be straight.

I am human. I choose to breath air. I could lie, and pretend to be a fish. I could choose to breath water, but I would still be a liar.
I think it is the same for homosexuals. They could choose to lie and pretend to be heterosexual. They would be liars, they would be drowning, but still...
Sorry, I cannot think of anything good that would come from that.

The other night, 2-26-2010, Bill Moyers brought together Ted Olson, an ultra conservative republican attorney, and David Boiese, a fairly liberal democratic attorney who have joined forces to challenge Proposition 8 and to take this to the Supreme Court based solely on the constitutionality of the right to marriage. They cite the contradictions of state laws as a violation of the constitutional rights of every American. If you would like to see one of the most logical and ethical interpretations of law I suggest you take a look at the arguments these two men have provided. Go to:
www.pbs.org/moyersjournal/02262010/profile.html

God's Peace and Justice....To`na Wanagi