Minnesota Nice??

Sara and I attended a very meaningful All Saints Sunday service at our church, Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer , yesterday. The service had special meaning to us with the passing of Sara's father early this year. The most moving part of the service was when those who wished to do so walked to the front of the sanctuary, picked up a lit candle, and placed it on the altar in memory of a loved one who passed away in the past year. As I looked at all the people standing in line, it was hard not to be reminded that LCCR is a Reconciling In Christ congregation - that the church weleomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, as well as those who may have been excluded because of other human distinctions, such as race, economic status, or gender. We thus affirm that this welcome includes all people. We pledge to ourselves and to all others that we will strive to live as a reconciling people, in our life together and in our outreach to the world. I saw all kinds of ind...

(and why I would encourage you to do the same) One of the biggest hot-button topics in Minnesota these days is the proposed Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Amendment to be voted upon in the November 2012 elections. The amendment would "provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota". I reject this amendment for many reasons, that boil down to not supporting certain religious groups forcing their rules, which I believe to stem from a terrible misreading of their holy books, on all citizens of a state in a nation still subject to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment . Now, before you go off saying, "You're gay" (or the more common "your gay" found in the adolescent garbage filling so many web sites' comment sections on various topics), I will point out that I tested "exclusively heterosexual" on the Kinsey Scale , at least as tested by a Facebook app a few years ago. I ...

As a Lutheran layman, I am impressed that these Jewish cousins in faith are opposed to the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, as shown by the signs provided by Minnesotans United for All Families . For those who cite Levitical laws as one of their main rationales for voting in favor of the amendment, consider that these people believe in the same laws, while not believing that Jesus came to fulfill the law . Also consider the establishment clause of the First Amendment ....