Cardinal, Black Clergymen Decry Gay Marriage as “Morally Wrong”

Leaders stressed their opposition to gay marriage should not be seen as discrimination against congregants in same-sex relationships

State lawmakers are certainly getting an earful as they prepare to head back to work next week and potentially take up the issue of allowing same sex marriage in Illinois.

Cardinal Francis George on Friday joined a group of African American religious leaders to decry the "redefinition of marriage" as "morally wrong."

"The confrontation isn’t only with the word of God. Although that is the clearest expression of it. It’s also with nature itself, which is evidenced in human history,” he said at a morning press conference at the Chicago Archdiocese.

He said the meaning of marriage in the Bible originated from "a sexual expression based upon the complementary of men and women," and changing its meaning "will not serve the common good of our people and will certainly lose the sense of family that is the basis of our understanding of who we are." 

The clergy members stressed, however, that their opposition to gay marriage should not be seen as discrimination against congregants in same-sex relationships.

"Nature and the Bible then dictates our stance today. It is not our personal opinion about the lifestyles of any individual that comes in our church or is outside of our church," said Bishop Lance Davis with the New Zion Christian Fellowship of Dolton.

A day earlier, another group of African American religious leaders praised those lawmakers who have supported the legislation, calling it a bold step forward for equality.

Gov. Pat Quinn, a Chicago Democrat, has said that he would sign the legislation -- SB10 -- if it comes to his desk. It would make Illinois the 10th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage. The state approved civil unions in 2011.
 

Contact Us