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    • Some black pastors, including Al Sharpton, support gay marriage: Obama effect?

    By No Such Thing As Blasphemy • • 1 comment
    Have we reached a tipping point?

    Last week a group of African American clergy, including Al Sharpton, finally came out in defense of marriage equality for gay people.

    “This is not an issue about gay or straight, this is an issue about civil rights,” said Sharpton. “And to take a position to limit the civil rights of anyone is to take a position to limit the civil rights of everyone. You cannot be a part-time civil rights activist. You cannot be for civil rights for African-Americans, but not for gays and lesbians.”

    Spot on. I am not Mr. Sharpton’s biggest fan, but I think this is very important step in the right direction.

    At the same time, of course, other African American pastors are “standing by what the bible says”. (Slavery excluded, of course.)

    Reverend William Owens said President Obama “sold us out,” referring to the debate over same-sex marriage.

    “All of who follow him who are weak and who have non-biblical principles, I don’t care if they have reverend in front of their name, to lead a society downhill for money is sinful and it’s wrong and that’s what they are doing,” said Owens. “It’s all about money.”

    I think there is little doubt that, the fact that some black clergy are now in support of equality for gays is due to the President’s right decision. It is equality clear (from the quote above) that it has indeed cost him politically among his own supporters.

    Back in April 2011, when for the first time polls showed a majority of Americans supporting gay marriage, Bill Maher chastised the Democrats for failure to act.

    So, tonight, I’d like to congratulate the leadership of the Democratic party who really stood up for what was right. I’d like to, but I can’t.

    Maher’s criticism was certainly justified. But it seems that finally some politicians are willing to do the right thing and pay a price if need be. While I remain cynical about politicians as a whole, it seems rather obvious that they are not all the same. When they do the right thing (and bring certain constituencies along, as the President has done clearly in this case), it is important that those who believe in justice and equality to show support for them.

     

    Category: Uncategorized

    Article by: No Such Thing As Blasphemy

    I was raised in the Islamic world. By accident of history, the plague that is entanglement of religion and government affects most Muslim majority nations a lot worse the many Christian majority (or post-Christian majority) nations. Hence, I am quite familiar with this plague. I started doubting the faith I was raised in during my teen years. After becoming familiar with the works of enlightenment philosophers, I identified myself as a deist. But it was not until a long time later, after I learned about evolutionary science, that I came to identify myself as an atheist. And only then, I came to know the religious right in the US. No need to say, that made me much more passionate about what I believe in and what I stand for. Read more...