In Washington State, Referendum 65 would repeal protection from discrimination for sexual orientation. The following is a press release from Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Regional Minister and President of the Northwest Region.
June 6, 2006
As an ordained minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I make my stand here today in order to encourage voting people of Christian faith, other faiths, and people of no faith, to take a clear and decisive stand for human rights and human dignity by voting to approve referendum 65, a measure that would loudly and resoundingly say no to discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, insurance and commercial transactions.
I am astounded by assertions made by people of faith that discriminatory practices based on sexual orientation are legitimate, and want to make it known here today that not all Christians feel this way.
It is my firm belief that all human beings are made in the very image and likeness of God and that God confers dignity and worth on all people, and actively seeks to provide avenues for them to fulfill their God-given potential on this earth. The use of the word all in the previous sentence means just that, everyone, female, male, heterosexual, homosexual, black, brown, red, yellow and white, are all precious in God’s sight, and are recipients of the gifts of God, gifts that God expects us to use for our own good, and for the common good. Through the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, humanity was afforded a glimpse of God’s vision for justice and wholeness as Jesus publicly affirmed those whose hope was held hostage by unjust laws, traditions and practices.
Whenever certain portions of the human family are victimized by discrimination, none of us is fully free. Our futures are inextricably woven together! In order for our society to flourish, we need each other’s demonstrated and potential gifts and abilities to be used for the common good without interference by practices designed to destroy human dreams and dignity. In order for this to be, we need laws that liberate not humiliate, and practices that seek justice not hand out judgment.
The practices of discrimination, based on race, sex, or sexual orientation, are woven together by a single yet scandalous thread of hate. It is a thread that we have the power to loosen, untie and replace. Let us loosen and untie this thread by voting to approve referendum 65, and resolve that we will live out the words of a song many Christians sing, “we will work with each other, we will work side by side, and we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride, " so the world will know we are Christians not by our support of discrimination but by our love.
| GLAD Alliance Inc. P.O. Box 44400 Indianapolis, IN 46244-0400 |
glad@gladalliance.org | return to www.gladalliance.org |