President Barack Obama stirred a heated national debate when he became the first American president to publicly endorse gay marriage, invoking mixed reactions from religious leaders in South County and across the country.
Several South County pastors came out predictably strong in their opposition of Obama’s recent speech, standing firm in what they see as an attack on God’s intention for traditional marriage.
However, other religious and spiritual leaders remain committed to the belief that views of human equality echo across religious teaching and secular civil rights doctrine.
“As a rabbi who believes that all of us are created in God’s image and that all of us – gay and straight – are blessed by God, I fully support gay marriage, and it will be my privilege to officiate at such unions,” said Debbie Israel, rabbi of Congregation Emeth in Morgan Hill.
Israel added that her point of view is in line with that of the Jewish Reform Movement, with which the congregation is affiliated. About 85 families from San Jose to Hollister are members of Congregation Emeth. Most of the congregation resides in Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
Gay marriage is consistent with the congregation’s acceptance of members of all sexual orientations.
“It’s part of our creed, of welcoming all people,” Israel said.
And the fact that the president came out recently in support of gay marriage, propelling the issue to a potentially even more divisive one that it already was, shows promise for the rest of the electorate, Israel said.
“My hope is that (Obama’s support) will inspire government and individuals to follow that lead and make this the law of the land,” Israel added. “I think it was courageous of him, and I hope the rest of the population has the courage to follow that lead.”
As for the Catholic Church, even though national church leaders have decried gay marriage, the San Jose Diocese does not have an official stance on the issue, according to diocese director of media relations Roberta Ward.
The nationwide debate over whether or not gay marriage should be legal “fundamentally has nothing to do with sacramental marriage,” which the Catholic Church does not sanction for same-sex couples, even when such unions are recognized by the government, Ward said.
“It’s two different things. Marriage is a civil contract,” Ward said.
Eric Smith, head pastor of South Valley Community Church in Gilroy, lamented Obama’s new public support for gay marriage. Smith has publicly taken a stand against homosexuality for 30 years, and is frustrated with the direction the country is headed in light of the president’s change in conviction. In 2008, when running for election, Obama said he personally believed marriage was between a man and a woman, but that states are entitled to making their own laws regarding gay marriage.
“As a pastor, I need to address the moral issues of our country. I try not to get political – I don’t preach on healthcare reform – but this issue of marriage, family, children, sexuality, that’s my domain,” Smith said.
Smith said that homosexuality is a “devastating lifestyle” and while people have the right to their own lifestyle choices, he is strongly opposed to gay marriage.
“There’s some kind of an insatiable need from the homosexual community to find total and complete acceptance and equality from the heterosexual community. Until that is achieved, they won’t stop,” Smith said.
Smith acknowledges that there can be devastating problems associated with heterosexual relationships too, and doesn’t see any difference between homosexual “sin” and other sins he preaches on – including adultery and divorce.
“I’m trying to affirm that as Christians, we’re not trying to discriminate. But to redefine an entire institution that has stood the test of time for thousands of years, the impact of that will be far reaching,” he said.
Smith thought Obama’s speech smelled of a calculated political move designed to distract people from the issue that they care the most about this election – the economy.
“It was a shrewd move to shift the focus of the election from the economy to this fairness issue,” Smith said.
A New York Times and CBS survey conducted May 14 found most Americans would agree. Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed said they thought Obama’s change in stance was politically motivated, while 24 percent said he spoke out mostly because he thought it was the right thing to do.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has made his stance against gay marriage known before, but has not yet directly responded to Obama’s position.
Most people polled in the survey said that Obama’s new stance would not impact their vote, but of those who said it would change the way they vote, 26 percent said they are less likely to vote for Obama as a result, while 16 percent said they are more likely to.
Pastor Malcolm MacPhail, senior pastor of New Hope Community Church in Gilroy, who said he was an active proponent of Proposition 8, which passed in 2008 to define marriage in California as between a man and a woman, also expressed sadness for Obama’s stance.
“He’s claiming to be a Christian, but that’s not the Christian view, so there is some type of contradiction there,” MacPhail said.
MacPhail encourages his congregation to vote with Biblical principles and traditional values in mind.
“As a pastor, I am to be a watch guard of what the Bible says to the people,” MacPhail said.
Annie Tobin, art teacher at Gilroy High School and lesbian, said she has mixed reactions about Obama’s speech. She partly is thrilled that he stood up for gay rights, but also worried about the political backlash that might come from it.
“Finally somebody with that much power has stood up for equal rights for gays and lesbians,” Tobin said. “But how far can you go before committing political suicide?”
But then again, Tobin wondered if maybe his stance could draw more people to the polls who support gay rights, and who may not have otherwise voted.
“Those people who are going to be against him are going to be against him anyway,” she said.
