NOM BLOG

18 Religious Groups file amicus brief in support of DOMA

 

From the Press Release:

The Massachusetts Catholic Conference (MCC), representing the Roman Catholic Bishops in Massachusetts, has joined with seventeen other major Catholic, Jewish and Protestant groups in filing an amicus brief in support of the federal Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA … a pdf copy of the brief is available here.

The religious groups, representing a broad array of faith perspectives, informed the court that even though they differ on various theological issues, they are united on the social and legal importance of defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

The extraordinary array of groups joining the MCC on the brief included:  the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; National Association of Evangelicals; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America; Brethren in Christ Church; Christian and Missionary Alliance; Conservative Congregational Christian Conference; Evangelical Free Church of America; Evangelical Presbyterian Church; International Church of the Foursquare Gospel; International Pentecostal Holiness Church; Missionary Church; Open Bible Churches [USA]; United Brethren in Christ Church; and Wesleyan Church.

This is an excellent summary of their position on the case:

…  The brief fault[s] the trial judge for characterizing DOMA as a product of bigotry:  “[W]hatever (past or present) of particular individuals within our religious communities, we are united in condemning hatred and mistreatment of homosexuals.  We believe that God calls us to love homosexual persons, even as we steadfastly defend our belief that traditional marriage is both divinely ordained and experientially best for families and society. This considered judgment is informed by our moral reasoning, our religious convictions, and our long experience counseling and ministering to adults and children. The district court’s ruling that, in enacting DOMA, Congress could only have been motivated by bigotry against homosexuals—and, hence, by implication, that our own support for DOMA and traditional marriage is so motivated—is inaccurate and unfair.”

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