Posted on 12/16/2017 10:59:28 AM PST by iowamark
Dear Friends:
As leaders of various communities of faith throughout the United States, many of us came together in the past to affirm our commitment to marriage as the union of one man and one woman and as the foundation of society. We reiterate that natural marriage continues to be invaluable to American society.
We come together to join our voices on a more fundamental precept of our shared existence, namely, that human beings are male or female and that the socio-cultural reality of gender cannot be separated from one's sex as male or female.
We acknowledge and affirm that all human beings are created by God and thereby have an inherent dignity. We also believe that God created each person male or female; therefore, sexual difference is not an accident or a flaw—it is a gift from God that helps draw us closer to each other and to God. What God has created is good. "God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27).
A person's discomfort with his or her sex, or the desire to be identified as the other sex, is a complicated reality that needs to be addressed with sensitivity and truth. Each person deserves to be heard and treated with respect; it is our responsibility to respond to their concerns with compassion, mercy and honesty. As religious leaders, we express our commitment to urge the members of our communities to also respond to those wrestling with this challenge with patience and love.
Children especially are harmed when they are told that they can "change" their sex or, further, given hormones that will affect their development and possibly render them infertile as adults. Parents deserve better guidance on these important decisions, and we urge our medical institutions to honor the basic medical principle of "first, do no harm." Gender ideology harms individuals and societies by sowing confusion and self-doubt. The state itself has a compelling interest, therefore, in maintaining policies that uphold the scientific fact of human biology and supporting the social institutions and norms that surround it.
The movement today to enforce the false idea—that a man can be or become a woman or vice versa—is deeply troubling. It compels people to either go against reason—that is, to agree with something that is not true—or face ridicule, marginalization, and other forms of retaliation.
We desire the health and happiness of all men, women, and children. Therefore, we call for policies that uphold the truth of a person's sexual identity as male or female, and the privacy and safety of all. We hope for renewed appreciation of the beauty of sexual difference in our culture and for authentic support of those who experience conflict with their God-given sexual identity.
Sincerely Yours:
Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera Bishop of Scranton Chairman, USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America
The Rev. John F. Bradosky Bishop North American Lutheran Church
Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Archbishop of Philadelphia Chairman, USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth
Most Rev. James D. Conley Bishop of Lincoln Chairman USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage
The Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey Bishop, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic Anglican Church in North America
Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison President Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Imam Faizal Khan Founder and Leader Islamic Society of the Washington Area
Most Rev. Joseph E. Kurtz Archbishop of Louisville Chairman USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty
Melchisedek Archbishop of Pittsburgh Orthodox Church in America
The Rt. Rev. Eric V. Menees Bishop, San Joaquin Anglican Church in North America
Rev. Eugene F. Rivers, III Founder and Director Seymour Institute for Black Church and Policy Studies Church of God in Christ
Rev. Dr. Gregory P. Seltz, PhD Executive Director The Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty
The Rev. Paull Spring Bishop Emeritus The North American Lutheran Church
Rev. Tony Suarez Executive Vice President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Very Rev. Nathanael Symeonides Ecumenical Officer Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Rev. Dr. L. Roy Taylor Stated Clerk, General Assembly Presbyterian Church in America
Andrew Walker Director of Policy Studies Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
The Rev. Dr. David Wendel Assistant to the Bishop for Ministry and Ecumenism The North American Lutheran Church
Paul Winter Elder Bruderhof
Unfortunately, one can never quite count on Pope Francis to be consistent with his words from one day to the next.
And his actions and who he chooses to endorse, invite, or otherwise associate with is often in direct contradiction to what he says,
It would be seen as superfluous until this profligate, dissipated age — and then too late.
Our answer is the evangelist and the multitude of praying souls behind him.
Roy Moore was too early, IMHO. One can’t enforce what’s not widely believed in.
Unfortunately Pope Francis sends out mixed signals by mixing unequivocal statements with a lot of fluff to satisfy the police of political correctness...
Whole churches are liable to the danger of the fear of man.
Unfortunately, Pope Francis is either unwilling or unable to expound on doctrine consistently and clearly. He contradicts previous Popes, foundational Catholic doctrines, the very words of Christ, and even himself, it seems, from one paragraph to the next.
He gets offended, too, when people notice.
Pray for him.
Truth be told, I find it very hard to do so.
What I do pray for is that his papacy is over soon.
Who replaces him will most likely be a turning point for me.
But to give Pope Francis his due, he has consistently voiced opposition to critical gender theory, despite his many ambiguities and his scandalous appointments -— wolves in shepherds’ clothing -— in key Vatican offices dealing with sex and gender.
Dear Christ, rescue your Bride.
All life is about one’s own heart AND mind.....always is and can’t separate the two which is only dehumanization.
America did define marriage that way, but the courts overturned that definition.
Even if we had a constitutional amendment to define marriage, the liberals would have passed laws for civil unions which gave civil unions a legal status equivalent to marriage.
America did define marriage that way, but the courts overturned that definition.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
.
And the courts have the last word, therefore America’s definition of marriage is NOT just between a man and a woman and that is why we are in the mess that we are.
How about getting your own right before sitting there pontificating
It’s a law-is-an-ass situation.
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