Something Good About Religious Believers

In the Boston Globe's coverage of today's first legal same-sex marriages, here's a refreshing article (link) about the response in some churches -- including some who are most rabidly anti-gay.

The response has been surprisingly compassionate and rational (well, as rational as religious believers can ever get.)

Here's a quote:

At Union Baptist Church in Cambridge, another church whose leader has been an outspoken critic of same-sex marriage, the pastor focused on cautioning parishioners not to get involved with any groups that foment violent or inflammatory protests. "Regardless of how you feel about this issue, those kinds of groups I want you to stay far away from," said the Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown. "This is not a way to react. . . . We ought to pray there be civility and some measure of sense in the midst of all this."

Now this is an excellent example of what religion does best...appealing to the best in us, and challenging us to live up to our ideals.

One parishoner said, of same-sex couples: "We're going to love them, we're going to accept them. They're human and we're human and just have different views. And God has his eye on the whole situation, anyway."

To which I say, Amen.

M.