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“Some have even announced they will not perform any marriages — gay or straight — until the ban is dissolved. Art Cribbs, a minister in southern California, joined a Cleveland-based campaign called Refuse-to-Sign in early July. A nationwide alliance of progressive clergy, Refuse-to-Sign aims to divide marriage into a two-step process: a secular, legislative aspect, in which gay and straight couples are granted all the benefits straight marriage affords; and a religious aspect, where they can celebrate their union at a sympathetic church, synagogue or mosque. It’s this clear Church/state demarcation, according to Cribbs, that is essential to safeguarding civil liberties.”

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The Refuse-to-Sign movement, despite being made up largely of liberal organizations, is actively making an appeal to conservatives: We want your church to be able to decide for itself on the issue of same-sex marriage, even if, in the end, it chooses not to bless same-sex couples; we just don’t think the state has that choice.

by Susan Brooks Thistlewaite

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/susan_brooks_thistlethwaite/2008/05/rites_and_wrongs.html