аЯрЁБс>ўџ EGўџџџDџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџьЅСM №ПОbjbjт=т= 1(€W€W‚;џџџџџџlvvvvvvvŠррр8 $ŠUŽDDZZZЦЦЦджжжжжж$у  €њvЦТЦЦЦњDvvZZhDDDЦ.vZvZдDЦдD|DРvvРZ8 @%LЧўпФŠVрє.РР%0UРƒ ""ƒ РDŠŠvvvvйChristians for Civil Unions 8 September 2004 Oral Submission to the Justice & Electoral Select Committee Civil Union Bill and Relationships (Statutory References) Bill I am here today speaking for Civil Unions from a specifically Christian perspective, on behalf of Christians for Civil Unions, which was formed earlier this year. Our network includes a wide range of Christian individuals, congregations, and church leaders from the Anglican, Baptist, Brethren, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches; we also have connections with interdenominational groups such as Galaxies, Ascent, and the Student Christian Movement. We have groups in Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin and people from around the whole country are involved via email. With all this diversity, we have had no problem in reaching agreement on our submission to support both bills. In fact, we have developed enjoyable friendships with one another, we have held two very successful events celebrating civil unions (a forum in Wellington in June and an ecumenical service in Auckland in August) and we have strengthened denominational relationships. Diversity within Christian Communities Initially we were concerned that public Christian comment on the bills, even before the first reading, was overwhelmingly negative toward gay and lesbian people and to the idea of civil unions. We felt it was important that the voices of Christians who believed that there was a gospel imperative for civil unions, also be heard. We are not simply going along with laissez faire public opinion in this matter. We believe that following Jesus means treating all people with dignity and respect, and honouring the creation of all people in the image of God. We are passionate advocates of legal protection and social recognition of gay and lesbian relationships because we believe that this is a matter of social justice for people of faith. Civil unions will encourage and support long-term committed relationships and thus contribute to the common good. And while our initial concern was for gay and lesbian people who cannot get married, we have come to appreciate that there are also heterosexual people who want the option of civil unions. It seems to us that another social institution encouraging people to be intentional and committed in their relationships is a good thing for society. Our position regarding the relationship of Church and State in New Zealand is that NZ is a secular country and contested religious values should not be imposed on the choices people make about their lives in matters that are permitted by law. However, as a number of Christian groups opposing the bills have referred to Bible and theology, we would like to take a minute to point out that theirs is only one Christian interpretation. Christian opposition to homosexuality is often supported by random Bible quotations. There are in fact six verses of the Bible that refer to homosexual acts. It is widely accepted among biblical scholars that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed because they practised homosexuality, but because they failed to practice hospitality to the stranger. Homosexual orientation was unknown in biblical times. The biblical writers assumed that everyone was heterosexual and that people engaging in homosexual acts were going against their God-given nature. Biblical sexual ethics vary (being written over thousands of years) but generally they share a concern for procreation and the continuation of the patriarchal family. It is a fact that most sexual activity in the developed world is not for the purposes of procreation but for intimacy, joy, and hopefully the expression of love. The Bible simply does not explicitly address loving, long-term, committed relationships between two people of homosexual orientation. Those who use the Bible to justify condemnation of gay people and exclusion of gay relationships from social support are being quite selective in what they choose to take literally. The Bible cares far more about peace and economic justice than it does about regulation of sexuality. Biblical people thought the earth was flat, that women were the property of men and that slavery was an acceptable social institution. God gave us brains and we are expected to use them, and the knowledge we have gained over the centuries includes understanding about the diversity of human sexuality. Benefits of Civil Unions In our submission we have attended in some detail to the benefits that civil unions will provide in terms of legal protection, social recognition of couples, social acceptance of children in diverse families, and the furthering of human rights. We have also outlined the need to move sexual ethics to a higher level so that we focus on the quality rather than the form of relationships. I won’t repeat those arguments here but I will be happy to answer any questions. Conclusion In conclusion, I would like to ask members of the Committee think about a very significant US court decision in 1967 concerning inter-racial marriage. In the Loving case, a Virginia judge had called for the imprisonment of Mildred Jeter, an African-American woman, and Richard Loving, a white man, after they were legally married in the District of Columbia and moved to Virginia, where their marriage was considered a serious crime, with a penalty of up to five years in prison. The judge’s ruling had religious overtones similar to those heard in the arguments of today’s critics of civil unions: God created the races separate and did not intend for them to mix. There were also secular arguments that had overtones similar to those heard in the arguments against civil unions: that social stability would be undermined and the sanctity of the family threatened. Sitting here today, we find it incomprehensible that such arguments could be made by good Christians or good citizens. In 1968, the US Supreme Court overthrew the Loving decision and all laws against inter-racial marriage. I believe that there will come a day when people will look back on this debate with similar incredulity. Women can vote. Divorced people can remarry in many churches. Inter-racial couples can marry. Apartheid has ended. And some day soon gay and lesbian people will have their relationships legally protected and socially recognized by civil unions and we will all think that it is just common sense. As Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr wrote from Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny… I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be.” Civil Unions is simply the next step toward the dream. Margaret Mayman 027-226-4608 Christians for Civil Unions Oral Submissions  PAGE 2 @‹БJP…^wLWюg‚ЏАЖЗИЙКЛНОѕюцюоюоюцюцюгюЦПЖ­ ’ ­ЦCJ 0JCJOJQJmHnHuj0JCJOJQJU0JCJOJQJj0JCJU CJOJQJCJOJQJaJmH sH CJOJQJmH sH >*CJOJQJ5CJOJQJ CJOJQJ5CJOJQJaJH?@|ЛМŠ‹В[ \ Œ]^wKLW89deu‚КЛМњњёёњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњььъ$a$$„7^„7a$$a$‚Н§§МНО§ј$a$/ 01hА{. 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Our network 3030&2&73!)03)&2!%7.&<323)&D3*3&D0)%2!M03&00!0!&3)&.00!&A3!&30D2 -Ž2 ЪХW^hincludes a wide range of Christian individuals, congregations, and church leaders from 3*330)"0"D30"!0330"2"73!)03"33.330)"*133!03023)"032"*33!*3"0030!)"!2Mh2 9Х>^hthe Anglican, Baptist, Brethren, Roman Catholic, Methodist, an30R733*03R603)R6!03!03R92M04R7132*RG0323)R03"2 9 ^hd Presbyterian 3R3!0)3.0!/2‹2 ЈХU^hChurches; we also have connections with interdenominational groups such as Galaxies, o733!*30)!D00)230.0*2330*23)D330!3032M302303!233))3*30)=00.0)†2 ХR^hAscent, and the Student Christian Movement. We have groups in Auckland, Hamilton, 7)*03$033$30$33303$73!)03$G2.0M03$R0$30.0$3!233)$3$73*.033$>0M22z2 …ХJ^hChristchurch and Dunedin and people from around the whole country are invo73!)*33!*3"033#>33033"033"30230"!2M"0!2433"30"D320"*233!."0"0"3.22 …_ ^hlved via .03"./‰2 ѓХT^hemail. With all this diversity, we have had no problem in reaching agreement on our 0M0&S3&0&3)&3.0!).&D0&30.0&303&32&3!230M&3&!00*333&03!01M03&23&23!2 bХX^hsubmission to support both bills. In fact, we have developed enjoyable friendships with )33M))232)3232!2133)"30*D030.030.02303032.030!/33)33)D2|2 бХK^hone another, we have held two very successful events celebrating civil unio23003230!D030.0313D2.0!.)3**0))30/03)*003!033*.3322 бП ^hns (a forum 3)#02!3Lˆ2 ? ХS^hin Wellington in June and an ecumenical service in Auckland in August) and we have 3%S03323%3%&330%033%03%0*3M03*0%*0!.*1%3%73*.033%3%7333)#%033%D0%30.0J2 Ў Х*^hstrengthened denominational relationships.)!033303033032M30230!0023)33) 2 Ў ˜ ^h 1 2  Х^h 2-D2 ‹ Х&^hDiversity within Christian CommunitiesF56(/&5R&;;=;'/&7;=8XW;;&7/- 2 ‹ а ^h 1€2 њ ХN^hInitially we were concerned that public Christian comment on the bills, even b"30.D0D0!1*23*1!40330333*73!)03+2MM0323303)0.1332 њ ) ^hefore the 02!030‰2 i ХT^hfirst reading, was overwhelmingly negative toward gay and lesbian people and to the !)%!00333%D0)%1.0!D30M33.%3030./%2D/!3%30-%033%0)203%30220%033%1%2/’2 з ХZ^hidea of civil unions. We felt it was important that the voices of Christians who believed 300 2 *. 3323)S0 0  D0) L32!033030 .2*0) 2 73!)03)D32 300./2w2 F ХH^hthat there was a gospel imperative for civil unions, also be heard. We a30%30!0%D0)%0%32)30%M30!0.0%2!%*.%3323)%0)2%30%300!3%S0%0 2 F z^hre not simply !0%32%)M3-2 Е ХX^hgoing along with laissez faire public opinion in this matter. We believe that following 3233'0233'D3'0))0('0!0'333*'23323'3'3)'M00!'S0'300.0'30'22D222 # ХX^hJesus means treating all people with dignity and respect, and honouring the creation of &0)3)M003)!0033030230D3333.033!0)30*03332323!3330*!00232n2 ’ ХB^hall people in the image of God. We are passionate advocates of leg0'30230'3'30'M030'2'=23'S0'0!0'30))2300'03.2*00)'2'03&2 ’ к ^hal protection and 0'2!20*23'032Œ2 ХV^hsocial recognition of gay and lesbian relationships because we believe that this is a )2*0+!0*23323+2+31.+033+0)303+!0023)33)+30*03)0+D1+300.0,30+3)+)+/Œ2 oХV^hmatter of social justice for people of faith. Civil unions will encourage and support M00!/2/(2*0/3)*0.2!/30230.2/03/7./3323)/D/03*23!030/033/)33322 оХ^hlong233 2 оr^h-!g2 о“=^hterm committed relationships and thus contribute to the commo0!M*2MM02!0023)33)03333)*23!330230*2MM2&2 оМ ^hn good. And while 32123732D3/ˆ2 LХS^hour initial concern was for gay and lesbian people who cannot get married, we have 23!'30'*23*0!3'D0)'2!'30.'032'0)303'30120'D32'*0332'30'M0!!03'D0'30./†2 ЛХR^hcome to appreciate that there are also heterosexual people who want the option of *2M0*2*033!0*00*30*30!0*0!0*0)2*300!2)1.30*30230*D32*D03*30*2323*2y2 *ХI^hcivil unions. It seems to us that another social institution encouraging o*.+3323)+"+)00M*+2+3)+30+03230!+)2*0,3)323+03*23!0333+2 *ƒ ^hpeople to be 30230+2+3/2 ˜ХM^hintentional and committed in their relationships is a good thing for society.303230033*2MM/3330!!0023)33)(032223322!)2*0- 2 ˜‰^h 2 2 Х^h 2Œ2 vХV^hOur position regarding the relationship of Church and State in New Zealand is that NZ A3!"32)23"!030!323"30"!0023)33"2"733!*3"033"30/"3"=0D"300033")"3/"<2€2 фХN^his a secular country and contested religious values should not be imposed on t)202)0*30!2*233!.20232*230)022!0323)1./30)2)323323123/2M22)0322312 ф7^hhe g3/‹2 SХU^hchoices people make about their lives in matters that are permitted by law. However, *32*0)$30230$M0.0$0223$30!$.0)$2$M00!($30$0!0#30!M02$3-$/D$>2D0.0 2 ТХX^has a number of Christian groups opposing the bills have referred to Bible and theology, 0)033M30!273!)033!233)2232)33303)30.0!00!!03263003330223-€2 0ХN^hwe would like to take a minute to point out that theirs is only one Christian D0>D233>.0>2>0.1>0>M331>2>323>23>30>30!)>)>23.?230>73!)022 ŸХ^hin3…2 Ÿ Q^hterpretation. Christian opposition to homosexuality is often supported by random 0!3!0023373!(0332331)2322322M2)0-30.3)22033)3322!/333-3!0331L”2 Х[^hBible quotations. There are in fact six verses of the Bible that refer to homosexual acts. 630332023(630!00!030*)..0!)0)23063030!00!232M2)0.300*(‰2 |ХT^hIt is widely accepted among biblical scholars that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah "()(D30.(0**0303(/M233(33*0()*320!)(30(30(*0)'2(3222M'033(=2M2!!/2z2 ыХJ^hwere not destroyed because they practised homosexuality, but because they D0!0$32$30)!2.03$30*03)0$30.$3!0*)03$32M2)0.30.#33$30*03)0$30.$ћЄџ@ Tahoma  ™ИьиŸѓwсŸѓw ѕwЗ$fw--2 ыJ^hfailed003ќ- !№кOJќџџџ-№2 ы$^h to $2U2 YХ1^hpractice hospitality to the stranger. Homosexual o3!0**0,32)30.+2,20,)!0330!,>2M2)0.30,-2 YЯ ^horientatione2!03023ќ- !№ГНЯ -№12 Y‚ ^h was unknown in biblical ,D0),33.31D3,3,33*0ˆ2 ШХS^htimes. The biblical writers assumed that everyone was heterosexual and that people M0))630)33*0)D!/!))0))3M03)30)0.0!.130)D0))300!2)0.30)043)30)3023/2 7Х^henga0330Y2 7‹4^hging in homosexual acts were going against their God333332M2)0.300*)D0!032330303)30!=23 2 7 ^h-!82 71 ^hgiven nature. Biblical sexual 3.03303!063*0)0.30Ž2 ЅХW^hethics vary (being written over thousands of years) but generally they share a concern 03*) .0!. #3032 D!/3 2.0! 323)032) 2.00!)# 333030!0. 30.)30!0 0 *23*0!2Œ2 ХV^hfor procreation and the continuation of the patriarchal family. 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