Albany NY: More than 250 ministers decry gay marriage

By Jay Gallagher • Albany Bureau
June 19, 2008

More than 250 evangelical Christian ministers from around the state came to the Capitol today to blast Gov. David Paterson for requiring state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages and to back the Senate for its opposition to legalizing the same-sex unions.

“We’re here to take a stand for the righteous,” said the Rev. Tom Stiles of Rochester. “This is just the beginning of what we’re calling a revival.”

Rev. Jason McGuire of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, the evangelical churches’ lobbying arm, said today’s demonstration was organized after Paterson’s decision to have state agencies recognize the unions was disclosed on May 28. Same-sex marriages are banned in New York, but are now legal in Massachusetts, California, Canada and some European countries.

Paterson’s directive affects same-sex couples married elsewhere who have moved to New York. It was spurred by a court decision in Monroe County that found a gay couple had the right to equal benefits from the county. He said he would be violating state law if he didn’t extend the benefits to others. the rest image