ATLANTA-Rev. Paul M. Turner, Founding Pastor of Gentle Spirit Christian Church, 1561 McLendon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA, announced today that he and the church have joined with religious and other leaders within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community and their allies in signing a document entitled "Beyond Same Sex Marriage: A New Strategic Vision For All Our Families & Relationships."
The document calls upon governmental and private institutions to recognize "diverse kinds of partnerships, households, kinship relationships and families," and thus "to move beyond the narrow confines of marriage politics as they exist in the United States today."
Recognizing that people form households and families in varying ways, authors of the document suggest that diversity is already the norm in household and family structures. While recent battles have centered on same-sex marriage, U.S. Census statistics show a majority of people, regardless of sexual and gender identity, live in other than traditional nuclear families. The right-wing's "marriage movement," they say, goes beyond opposition to same-sex marriage and civil unions to threaten the economic stability of all persons who do not fit into the government's definition of "legitimate families" as being centered in a couple who have a conjugal relationship.
Some examples of other non-traditional families or households cited include senior citizens living together for economy and personal support, adult children living as a parent's caregiver, friends and/or siblings who share living space in long-term, committed, but non-conjugal relationships, grandparents raising grandchildren or other relatives' children.
In explaining why he signed the document, Turner said, "I have said for a long time that we have allowed the religious right to take this conversation about marriage and relationships away from us. We are making every effort to help people understand who we are and trying not to stand alone, but rather with all families of whatever color, cultural background, sexual orientation, socio-economic status-or gender identity."
For additional information on "Beyond Same Sex Marriage," contact Rev. Paul M. Turner. The full text of the document can be read on-line at www.beyondmarriage.org.
ABOUT GENTLE SPIRIT CHRISTIAN CHURCH: Gentle Spirit Christian Church of Atlanta, Inc. envisions an inclusive church community committed to worshipping God freely in an atmosphere of grace, forgiveness, unconditional love and individual growth.
For eight years Gentle Spirit Christian Church has served a diverse congregation and a wider connected constituency in Atlanta, Georgia. Worship is currently held at 7 p.m. Sunday at 1561 McLendon Ave. NE in the CandlerPark neighborhood. As of September 3, a 10:30 a.m. service "without walls" will be held each week in Candler Park.
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