Speaking out against the perception that people of faith are against same-sex marriage, San Diego’s pro-GLBT faith leaders discussed what they are doing to support marriage equality at a religious-community forum at the Marriage of the Minds (MOM) building in Hillcrest, last Thursday, May 16.

“Equality and justice, including marriage equality, are important values for many people of faith. We see working for equality as an important part of our lay and ordained ministries throughout the state,” said Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, who serves on the California Council of Churches Impact Board. “Too many people have equated faith with supporting Proposition 8.”

Recent polls find that Californians who attend religious services weekly or more are the most strongly opposed to same-sex marriage in the state, compared to state residents who attend religious services every few months or less. A recently released study conducted by Goodwin Simon Victoria Research and David Binder Research last May found that nearly 70 percent of Californians who attend religious services weekly or more are opposed to same-sex marriage, while only 28 percent of state residents who “hardly ever” or “never” attend a religious services oppose it.

California marriage-equality leaders therefore cannot ignore the issue of faith if they expect to win back the right to same-sex marriage in the state.

“Conversations around faith are going to be very important as we try to change hearts and minds and win back equality in the state,” said Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) National Board Member Fernando Lopez.

Rev. Huston Burnside, associate pastor at Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego, one of several reverends who spoke at the event, told more than 40 people in attendance that people of faith need to move beyond their comfort zones.

“Unless we get out of our faith communities, unless people all around us, who are voting on these measures, know who we are, unless they know our context, we’re going to miss the vote,” he said.

California Faith for Equality (CFE) is one organization that is mobilizing people and congregations of faith outside the traditional “gayborhood” to support GLBT issues such as marriage equality.

CFE Rev. Jonipher Kwong said he has been in talks with an unnamed Christian mega-church in Orange County to be more supportive of GLBT issues.

Kwong said the Orange County church is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“This minister shared with us how they’ve gotten a lot of flack recently from their denomination because they’re not conservative enough in their perspective on gays and lesbians. At the same time, they’re getting flack from the LGBT community for being too conservative,” he said.

Kwong is seeking to find an area of commonality between the two organizations.

“We have to find what we have in common. What are some of our common values and our common mission,” Kwong asked.

Kwong found that the two shared a number of values, including a belief in eliminating poverty and alleviating global suffering.

“That was a beginning point of a conversation, and that’s when we could say, ‘We may not totally agree on all the theological issues and LGBT issues. We have some shared common values. How do we move forward based on those values,’” Kwong said.

Kwong and Rev. Scott Richardson, dean of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in San Diego, are on the same page. Richardson recently met with Jim Garlow, lead pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in East San Diego County and Miles McPherson, senior pastor of the Rock Church in Point Loma to have a more constructive dialogue between those for and against same-sex marriage. Both churches supported Proposition 8.

“We are faith communities. How is it that we are screaming in our faces? Isn’t there a better way to do this as people of faith? Isn’t it possible for us to sit down and engage each other in conversation and not at the battle lines with bull horns, screaming,” Richardson asked.

While Garlow and McPherson were adamant in their opposition to same-sex marriage, Richardson said, the two were, however, open to continue talking and will meet again later this year.

“[While] their set of concerns is different from ours, I think there is room for dialogue. I think we can talk to each other,” Richardson said.

The forum was the first event held at the MOM building at 301 University Ave. across from Urban Mo’s. The building is a collaborative venture between a half dozen pro-marriage-equality organizations, such as the Human Rights Campaign and San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality. In 2008, the building was the San Diego headquarters for the “No on 8” campaign and has been vacant ever since.

A week before the religious forum, an unidentified person(s) removed a paper banner promoting the event, hours after it was posted, and several other pro-marriage-equality paper signs, all posted at the front entrance of the MOM building.

“All religious leaders need to condemn these acts of violence against fellow Americans and our property and need to seek ways for constructive dialog and healing,” said Rev. Ogle.

FedEx Kinko’s in Hillcrest, which made the initial paper event banner, replaced it with two printed on vinyl for free, said Lopez.