OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The contentious debate over a new gay civil rights law has carried over to the pulpit, with some churches citing the Bible to exhort voters to repeal the measure, while others cite the same text to argue for its preservation.

Churches have to walk a fine line when it comes to political advocacy, or risk losing their tax-exempt status. Under Internal Revenue Service guidelines, churches cannot endorse individual candidates, and their pastors cannot use the pulpit or church newsletters to do so. But they are not prevented from speaking out on issues.

And churches around Washington are speaking up. Conservative churches that oppose the gay civil rights bill have been pushing “Referendum Sunday,” encouraging parishioners to sign petitions that would force a statewide vote on the November ballot on the gay rights law the Legislature passed earlier this year. Churches that support the law have organized statewide prayer gatherings and have signed anti-discrimination statements.

“The marriage of religion and politics is as American as apple pie,” said the Rev. Randall Lord-Wilkinson, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bremerton, which supports the new law. “The Christian right has been more vocal and highly visible. The religious left is getting better organized. While our perspective is in the minority, it doesn’t mean we’re wrong. And it doesn’t mean they’re wrong on everything. We just disagree on this issue.”

Supporters of the “Let the Voters Decide” campaign need 112,440 valid voter signatures by to get Referendum 65 on the November ballot.

The referendum asks voters whether they want to keep the law, which adds “sexual orientation” to a state law that bans discrimination in housing, employment, insurance and credit.

The amendment makes Washington the 17th state with laws protecting gays and lesbians, and the seventh to protect transgender people.

A referendum refers a law passed by the Legislature to a vote of the people. Initiatives are generally used to propose new laws, but in recent years have been used to overturn the Legislature’s actions.

Opponents of the law argue that it gives gays and lesbians preferential treatment, encourages quotas, and could lead to same-sex marriage.

The Washington State Supreme Court heard arguments on a case challenging Washington’s ban on same-sex marriage last year, and a ruling is expected soon.