Presbyterian Church rejects gay marriage proposal

The U.S. Presbyterian Church on Friday narrowly rejected a proposal by same-sex marriage proponents for a constitutional change that would redefine marriage as a union between "two people," rather than between a woman and a man.

The 338-308 vote followed nearly four hours of heated debate at the Church's General Assembly in Pittsburgh, a biennial gathering to review policy.

The Church, with around 2 million members, currently allows ministers to bless gay unions but prohibits them from solemnizing homosexual civil marriages.

Opponents of the change argued the move would alienate the Church from Presbyterian churches in other countries, while backers said it should be a leader in advocating for the acceptance of same-sex marriage.

Michael Wilson, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, told the General Assembly the proposal threatened to "tear the Church apart."

But Piper Madison, from North Alabama Presbytery, said "the Church doesn't ask us to do what others approve of, it asks us to do what is right."

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D Hall

This vote shouldn't even had been close. Sad state that our churches are caving in to the dark side. God won't hold us blameless.
- bighoss
  
  "us"? Speak for yourself. I stand opposed to both gay marriage and the church of which I am a member stands firmly against such perversions. God will deal with those who have accepted this kind of unholy union, but I am not one of them. Each person is accountable for his/her own failings.
  
  Or are you perhaps a Pat Robertsonite and subscribe to the notion that God will send some catastrophe or other upon this nation because of tolerance and support of gay marriages?
  - Kenneth
    
    Big Hoss……read your Bible lately? Remember what God did to Soddom and Gomarra for exactly the same sin? Seems I recall reading about fire and brimstone. Seems God did not like this sin then and still does not. So why would he NOT send a catastrophe again?
- http://WWW.PULPIT-PIMPS.ORG Melvin
  
  More specifically, there shouldn't have even been a vote. It shouldn't have been an issue. But having thrown the Bible under the bus, it's merely a matter of time before the denomination lines up completely with the rest of the unsaved world.
  
  Melvin
- Shirlylou
  
  So true! If people will only study God's Word, there would be no argument. Accepting what God calls abomination
  (amid many others) as blessed in the church is like trying to rewrite the Scriptures. Whoa to them—they shall be held accountable and will also hold the blood of others who have been led astray.
- KnowTheTruthToday
  
  Should never be a vote and a Church that has to vote on this has some real problems.
- Evermyrtle
  
  Why should there have even been a vote, it should hve been vetoes before it ever got that fr!!
agbjr

PCUSA has been leaning far left for years despite most congregations being more socially and politically conservative. Membership is declining and many families are literally walking away from the denomination's socialist-supporting political activism. Within every PCUSA presbytery acoss the country are closed churches and consolidated congregations but still the denomination's leaders continues to push left. From taking the National Anthem out of hymnals to encouraging churches to show the film "An Inconvenient Truth" PCUSA continues to be out-of-step with their membership.
- Katie Oh
  
  Yet, being out of step with their congregation is even a weird concept. The congregation should be concerned about being out of step with the Scriptures … NOT the other way around. We HAVE to put the emphasis on the Word of God and fall in line behind it in 100% complete support and belief in it! That is the way, the truth, and the life!
- http://www.faithfreaks.com/Wolverine Wolf-Spider
  
  My church is one of those who has with held support from the Presbytery with which we are affiliated. Baltimore Presbytery is one who voted FOR having homos preach, while my church voted AGAINST it. My church actually has been growing, in spite of everything.
  
  Wolf-Spider
TruthSpeaker

I am amazed at the number of minister who do not know what is written in their own Bible. These ministers are like the false prophets of old who mislead God's people. If Obama is reelected and his ideas allowed to sprread, then it is time to look up for our redeemer is on his way. Of course, some of us are likely to give our lives if we stand for the truth. Being a minister is not going to get someone into heaven. Only a repentent soul who follows after Christ and the teaching in the Bible will.
agbjr

Not too many years ago PCUSA remove the National Anthem from the denomination's hymnal and encouraged member congregations to hold pubic showings of "An Inconvenient Truth" at their churches. The solid, steadfast, and principled Presbyterian Church of Reverend Jonathan Witherspoon, President Grover Cleveland and Congressional Chaplain Peter Marshall – the church preferred by Abraham Lincoln – has been undermined by a very far left ideology that is NOT compatable with true American Christianity.
- KatieOh
  
  Again I say, Believers HAVE to follow the Word of God. We are NOT American Christians … we are Christians who believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior who are fortunate to live in America.
lambsev

Faith is rarely well exemplified in committee these days. We need the faith of the apostles again. Blessed are they which have not seen and yet believed.
- Hurricane
  
  There is a church that has the faith of the apostles since day one. Century after century, heresy after heresy, this church has remained faithful to the original deposit of faith given to them by our Lord. They are the guardians of His message. All other churches have edited the message to fit their own views. That is why we are in the mess that were in.
  
  Matthew 16 – You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church. Not "the" church or "a" church, but "MY" church. The one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
  
  Amen.
  - http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11
    
    great post Hurricane and point taken with the use of "my"!
  - http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11
    
    I went back to twitter!
  - Despeville
    
    Apostolic, and Holy and Catholic too but NOT Roman Catholic. As far as heresies maybe you should expand on that and mention so many of them that were and some still are on the inside of your Roman Church? Like pelagianism among others? While not mention your heretical pope Honorius I and again one among others?
  - KatieOh
    
    Amen and Amen, Hurricane!!
Jim

The Churches are now going the way of the world as you can plainly see. As a Christian, you must choose between what GOD clearly says about sin and what the world says about sin. If you have to leave your church because they have gone the way of the world, then do so. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain by doing so. It will only get worse in the churches as time passes. Who would have thought 25 years ago, that a proposal to back homosexualtity in any shape, form or fashion would occur in a mainline denominational church? You see the evil all around you, do not be part of it.
John Flanagan

If the Presbyterian Church USA had Godly leadership, this type of "proposal" would not have even been considered for discussion, as it is already established by Holy Writ that homosexuality is against God's word.
crashaxe

I can't believe "nearly four hours of heated debate"? What does the Lord say in His Word about Marriage? Duh, that's a no brainier,
and where in God's Word does it say to follow only the parts that you like or that make you feel good?
Wayne

Do they want to be a reflection of Christ to the world, or do they want to be like the world? That is what the 4 hour debate was about, because that is exactly what it boils down to.
msjallen

It should never have been a debate or argument but what the Bible teaches as far as what we accept. However, I am glad they came to the right conclusion.
H J H

Please notice that this is about the Presbyterian Church (USA). It is NOT about the Presbyterian Church in America, or the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, or the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, or the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, or the Bible Presbyterian Church. I am not a Presbyterian; however, the distinction if important.
H J H

Is important.