Gay Marriage: Continue the Fight for Equal Rights, Says Creech

Congratulations to the thousands of gay couples getting married in New York this week! We loved this series of beautiful portraits of the couples in the New York Times. But it's important to remember that gay couples in most states are still not allowed to marry, and that clergy continue to be condemned when they perform same-sex marriages. Jimmy Creech was an early crusader for the rights of same-sex couples and lost his credentials in the Methodist Church over the issue. He recounts this story in his recent book Adam's Gift. In this interview with Gay.com, he explains that the Bible does not condem homosexuality. People had no understanding of sexual orientation at the time the Bible was written, he says, and the book condemns specific acts that might apply to heterosexuals as well. Creech is optimistic about the future of gay marriage, saying, "mainline Christian communities will fully embrace the LGBT community with equal standing and participation in the near future. Christian communities actually have come a long way toward this goal in a relatively short time." Creech adds that we all have a responsibility to fight bigotry: "those of us who are straight must challenge anti-gay bigotry and malice whenever we encounter it and challenge elected officials who perpetuate persecution. An unjust world belongs to all of us, and all of us have an obligation to end the injustice."