Same-sex marriage spat of biblical proportions

DES MOINES -- A holy war of words broke out Wednesday between religious leaders on opposing sides of Iowa's volatile same-sex marriage dispute.

It began when Chuck Hurley, president of the Iowa Family Policy Center, issued a statement of clarification for referring to members of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund who signed a petition last February in support of what he called “state sanctioned sodomy” as “pseudo pastors.”

The clarification apparently was triggered by a request from One Iowa -- the state's largest advocacy group on gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual issues -- that he retract the reference he made during a Tuesday press conference where more than 800 Iowa pastors and ministered discussed a petition they signed “in support of real marriage,” according to Hurley's statement.

The IFPC leader said Wednesday he was revising his statement to be clear that he viewed the more than 160 Iowa clergy members who sent a letter to state lawmakers supporting civil marriage equality for same-sex couples and opposing efforts to undo it “not only (as) wolves in sheep's clothing, but they are blind leaders of the blind.”

“They are the men and women who replace sound doctrine with hollow words that appeal to the itching ears of those who listen (II Timothy 4:3-4.) They are whitewashed tombs attempting to repackage sin so that it is socially acceptable, but delivering a message that leads to death (Matthew 23:27-28.) They are sacrificing the eternal souls of those who follow them by seeking the approval of men rather than the approval of God (John 12:43-48.),” Hurley said in his clarifying statement.

“Let there be no confusion, the people who signed the Interfaith Alliance petition are defying the Word of God. They are confused at best and blatantly evil at worst,” he added.

Rev. Matt Mardis-LeCroy, minister at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines and a signor of the Interfaith Alliance letter, called Hurley's statement “strong stuff” and “a sign of desperation” that suggests he has “disqualified himself from being taken seriously by people of good will.”

Mardis-LeCroy said his alliance wants Iowans to “live and let live” while the Iowa Family Policy Center wants to impose its perspective and morality on the entire state. He referenced a point Jesus made in calling for removing a log from one's own eye before pointing out the speck in a neighbor's eye.

“The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa believes religion can be a positive and healing force in the public square, but not when it's abused in this way, only when it fosters a respectful and civil discourse, and this most certainly does not fall under that category,” he said.

“I think that when somebody stoops to that kind of ad hominem attack, it suggests a lack of confidence on his part,” Mardis-LeCroy added. “No matter how much invective Mr. Hurley and the Iowa Family Policy Center want to hurl, the fact of the matter is what we've established in the state of Iowa is there is more than one religious perspective on marriage equality.”

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