The Mooring Mast: Marriage equality splits Pacific Lutheran

By Jack Sorensen, Focus Editor

As Monday?s news buzzed through the PLU student body, the national divisiveness that characterizes the issue similarly split the campus community.

Junior Nick Russ said he found Gregoire?s timing humorous, given Satorum was in the state, though he supported the new law. ?I think it should have been done sooner and I hope other Northwestern states will do the same,? Russ said. ?It should be national.?

But first-year Dillion George said he did not know Washington had even passed a gay marriage law. ?I don?t really pay attention to most of that stuff,? he said. He had clear opinions as soon as he found out.

?I?m pretty headstrong about it. To me it?s just something that?s just so obviously wrong that it?s not even a debate whether it?s okay or not it?s so out in the open,? George said.

For George and many other students, religion is pivotal in their opposition of gay marriage.

Two years ago the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, of which PLU is a member, announced it would recognize the long-term relationships of gay and lesbian Lutherans, PLU Pastor Dennis Sepper said. While the church referred to the relationships as ?unions,? stopping just short of the word ?marriage,? Sepper said the ELCA went so far as to develop public vow ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples wishing to ?publicly commit? their relationships.

But Sepper said he believes defining these unions as marriages is completely acceptable.

?For me, if it looks like a marriage, walks like a marriage, talks like a marriage ? it?s pretty much the same,? he said. Throughout his career in the church, Sepper said he has known many gay and lesbian couples who ?serve Christ and just happen to have that orientation.?

?Why wouldn?t we want them to find someone like the rest of us to spend their life with?? Sepper questioned.

Story compiled with the assistance of Photo Editor Emily Biggs.

Source: http://mooringmast.blogspot.com/2012/02/marriage-equality-splits-pacific.html

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