FAITH
Friday, May 1, 2015
East Oregonian
AP Poll: Nuanced views on gay marriage
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Most
Americans think the govern-
ment should protect religious
liberties over gay rights when
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new Associated Press-GfK
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most businesses should be
allowed to turn away gay
couples because of religious
beliefs.
The survey uncovered
nuanced views on gay
rights as the Supreme Court
considers, in a case heard this
week, whether the Constitu-
tion gives same-sex couples
the right to marry.
Americans are more
likely to say that religious
liberties are more important
for the government to protect
than the rights of gays and
lesbians, by a 56 percent to
40 percent margin, the poll
found. Just a quarter of Amer-
icans call gay rights a very or
extremely important issue to
them personally, while half
call religious liberties a very
or extremely important issue.
But fewer Americans —
just 40 percent — think most
business owners should be
allowed to refuse service to
gays and lesbians on religious
grounds.
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political fallout over Indi-
ana’s Religious Freedom
Restoration Act, which critics
charged was intended to
allow businesses discriminate
against gays and lesbians.
With public opinion
apparently split, it’s an open
question how gay rights will
play in the 2016 campaign.
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez,
president of the National
Hispanic Leadership Confer-
ence, said Republicans
would be wise to make
religious freedom a central
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
Opponents of same-sex marriage hold a rally at the
Utah State Capitol Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
issue because the broad
debate highlights intolerance
against Christians. “Religious
freedom will emerge as a
centerpiece, and Democrats
will have an impossible time
defending against it,” said
Rodriguez, whose organiza-
tion aligns with conservative
Republicans on this issue.
Others think the issue
could be perilous for the GOP.
“Religious liberty works well
with religious people, which
is the GOP’s base, but the
argument is easily turned on
its head when the issue is
discrimination against gay
people,” said veteran Repub-
lican strategist John Feehery.
“I think the GOP is better
off talking about economic
security and national security,
while leaving this particular
issue to the courts to decide.”
Although only a minority
of poll respondents thought
businesses generally should
be able to discriminate
against gays or lesbians,
support was stronger for
letting
wedding-related
businesses in particular
refuse service to same-sex
couples — 52 percent said so.
That was down slightly since
the beginning of February,
when 57 percent said so in an
earlier AP-GfK poll.
The new poll found a
distinct split between Repub-
licans and Democrats on
the issue. Most Democrats
opposed any such discrim-
ination by businesses; most
Republicans thought busi-
nesses should have the right
to refuse service, whether
generally or for wedding
matters.
On marriage, just under
half of Americans want it to
HERMISTON — A fun
morning with the girls is
planned by the Hermiston
Church of the Nazarene.
Invite your grandmother,
mom, aunt, sister, niece,
friend or neighbor for a cup
of tea and some tasty food
and fellowship. The ladies
Spring Tea is Saturday, May
9 at 10:30 a.m. at 1520 W.
Orchard Ave. Tickets are $3
per person and are available
for purchase at the Women’s
Ministry Event table located
in the back of the church’s
worship center.
Guest speaker Dawn
Bissinger will share about
Morning Connections for
Adventurous Daily Living.
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priority, Bissinger said, leads
to extraordinary adventures
with God each day.
For more information,
visit www.facebook.com/
events/1566447296952558
or call 541-567-3677.
First Friday
features kids’ fun
HEPPNER — A time of
Bible stories, music, crafts,
games and lunch are featured
in the First Friday Friends of
Jesus.
Open to ages 4-14, the
event is Friday from 8
a.m. to noon at All Saints
Episcopal Church, 460 N.
Gale St., Heppner. Children
are reminded to bring coins
to conclude the fundraiser for
Heifer International.
For more information, call
541-676-9970.
Ancient Biblical
practice goes digital
for Mormons
SALT LAKE CITY
(AP) — Mormons will now
be able to pay their tithing
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to the Biblical practice started
by Abraham.
The Deseret News reports
that the leaders of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints announced Wednesday
that members can now use
a digital system to donate a
portion of their income and to
help fund missionaries.
Mormons give 10 percent
of their income to the
church, following a Biblical
precedent set by Abraham in
Genesis.
Currently, most members
give their tithing to volunteer
leaders who deposit it in
church accounts. Each year,
Mormons must declare
whether they consider
themselves full tithepayers
-- a status that is essential for
active members to worship in
the faith’s temples.
The new system will
become available in U.S.
congregations this year.
Mormon apostle
hospitalized, now
recuperating
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)
— Mormon apostle Richard
G. Scott is recuperating at
home after being hospitalized
since Thursday for
gastrointestinal bleeding.
The Salt Lake Tribune
reports his illness kept the
86-year-old from speaking
at the Mormon church’s
General Conference.
The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints
also put out a news release
announcing that its oldest
apostle, 92-year-old L. Tom
Perry, is continuing to receive
medical care at home after he
was diagnosed with thyroid
cancer.
Perry is the second-most
senior member of the
church’s high-level governing
body called the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles. Scott is
also a member of the quorum.
The average age of the
Quorum of the Twelve and
the church’s three governing
members is 80, the highest in
the Utah-based faith’s history.
Oregon pastor
convicted of child
molestation
PORTLAND (AP) — The
pastor of a small Oregon
church described as cult-like
by prosecutors has been
convicted of molesting
the daughter of a church
member in the 1990s. He was
immediately sentenced to 20
years in prison.
Michael George Sperou,
64, was found guilty
Thursday by a Portland jury
of three counts of unlawful
sexual penetration.
Sperou was investigated in
1997 after seven girls said he
had sexually molested them,
but prosecutors never brought
charges because of their
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Two years ago the
seven girls again brought
their complaints to police.
Prosecutors determined the
statute of limitations had
expired on complaints by all
but one of them.
Bill would take Alabama
out of marriage licenses
be legal for gay and lesbian
couples to wed in their states,
while just over a third are
opposed, according to the
poll.
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partisan divide over that issue,
too, but it could be a moot
point in the 2016 campaign
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same-sex marriage.
On the court case, 50
percent said the justices
should rule that gay marriage
must be legal nationwide; 48
percent said they should not.
Kelly Huston, a retired
autoworker from Newtown
Falls, Ohio, says he doesn’t
object to gay marriage, just as
he doesn’t object to a business
refusing to serve gay patrons.
“I think a business owner
should decide what they
want to do in their business,”
Huston said. “I’m not against
gays. I’m against the govern-
ment telling people how to
run their businesses.”
The issue could play
differently in some regions
than others. For example,
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of Southerners, but only 45
percent of Northeasterners or
Westerners, say wedding-re-
lated businesses should be
allowed to refuse service to
gay couples.
In New Hampshire,
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presidential primary election,
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warns prospective candidates
against a heavy focus on
religious freedom.
“For the average Repub-
lican presidential primary
voter in New Hampshire,
that’s not one of the top six
or seven issues,” said Steve
Duprey, New Hampshire’s
national Republican commit-
teeman. “I don’t think there’s
anybody who could win the
New Hampshire primary
running on religious liberty.”
Albritton said.
Lawyer Eric Johnston,
MONTGOMERY, Ala. who signed up to speak at
— A state senator who a public hearing that was
wants to take Alabama cancelled on the bill, said
out of the marriage license the change would prevent
judges
from
business says he’s not probate
targeting same-sex couples having to issue marriage
but trying to remove licenses that go against
government from the their religious beliefs if
gay marriage becomes
process.
The Senate Judiciary legal.
Albritton said his bill
Committee on Wednesday
approved a bill by Sen. is based off of Oklahoma
Greg Albritton, R-Range, legislation.
Alabama went through
that would do away with
current state marriage a turbulent period after a
licenses issued by probate federal judge in January
judges. Instead, couples struck down Alabama’s
would take a contract ban on same-sex marriage.
witnessed by a couple’s Most probate judges began
pastor, attorney or other issuing marriage licenses
witness and record the to gay couples, but others
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document at the court.
Albritton said he was directive from Alabama
not targeting same-sex Chief Justice Roy Moore
marriages, but was trying to continue to refuse the
to “bring order out of licenses.
The weddings halted in
chaos.” The legislation
comes after a legal dispute March when the Alabama
over gay marriage led Supreme Court directed
to some probate courts probate judges to not issue
shutting down in Alabama the marriage licenses to
and ahead of a highly same-sex couples.
Alabama’s only openly
anticipated U.S. Supreme
Court decision that could gay legislator said she
legalize same-sex marriage “actually liked” Albritton’s
idea.
nationwide.
“It sort of takes the
“When you invite the
state into those matters marriage decision out of
of personal or religious the probate court,” said
LPSRUW LW FUHDWHV GLI¿FXO- state Rep. Patricia Todd,
D-Birmingham. Todd is
ties,” Albritton said.
“Go back long, long ago also the director of the
in a galaxy far, far away. Human Rights Campaign
Early twentieth century, Alabama, an organization
if you go back and look that works for gay and
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However, Todd said
licenses for your grandpar-
ents or great grandparents, she scoffed at the notion
\RX ZRQ¶W ¿QG LW :KDW that the bill wasn’t about
\RX ZLOO ¿QG LQVWHDG LV gay couples or same-sex
where people have come marriage.
“Come on. Why did you
in and recorded when a
marriage has occurred,” do this now?” Todd said.
Associated Press
Church
BRIEFLY
Nazarene women
host spring tea
Page 7A
Directory
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
W
Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Worship Noon
Wednesday Evening Prayer
and Pot Luck 6:00 p.m.
p w i t h u s !
o r s h i
Adams Community
Churc h
Duane Geyer, Pastor
140 N. Main,
Adams, OR
566-9457
Worship
9 am
Grace Baptist Church
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 pm
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
All Are Welcome
Come meet Jesus at
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or Website for
More Information
Scripture, Tradition
and Reason
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
164 E. Main St. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
Gladys Ave & 7th Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
FIRST CHURCH OF GOD
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
P eace L utheran C hurch
Family service 9am Sunday
First Service @ 8:30am
Second Service @ 10:30am
712 SW 27th Pendleton
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Sunday Worship Service
10:00 AM
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 PM
210 NW 9th, Pendleton ELCA
-Presbyterian Church (USA)-
201 SW Dorion Ave.
Pendleton
Join us Sundays
9:30
Sunday
Worship
9:30 am am
Sunday
Worship
10:30 am Fellowship
11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Class
Service of Worship - 10:00 am
Children’s Sunday School - 10:20 am
Fellowship - 11:00 am
www.pendletonpresbyterian.com
~Come and be at Peace~
Open Hearted...Open Minded
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
Sunday Worship Services:
9 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
Sharon Miller, Pastor
( Oregon Trail Room )
401 Northgate • Pendleton
278-8082
www.faithpendleton.org
www.livingwordcc.com
Community
Presbyterian Churc h
Faith Center Church
Worshiping God • Loving People
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday School 9:30 am
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
Sr. Pastor, Ray O’Grady
pendletonfaithcenter.org
Worship: 10 AM Sunday
School at 11:30
3202 S.W. Nye Avenue, Pendleton, OR
541-276-7590
All People
Are Welcome
541-289-4535
Living Word
Christian Center
Red Lion Hotel
PENDLETON
BAPTIST CHURCH
Sunday Morning Worship
8:30 & 11:00 AM
Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM
Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM
Awana Kids Club
Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:00 PM
K - 6th Grade (Sept-May)
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 AM
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Seventh-Day
Adventist Churc h
Saturday Services
Pendleton
585 SW Birch, Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Wednesday Services:
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
Services
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
2809 S.W. Goodwin Ave. • Pendleton
541-276-3031
“The Unity of All
Mankind”
352 SE 2nd St., Pendleton, O R
Office 276-2616
New Pastor Dr. Jim Pierce
Childcare Available
Pendleton Baha’i Center at
1015 SE Court Place
Devotions Sundays @
11:00am; Everyone invited!
Choir practice
Sundays 8:30 AM
(541) 276-9360 visit us at
www.pendletonbahais.org
Worship Service 9:00 AM
Fellowship 10:15 AM
Broadcast KUMA 11:00 AM
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
GRACE
BAPTIST
CHURCH
BAHA’I FAITH
First United
Methodist Churc h
3HQGOHWRQ
)5((0(7+2',67&+85&+
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Mid-Week Children & Youth Weekly Adult Life Groups
6:WK6WZZZSHQGIPFRUJ
