Southern Baptists debate gay vs. civil rights

Southern Baptists debate gay vs. civil rights

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A day after electing their first African-American president, Southern Baptists are considering a resolution opposing the idea that gay rights are civil rights.

The resolution up for a vote today affirms Southern Baptists’ beliefs that marriage is “the exclusive union of one man and one woman” and that “all sexual behavior outside of marriage is sinful.”

It acknowledges that gays and lesbians sometimes experience “unique struggles” but declares that they lack the “distinguishing features of classes entitled to special protections.”

“It is regrettable that homosexual rights activists and those who are promoting the recognition of ‘same-sex marriage’ have misappropriated the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement,” the resolution states.