The pastor at the United Christian Church in Austin endorsed Practice What You Preach, a mainstream group opposed to the proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage in Texas. Practice What You Preach (
http://www.PracticeWhatYouPreach.org) believes that the Texas Legislature is lying to the people when it says that banning same-sex marriage would do anything at all to the crisis in marriage, which faces the twin epidemics of divorce and domestic violence.
Contact: Jason Stanford (512-457-1909)
Date: Friday, January 7, 2005
Web: www.PracticeWhatYouPreach.org
PASTOR ENDORSES PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
"A constitutional amendment requiring patience, diligence and hard work in marriage is not very likely to pass"-Pastor Timothy Tutt
AUSTIN-Practice What You Preach, a group of mainstream Texans calling for a real values discussion about the clear and present dangers to marriage and opposing a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, today released the following statement by Tim Tutt, the pastor of the United Christian Church in Austin, TX:
"I clicked on my Internet news service today to see that movie stars Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston are parting ways after seven years of marriage. I don't know Ms. Anniston or Mr. Pitt. She was stylish and funny on `Friends,' and he was cute and charming in `Thelma and Louise.' They seem like nice people. I wish their marriage had worked out.
"I don't know if the average American is influenced by Hollywood marriages or if Hollywood reflects Main Street. Do Suzy Q. and Joe Doe in Peoria think it's okay to split because Brad and Jennifer did? Or does Brad and Jennifer's split mirror trends nationwide? It's probably a little of both. Either way, marriage is hard work. Beyond love, it requires patience, diligence, commitment, patience, humor and more patience.
"Sadly, we as a nation don't seem to have the patience to make marriage work in the long run. Some have said that gay marriage is a `threat' to heterosexual marriage. I think a greater threat to marriage is McDonald's. Not a quarter pounder and fries and not ole Ronald himself. The threat is the fast-food, have-it-now, instant-gratification kind of mentality that pervades our society.
"A constitutional amendment to prevent gay marriage will have some unintended consequences. It will prevent gay people from making the same ill-informed, impatient, too-quick marital decisions that straight people do. Unfortunately, a constitutional amendment requiring patience, diligence and hard work in marriage is not very likely to pass. "
ABOUT TIM TUTT:
Tim Tutt is the pastor of the United Christian Church in Austin, Texas.
CONTACT:
Timothy B. Tutt
Pastor, United Christian Church
3500 West Parmer Lane
Austin, Texas 78727
http://www.uccaustin.org
tim@uccaustin.org