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New Clergy group denounces divisiveness.
A new group gounded by ministers and rabbis who feel drowned out by the religious right began a campaign on Tuesday to make sure other voices are heard in this year's elections.
We believe Ohio, comprised of more than 100 clergy, promised to promote issures that can unite rather than polarize.
"We believe people of faith are meant to build bridges, not construct barriers," said Rev. Tim Ahrens of the First Congregational church in Columbus. "We will not allow the voice of religion to be co-opted by intolerant values."
The movement's start took place at a rally inside the sancturary of the First AME Zion Church near downtown (Columbus). About 350 clergy and members of their congregations listed to speakers present an alternative to activism of conservative pastors aligned with the 2004 gay marriage ban that voters easily approved.
Instead, We Believe Ohio leaders want to take another direction, uniting on social issues upon which they agree, such as education, the economy and health care. The group's first goal is to turn out 80% of each congregation's registered voters to the poll's this year.
Leaders said We Believe Ohio was formed in response to political groups founded by the Revs. Rod Parsley of Columbus and Russel Johnson of Lancaster, who both strongly advocates the ban on gay marriages.
"Those who seek to separate people are not really doing what God intended, at least in my background," said Canton Jack Chomsky of Tifereth Israel in Columbus.
The 2006 campaign so far has spent too much time on the personalities of Republican candidates for govenor Jim Petro and Kennneth Blackwell, said Eric McFadden, the group's spokesmand.
"This group is more issue orientated and not candidate-orientated," McFadden said.
But Americans have long tackled divisive issues, provided that leads to the greater good, said Johnson, of the Fairfield Christian Church in Landcaster, on Monday.
"Slavery was a divisive issue in the 1860's. It dosen't mean we didn't need to deal with it., said Johnson who heads the Ohio restoration Project, a Christian conservative activist group that claims more than 1,700 churches.
A new group gounded by ministers and rabbis who feel drowned out by the religious right began a campaign on Tuesday to make sure other voices are heard in this year's elections.
We believe Ohio, comprised of more than 100 clergy, promised to promote issures that can unite rather than polarize.
"We believe people of faith are meant to build bridges, not construct barriers," said Rev. Tim Ahrens of the First Congregational church in Columbus. "We will not allow the voice of religion to be co-opted by intolerant values."
The movement's start took place at a rally inside the sancturary of the First AME Zion Church near downtown (Columbus). About 350 clergy and members of their congregations listed to speakers present an alternative to activism of conservative pastors aligned with the 2004 gay marriage ban that voters easily approved.
Instead, We Believe Ohio leaders want to take another direction, uniting on social issues upon which they agree, such as education, the economy and health care. The group's first goal is to turn out 80% of each congregation's registered voters to the poll's this year.
Leaders said We Believe Ohio was formed in response to political groups founded by the Revs. Rod Parsley of Columbus and Russel Johnson of Lancaster, who both strongly advocates the ban on gay marriages.
"Those who seek to separate people are not really doing what God intended, at least in my background," said Canton Jack Chomsky of Tifereth Israel in Columbus.
The 2006 campaign so far has spent too much time on the personalities of Republican candidates for govenor Jim Petro and Kennneth Blackwell, said Eric McFadden, the group's spokesmand.
"This group is more issue orientated and not candidate-orientated," McFadden said.
But Americans have long tackled divisive issues, provided that leads to the greater good, said Johnson, of the Fairfield Christian Church in Landcaster, on Monday.
"Slavery was a divisive issue in the 1860's. It dosen't mean we didn't need to deal with it., said Johnson who heads the Ohio restoration Project, a Christian conservative activist group that claims more than 1,700 churches.
