Pastors often can have great influence in the lives of their congregations and their communities as a whole.
On Monday, more than a dozen clergy members stood in a chilly Springfield park to support expanding the city’s human rights ordinance. The contingent was just some of the 100 who had signed on to say protecting all Jacksonville people is important enough to take a stand.
More than a dozen others a month ago gathered at a Northside church to say they weren’t in favor of expanding the city law. And if any decision is to be made, it’s Jacksonville voters who should decide.
Discussions on the hot-button topic shift from community forums back to City Hall, much like they did in 2012 when an initial expansion push was defeated.
Two bills have been filed for expansion — one asking voters to decide, the other keeping the decision with elected officials.
“I hope that we can be extremely influential,” said the Rev. Torin Dailey of First Baptist Church of Oakland. “I just believe that as leaders in the faith community, it is important to us that we send that message loud and clear.”
Dailey was one of the 100 who signed in support of expanding the law. He served as a panelist during the second community conversation.
He said the issue is not about endorsing homosexuality but instead not treating people differently when disagreement arises.
Since making his stance public, Dailey said he’s had “zero pushback.”
All comments made to him have been “extremely positive” and others have taken his lead in making phone calls and sending emails to the mayor and City Council members in support — efforts he said will continue.
The Rev. Linda Girouex of Riverside United Church of Christ calls her congregation of about 50 as diverse as they come.
Young and old, all races and ethnicities, all sexual orientations and expressions.
They’ve shown up at City Council meetings to voice their support. The singular message from all faiths who have signed on in support is key, she said. That message of “showing love and respect to other people” when consistently repeated, she said, will have an impact on the decision-makers.
“Hopefully, it will click and they understand the basic thing we are all concerned about,” said Girouex.
However, not everyone in the religious community feels the same.
Before either of the two bills were filed last month, a group of pastors had a news conference of their own to express opposition to expanding the bill and calling for a referendum on the issue.
“I believe my role is to be on guard for anything that I think will hurt the fiber of our city,” said the Rev. Fred Newbill of First Timothy Baptist Church.
Newbill said his opposition is based on laws being made on preferences and expressions, which can be a “dangerous slope.” Protection laws, he said, already are on the books.
He said those against expanding the law are having their voices heard, too. Opponents are talking to City Council and petitions are being signed pre-emptively in the case the law passes.
If council and the mayor should pass the law, then “we are going to organize to repeal the law,” he said.
“We’re not just going to sit and do nothing,” said Newbill.
Despite the opposite stances, Newbill said he doesn’t think the issue is divisive among members of the religious community. But levels of support and opposition are growing leading up to three planned council meetings on the topic in February and March.
Rabbi Howard Tilman of the Jacksonville Jewish Center wasn’t here for the debate in 2012. He’s learned a lot since moving to Jacksonville more than a year ago and said he sees a potential big impact for religious leaders to have this time around.
He’s in support of expanding the law and said he “hasn’t been shy about sharing” that with the community. The Jewish faith and tradition, he said, has values that clearly support all people.
Religious leaders, he said, teach such values and set an example. That means at a certain point, the policy work will have to be pushed not by religious leaders but instead the community as a whole.
That doesn’t mean he will just sit back, though. He plans on making “at least a few calls.”
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