Minister In Congress Opposes Amendment To Ban Gay Marriage

Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), a United Methodist Minister in Kansas City, is the only member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is a practicing clergyman. Today's Charlotte Observer reports that Cleaver is strongly opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The House is expected to vote on the amendment this week. Cleaver says that government should not meddle in a religious sacrament, arguing: "Marriage is a spiritual issue. That's not for the Congress to dictate, no more than it's appropriate for Congress to dictate how much bread should be used in communion. Communion is a sacrament. Marriage is a sacrament. Why not just put all the sacraments in the Constitution?"