AS APPEARED IN THE NY DAILY NEWS, MARCH 30 2004

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 29

LENGTH: 302 words

HEADLINE: CONDEMN GAY NUPS Clergy bring 'biblical view' to City Hall rally

BYLINE: By MICHAEL SAUL DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

BODY:

   Hundreds of clergy from across New York gathered yesterday at City Hall to denounce same-sex marriage.

   "We stand united to affirm the biblical view of marriage - held since the beginning of civilization - that marriage is only between a man and a woman," said Joseph Mattera, director of City Covenant Coalition, a network of ministers in the New York area.

   Organizers of the event said the clergy who attended represent thousands of churches across the New York region. Later in the day, hundreds more gathered for a prayer rally next to City Hall Park.

   The Rev. Michel Faulkner, senior pastor of Central Baptist Church on the upper West Side, said gay marriage is not a civil rights issue.

   "This is about a choice that people make concerning their lifestyle," he said. "You cannot even begin to put that on the same level with how a person is born and the racial discrimination that took place among African-Americans in this country."

   Faulkner said it makes no difference whether gay people are born with their sexual orientation or develop it later.

   "Whether they choose to be gay or not, the act itself is what we define as a sin," he said.

   Mattera said the religious leaders' message should not be misconstrued as bigotry or hate. "I don't know if there's anybody who can love a homosexual more than me," he said.

   Two openly gay elected officials who favor same-sex marriage said the demonstrators were misguided.

   "These religious leaders are just, unfortunately, acting out of ignorance," said Councilwoman Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), adding that she does not understand how a same-sex couple is hurting anyone by getting married.

   Councilman Philip Reed (D-Manhattan) called the pastors' remarks "shortsighted."

   "You can read the Bible in so many ways," Reed said. "I don't need them to feel sorry for me. Trust me."

GRAPHIC: BRYAN SMITH TAKING STEPS AGAINST ISSUE Religious leaders from across New York State gather in front of City Hall yesterday to denounce same-sex marriage. One clergyman said it is wrong to characterize gay marriage as a civil rights issue.