Triump Of Faith By Rubens

A Singular Sensation

After an afternoon agreement on further expansion of the religious exemptions to the bill, the Assembly – which passed the bill this past week – passed the religious exemption amendments before the Senate even began debate on the bill shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Leading off the debate was Sen. Stephen Saland (R), one of the uncommitted Republicans on the bill, describing the amendments and concluding that ''As our parents told us, always to do the right thing. My intellectual and emotional journey has ended here.''

His ''yes'' vote, reported by Gannett News just before he announced it on the Senate floor, represented the heavily sought 32nd vote – the majority vote in the 62-member body.

Before today, only 31 senators had said they would vote yes, including two Republicans – Sens. Jim Alesi and Roy McDonald.

Later in the debate, a fourth Republican, Sen. Mark Grisanti, joined the other three in announcing that he would vote yes.

Speaking about his faith, he said, however, "I am not here as only a Catholic.'' Talking about the ''research'' he had done on the issue, he concluded, ''I cannot legally come up with an argument against same-sex marriage.''

In announcing his yes vote, Grisanti went on to say, ''I cannot deny a person, a human being, a worker ... the same rights I have with my wife.'' He added that he thought the strong religious exemptions approved in tonight's bill would not be passed in future bills if marriage equality was not approved in this session.

Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. (D) – the sole Democrat to oppose the bill – spoke against both the religious exemptions – which were amended into the bill on a 36-26 vote – and the bill itself.

Openly gay Sen. Thomas Duane (D), on the other hand, was the most outspoken supporter of the bill, talking about being bullied and attacked for his sexual orientation, living in a community ravaged by AIDS and fighting in the legislature.

''Civil rights and LGBT rights are part of what I am here to fight for,'' he said, talking about his partner, Louis, and their desire to marry. ''Marriage says that we are a family. Louis and I are a family.''

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), to whose desk the bill now goes for his signature, praised the decision in a statement, saying, ''New York has finally torn down the barrier that has prevented same-sex couples from exercising the freedom to marry and from receiving the fundamental protections that so many couples and families take for granted.

Burnside Writers Collective » Blog Archive » Art & Faith: Whose ...

Set the stage for a series of contemplations about art and faith. In the  first installment , I suggested there is a breeze blowing in the Christian world that may change the way we perceive our Christian identity. Postmodern angst and isolation have made the all-too-familiar prepackaged, sinner’s prayer approach to salvation seem hollow. The post-industrial soul cannot sustain on the “salvation in a can” perspective to our faith. Is it possible that a single moment really can touch upon the deepest parts of us in such a way as to rectify a lifetime of disappointment, rejection and confusion?

The isolated screamer in Munch’s portrayal hauntingly illustrates this tension, but as we discussed, there are the two figures on the left side of the canvas who are approaching. Likewise, there are people stepping forth in the twenty-first century who see a new or different way of doing faith.

As the growing post-Christian population indicates in the States and Europe, the time is coming to reconsider some fundamentals to our faith. Salvation is not merely a prayer but a community. A life in community that embraces us, shapes us, challenges us and makes us Christ bearers, works of art in our own right. But first we must ask some soul-searching questions. We must clean our respective houses before welcoming the world to dine with us.

Artist Peter Paul Rubens offers a proposal. In the midst of a religiously violent environment, he portrays one of the great biblical moments of conquest. David Slaying Goliath suggests a few questions to our time about our metaphorical battles. In the twenty-first century battles regarding hot-button topics of gender, sexual preference, evolution and abortion, it is necessary to pause and ask, “Whose cause are we fighting for?” David invoked the name of his God before slaying the mighty warrior. Whose banner do we raise?