Whether same sex marriage is OK is a a major issue dividing conservative and progressive United Methodists. Many Episcopalian churches typically are on ‘the cutting edge’ of cultural warfare issues. Both of these denominations are losing members year after year in the U.S. while their numbers increase in other parts of the world which do not support same sex marriage.
Another cultural warfare issue is possible sharia/ Muslim influence on U.S. legal institutions.  Moore has made many controversial statements, i.e. that the influence of sharia law is growing in the U.S. and that Ellison  should not serve in Congress related to donations he has received and comments that he has made.
“Under ordinary circumstances, we clergy refrain from speaking directly about political candidates, and only speak to issues. But these are not ordinary circumstances.
We clergy write and sign this letter not as representatives of our own congregations but as individual faith leaders compelled by conscience to speak.
Our intent is not to tell anyone how to vote, but to urge the people of Alabama to vote their conscience, regardless of political affiliation. Roy Moore has done harm to our government; he has done harm to our Christian witness, and he has done harm to vulnerable people.
We do not make this statement lightly. We do so with much prayer and discernment. We believe no follower of Jesus Christ should be silent while the words of our Lord and Savior are perverted for partisan power, while our Bible is appropriated as a weapon for a false “culture war,” and while the name of our God is blasphemed by the hypocrisy of those who claim the name of Christ
Signed,
Dr. Dave Barnhart, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev Angie Wright, United Church of Christ, Birmingham
Rev. Matt Lacey, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Jennifer Sanders, United Church of Christ, Birmingham
Rev. Ramone R. Billingsley, Baptist, Birmingham
Rev. Cat Goodrich, Presbyterian Church (USA), Birmingham
Minister Cara McClure, Non Denominational, Birmingham
Rev. Jaime Pangman, United Methodist, Cullman
Rev. Eva R. Melton, Baptist, Birmingham
The Rev Tyler C Richards, Episcopalian, Birmingham
Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed, Baptist, Northport
Rev. Sally G. Harris, Lutheran ( ELCA), Bessemer
Rev. Wayne McLaughlin, Presbyterian, Homewood
Rev. Matt Reed, United Methodist, Northport
Rev. Emily Freeman Penfield, United Methodist, Birmingham
The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, Deacon, Episcopal Church, Birmingham
Pastor Adam Mixon, Baptist, Birmingham
Rev. Eric Hall, Baptist, Birmingham
Rev. Carolyn Foster, Episcopal, Birmingham
Rev. Raul Dominguez, United Methodist, Cullman
Rev. R.G. Wilson-Lyons, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Dr. R. Lawton Higgs Sr., United Methodist, Hueytown
Rev. E. Tramaine Solomon, Baptist, Lineville
Rev Steven W. Barber, United Methodist, Haleyville
Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, United Church of Christ, Birmingham
Rev. Sonya Gravlee, United Church of Christ, Trussville
Rev. Daniel Stallings, Baptist, Montevallo
Rev. Malcolm Marler, Episcopal, Birmingham
The Reverend Pamela A. Canzater, United Church of Christ, Birmingham
Rev. Horace Blount, United Methodist, Birmingham
Bishop Antwon B. Womack, Non-Demonational, Birmingham
Rev. Charles Perry, Unity, Birmingham
Rev. Dollie Howell Pankey, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Birmingham
Joe Elmore, United Methodist, Vestavia Hills
Rev Bud Precise, United Methodist/United Church of Christ, Birmingham
Herb Williamson, United Methodist, Bagley
The Rev. Louie Skipper, Episcopal Church, Hoover
Dr. Everett B. Kelley, Baptist, Lincoln
Dr. Kevin Higgs, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, United Methodist, Birmingham
The Rev. Tom Duley, United Methodist, Vestavia Hills
John Gregory, Chaplain, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Leeds
Pastor Marcus Singleton, United Methodist Church, Huntsville
Rev. Katy Smith, Episcopal Church, Birmingham
Rev. Tommy Morgan, Christian Church (DOC), Alabaster
Rev. Joe Genau, Presbyterian Church (USA), Homewood
Ava Rozelle, Associate Pastor, United Methodist, Pell City
The Reverend Lawrence Willson, PhD, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Thomas Osborne, Episcopal, Florence
Rev. Elizabeth Cole Goodrich, Presbyterian, Birmingham
The Rev. Mikah Hudson, United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Baxter Chism United Methodist, Pinson
Carolyn Garner, Christian, Philadelphia
Rev. Deborah Gibson, Epley United Methodist, Birmingham
Rev. Lydia Casey, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Birmingham
Rev. Dale Capron, United Methodist, Gurley
Rev. J. Shannon Webster, Presbyterian, Birmingham
Shelaine Bird, Presbyterian (USA), Mountain Brook
Rev. Cathy C. Hoop, Presbyterian Church (USA), Tuscaloosa
Rev. Doreen McGoldrick Duley, United Methodist, Vestavia
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, Pastor, Greenleaf Christian Church; President & Sr. Lecturer, Repairers of the Breach; National Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival
Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Co-Director, the Kairos Center for Religion, Rights, and Social Justice; National Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival
__________________
Comments:  About cultural warfare issues:  Why not call a spade a spade.  Let’s ask that these 50  progressive pastors — and others who oppose Moore based on these issues – state up front where they stand on cultural warfare issues. One of the hot issues of the 2016 elections was amnesty versus control of U.S. borders.
For progressive pastors, does the Biblical ‘care for the stranger’ standard translate into support for ‘open borders’ and sanctuary protection for all those who somehow can get in?
Instead of support for open borders, why not do what America can so people elsewhere have the freedoms that are available here.   Cameron Jackson
Donate your salary? Where Trump donates his salary?
