An issue of age and gender

The moral must always take precedence over the financial or our

morals are for sale.

We must also remember that we do not live in a pure democracy

where laws are enacted by the direct vote of the people. We live

under a representative government where it is our duty to elect

people of moral stature that will not cast their votes according to

the direction of a political wind. America will only stand up to the

expectations of our founders if our representatives are willing to

take tough stands because those stands are just -- not because it has

powerful financial backers.

The school district is in trouble because it is the only school

district that took a stand on the issue. If other districts would

have stood up to the financial pressure, then maybe this could be a

real discussion -- a debate could be opened. Instead, they are being

threatened as bigots. It is sad that not one other school district in

this huge state, including our own, was willing to agree that

third-graders are not capable of deciding questions of sexuality.

RIC OLSEN

Associate pastor

Harbor Trinity Church

Costa Mesa

The relationship between body and identity is an agonizing one for

a number of human beings who believe they were born the opposite

gender.

While Judaism teaches about the possibility of surgical

rectification of this anomaly, these insights are not applicable to

the situation posed by the question concerning the school board. A

trustee is expected to uphold the law and to act for the good and

welfare of the maximum number of children under his charge. To pit

one’s religious views against state law in the matter of whether a

person has the right to define himself, and to jeopardize the welfare

of the student population, which will suffer because of that

conflict, is to deny the fundamental premise that we are a society of

laws, not men.

Through its elected representatives, the state has formulated a

law that that demands adherence. Flouting the law is the wrong

message to send to our children. Claiming that one’s religious

scruples trump the rule of law undermines democracy. School board

members enter upon their office to implement the will of the people,

not to impose their sectarian understanding of the mysteries of

creation.

I accept the validity of a school board member’s right to

determine who is male and who is female in God’s sight as much as I

affirm the right of a theologian to set fourth-grade curriculum.

RABBI MARK MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

For religiously committed people, motivations and principles/

values are primary. We prayerfully ponder truths such as, “God’s ways

are not necessarily our ways” (Isaiah 55:8b) and “The ways of the

Lord are right” (Hosea 14:9c).

Those convinced that certain principles are “God’s way” and not

merely our own prejudices bear consequences; we must never be

self-righteous and always be aware that we might be wrong. Good moral

theology and Christian ethics are pragmatic and practical; our

challenge is to make what we believe to be “God’s ways” work

effectively in our communities and society.

People of faith offer values like love over hate, inclusion over

exclusion, cooperation over competition in a culture that measures

success by achievement of social status and financial security rather

than in accomplishments of good service with one another. We say to

others, “These are our primary principles. What do you value above

all?”

Making principles primary has added significance for people of

faith elected as public officials. In campaigns, they must express

their motivations and values clearly and honestly so that the

electorate will know what to expect from them as representatives.

Once elected, their primary accountability is to those who elected

them and who they represent, people who may well have principles very

different from their own.

They must never discriminate between God’s children, who are all

equal, of course. They must be responsible to others,

programmatically and financially, in fulfilling the duties of their

office.

THE VERY REV. CANON

PETER D. HAYNES

St. Michael & All Angels

Episcopal Church

Corona del Mar