<p>Yesterday was the first Sunday since the June 26th Supreme Court ruling affirming that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right. Similar to the tight 5-4 Court decision, religious sects and congregations find themselves split down the middle. ;</p>
<p>Many conservative churches are appalled by the Court&rsquo;s decision. Southern Baptists struggle with their new status as a &ldquo;moral minority&rdquo; when it comes to marriage. ;</p>
<p>Despite his church&rsquo;s stance on the subject, Rev. Robert Jefress of First Baptist Dallas is staying positive. &ldquo;This is a great opportunity for our church to share the truth and love of Jesus Christ and we are going to do it.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Others individuals aren&rsquo;t so forgiving. &ldquo;Is there such a thing as morality anymore?&rdquo; asks Roy More, Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. ;</p>
<p>US Supreme Court dissenters Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, and Antonin Scalia worry what the ruling might mean for faith-based charities, hospitals, and schools that hire and fire employees based on their religious beliefs. ;</p>
<p>On the other side of this rainbow-bedecked fence is a country full of celebration. &ldquo;In one decision we&rsquo;ve swiftly moved people from being second-class citizens to first-class,&rdquo; says Rev. Neil Cazares-Thomas of the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, one of many liberal churches across the nation who came together yesterday to celebrate. ;</p>
<p>Evangelical Protestants are split almost evenly. While some celebrate &ldquo;a major step towards justice and equality,&rdquo; others see the Court&rsquo;s decision as an example of &ldquo;depravity&rdquo; and &ldquo;degradation.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>According to a recent survey, just over 50% of Evangelical Protestants oppose gay marriage. That stat is slowly changing, however, thanks to young Protestants with gay friends who don&rsquo;t see gay marriage as central to their religion.</p>
<p>Rev. Donald Jenkins of St. Paul United Methodist Church in North Carolina finds himself dealing with a split congregation. His refreshingly level-headed opinion: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just something that we&rsquo;re going to have to look into, figure out as we go along, how we&rsquo;re going to deal with it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Catholic story is a little more complicated. With over 50% of Roman Catholics in support of gay marriage, leaders struggle to keep followers faithful while US Bishops seek legal protection for individuals who oppose same-sex marriage.</p>
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