When a religious tradition cannot fulfill the spiritual needs of its members, they are excluded from the community. As marriage is a spiritual need, people who cannot marry under the Religious Society of Friends may be forced to meet their needs elsewhere. Our community should empower people to be true to themselves and their leadings. If two people are led to make a lifelong commitment to each other, then to repress such an essential part of themselves goes against the testimony of truthfulness. Quakers have no expectations about what is necessary in a marriage, besides the existence of a powerful love.
Every marriage is unique.
In celebrating same-sex marriage we will enhance the already present diversity and strength of our Quaker community. These two issues have been a vessel of growth throughout the 1998-1999 year. Focusing our energy on the importance of community led us to the belief that it is imperative that our community be based on true unconditional love, trust, and acceptance. To a great extent, a remembering, of that which we should never, have been conscious of, certainly not in our waking hours.