The service was one of many events this fall supporting Proposition 8, which would create a state constitutional amendment to take away the right of gay and lesbian couples to get married in California. Christian conservatives have come to dominate the religious debate surrounding Prop. 8 - even though the Bible's statements on homosexuality are complex and disputed among Christians.

Catholics, Mormons and evangelicals have been contributing millions of dollars and flying into the state from around the nation to lead rallies and services that preach support for the measure.

There's a reason for the intensity.

"As California goes, so goes the nation," said Sarmiento, the Orlando preacher, encouraging worshipers to attend a rally referred to as TheCall California in San Diego on Nov. 1 that is expected to draw 100,000.

Liberal groups representing Christians, Jews and others are trying to defeat the measure. But their efforts have been far more modest, even though priests and rabbis in the Bay Area have played a pivotal role in creating and cultivating a theology that includes lesbians and gays as equals to heterosexuals.

Conservatives and liberals generally use dramatically different lenses to interpret the Bible. Christian conservatives tend to emphasize an interpretation of the Bible that doesn't change with the times. They say the Bible describes marriage as only between a man and a woman.

"You've got the California Supreme Court rewriting sacred heritage," said Steve Madsen, pastor of Cornerstone Fellowship, an evangelical megachurch in Livermore.

Liberal Christians tend to emphasize that divine revelation can come from many places, even outside the church. For example, many denominations don't allow same-sex marriages, while California law does.

"Culture is going to manifest Christ in a way that summons the church to new realities," said Episcopal Bishop Marc Andrus.

Different strategies

While conservatives act in concert and coordinate massive events, liberal Christians have tended to work in a more individualistic fashion.

St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in San Francisco is leading efforts to marshal opposition to Prop. 8 in the Diocese of California, which represents churches in six Bay Area counties. But thus far, the bulk of activism has consisted of individuals volunteering to work a phone bank, said the Rev. Tommy Dillon, the parish rector. An interfaith phone bank scheduled for Thursday is expected to draw 12 priests and possibly a rabbi.

"The Bible has been interpreted differently by different people throughout history," said Jack Pantaleo, 53, who is organizing the phone bank at St. Aidan's. "What's significant, though, is when any faith community crosses the line between living the faith and dumping their faith on others."

Fragmented activism also has been the experience at St. Francis Lutheran Church in San Francisco, which chose lesbian priests to lead it two decades ago and sacrificed membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for its stand. Out-of-state help

The lack of coordination among liberal Christians contrasts with the help conservatives get from afar, said the Rev. Dawn Roginski, pastor of parish programs at St. Francis Lutheran.

"It seems that the conservative folks have people coming in from other parts of the country," she said. "They're getting a lot of outside help on how to do organizing, for example. I don't think we're getting that in the same way."

Indeed, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been making calls to believers to support Prop. 8, including a recent video broadcast from Salt Lake City to churches a week ago. Individual Mormons now account for at least 40 percent of donors supporting the ballot measure, accounting for at least $9 million. The Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus and the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family are two other out-of-state conservative Christian groups contributing to the campaign. Invoking doctrine

"We know that it is not without controversy, yet let me be clear that at the heart of this issue is the central doctrine of eternal marriage and its place in our Father's plan," Mormon Elder M. Russell Ballard said last week.

Some Prop. 8 opponents belong to conservative denominations. They fear religious coalitions could be a threat to minority religions.

"Imposition of religious doctrine was against the founding principles of this nation," said Julius Nam, a professor of religious studies at the Seventh-day Adventist-run Loma Linda University.

Nam's views are unlikely to appear in any ads, though, as the official campaign against the proposition has largely stayed away from religious points. Sensitive issues

But Prop. 8 supporters have been actively courting religious voters. Television ads supporting the ballot measure speak of defending the rights of churches and explicitly touch on issues important to conservative Christian voters. For example, the Yes on Prop. 8 campaign claims that public schoolchildren will be "indoctrinated" about same-sex marriages without parental consent.

Bill May, who is leading the Catholics for 8 campaign, said the schools issue has galvanized Catholic parents and grandparents. He also insisted that support wasn't a religious campaign.

"Everybody knows it's best for children to have their own mothers and fathers," he said. "People can know the truth of marriage just from reason alone."

The state Department of Education disagrees with the Yes on 8 campaign's assertions about the educational code. "It wouldn't change anything that's taught in the classroom," said Cathy McBride, legislative representative for the department. Turning to the Bible

These are four passages often cited to explain why many interpret the Bible as condemning homosexual acts. The following is a brief description of the two main views, though more exhaustive discussions can be found elsewhere. Verses are from the New International Version.

Book, chapter: verse(s) - Passages are surrounded by quotes. Paraphrases are not.

Position: All homosexual acts are sinful.Position: Sexual orientation is part of God's intended diversity.Genesis 19:4-6 - The men of the city of Sodom come to Lot's door, demanding to have sex with his male guests. Lot begs them to have sex with his daughters instead. God's destruction of Sodom was premised on this attempt to have homosexual sex. The men sought rape, not consensual sex. That God saved Lot, who offered his daughters, muddies the ethical point. Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."The injunction against homosexuality is timeless law, though Jesus changed penalties for sin. Times have changed, and the verses applied to those times only. The chapter also mandates death for adulterers.Romans 1:27 - "... the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."A clear condemnation of homosexuality. St. Paul criticizes a range of behaviors.1 Corinthians 6:9 - "... Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders ..."Another clear condemnation of homosexuality.It's not clear that the original Greek text refers to homosexuality.

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