CHRISTIANS RALLY OUTSIDE CITY HALL AGAINST GAY RITES

Hundreds of members of Christian churches from the New York metropolitan area gathered yesterday at City Hall to rally against what their leaders say is a growing assault on traditional marriage.

Some even said "I do" - again.

The rally, which included members of Chinese and Latino congregations, was held partly as a show of strength by Christian pastors who strongly oppose same-sex marriage and who say they can mobilize ten of thousands of voters in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

"This city has never seen such a diverse coalition of clergy speaking with one voice," said the Reverend Joseph Mattera, director of the City Covenant Coalition, a network of churches and ministers that organized yesterday's event. "We will no longer be used as pawns. If you don't represent our values, you will not get our vote."

He said the rally was not "anti-gay" but rather a defense of marriage against the "radical agenda" of some liberals, public officials, and judges who support same-sex marriage.

"Just as counterfeiting money will threaten our economy, counterfeiting marriage will cheapen, weaken, and detach the fundamental building block of society," he said.

Rev. Mattera said the coalition was forming a political action group led by bishops, pastors, and others. He vowed to fight against "redefining marriages or watering down [marriage] with domestic partnerships."

The event was a broad follow-up to a similar event held in March at City Hall during which the coalition called for protecting "biblical" marriage, defined as the union between a man and a woman.

Yesterday, a much larger crowd stood for hours at a stage set up on Broadway to pray, cheer, and listen to revival-style music. Dozens of married couples also came to renew their vows on a day dubbed "Traditional Marriage Renewal Sunday."

"We need to stand up and voice our opinion," said Pastor Stephen Ma of the Staten Island Chinese Christian Church, as he stood in the crowd with 60 members of his congregation. "We must not keep silent about sin."

Jana Giagliardi of Sunset Park said gay marriage "defiles what God set forth" and would lead to a broader moral breakdown in society.

Passersby seemed divided on what to make of the event.

"I think it's a good idea. You're always hearing about the left having a rally. Why not let the right have a rally?" said Larry Kaplan, who was visiting Manhattan from New Jersey. He said he opposed same-sex marriages because "the next thing you know they'll be adopting children, and that's the worst thing."

A woman who had paused to listen to the upbeat-sounding songs was disappointed to learn what the rally was about.

"That just took all the enjoyment out of it for me," she said.

Meanwhile, Rev. Mattera urged the crowd to protect marriage by resisting adultery and divorce, and the gathered clergy to provide premarital counseling to their congregations.

He also repeated his call for political activism, saying that the Constitution does not provide for separation of church and state.

"The church is out of the closet with regard to society," he said. "Our focus will also be on earth."