They back a proposed amendment that bans same-sex marriage.

Florida Times-Union -- November 15, 2005
by Jeff Brumley

Ocala -- It started a year ago in Jacksonville with Baptists voting to
launch a campaign promoting a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Florida.

One year later, with the Florida Baptist Convention meeting in Ocala,
some proponents are worried that two disastrous hurricane seasons,
voter apathy and a looming deadline may keep the measure off ballots in November 2006.

"It's crunch time and I think it's very much in doubt that it's going
to get on the ballot," said Charles Smith Sr., executive editor of the
Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly newspaper of the Jacksonville-based Florida Baptist Convention.

Other supporters aren't ready to sound the alarm -- at least not yet -- even though barely more than 100,000 signatures have been certified of the 611,000 needed by Feb. 1.
Even with less than three months to collect and certify about 500,000
signatures, some remain fairly confident the goal will be met.

"If we were at Jan. 15 -- and we were where we're at today -- then
yeah, I'd be concerned," said William Bunkley, the convention's governmental and legislative consultant.

A spokesman for a state gay-rights organization, meanwhile, said by
telephone from Tampa that the sluggish progress may be due in part to growing concern among Floridians that the amendment is too broad in what it would ban. Brian Winfield of Equality Florida said domestic partnership benefits enjoyed by some gay and straight couples would be lost if the amendment passes.

The amendment originated in Jacksonville last November when Baptists voted at their convention to launch a campaign to protect the biblical definition of marriage. Since then, a coalition of religious groups has been formed to circulate petitions.

Today Baptist delegates, known in Baptist parlance as messengers, are expected to vote to reaffirm their support for the amendment and create a plan to increase participation in amendment petition drives in the critical weeks ahead.

Bunkley said the gathering is an ideal place to gently remind churches to begin or re-energize petition campaigns. In some of the 19 states where such amendments already have been adopted, most signatures were collected in the final weeks of campaign drives, Bunkley said.

"The second week of January, that's when I think it will be a good time to really take the gauge," Bunkley said. "That's the first real gut check."

However, Bunkley told the Florida Baptist Witness he is disappointed the Florida Supreme Court has yet to schedule oral arguments to determine if the amendment's language meets constitutional standards.

Smith told the Times-Union he isn't panicking but is concerned that people and churches that support a traditional definition of marriage may be unaware just how serious the situation is.

Some churches have been focused on more pressing issues, like recovering from hurricanes or providing disaster relief, Smith said.

Still, "A lot of the voters need a wake-up call," Smith said.

But Winfield said voters are waking up and are growing concerned that civil union and domestic partner benefits some university and municipal employees enjoy.

The amendment states: "Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent shall be valid or recognized."

"They see this petition and this amendment as preventing any form of protection whatsoever," Winfield said.

The Rev. Scott Yirka, pastor at Hibernia Baptist Church in Fleming Island and a messenger at the convention in Ocala, said he's not worried about challenges the amendment faces.

"I believe Christian people will do what's right and I believe there's the right number of Christian people in Florida" to support the amendment, Yirka said. "I'm not concerned or panicking."

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/111505/met_20300695.shtml