Religious leaders opposed to gay marriage in New York State would have a “better moral standing” in the raging debate over the issue had they spoken out against discrimination and other abuses gays suffered in years past, Gov. David A. Paterson said Tuesday.

The governor’s statements led to an immediate rebuke from leaders of various religious organizations statewide.

“That’s his right to take a position and say what he wants regarding religious leaders, but our position is not mandated by government. We take our direction from the word of God,” said the Rev. Robert L. Sanders Jr., an opponent of gay marriage who is pastor of Greater Refuge Temple of Christ, an influential black church in Buffalo.

Before an Albany crowd of about 2,000 gay and lesbian advocates of marriage-equality laws, the governor and other supporters lashed out at opponents of expanding marital laws as they stepped up efforts to have New York join several other states where gays can legally marry.

While Paterson urged the advocates to show “respect”’ to people who oppose gay marriage on religious grounds, he said many critics are suffering from he called a “five-letter word: guilt.”

“You see, the fact is that for years these same individuals — many of them, not all of them, but many of them—who pronounced religious doctrine did not exercise it when young gay and lesbian students were being bullied and chastised for expressing their points of view,” Paterson said to the cheering audience, which gave him two standing ovations during his brief appearance.

“Where were these leaders of faith when college students of gay and lesbian orientation were beaten and often brutalized for expressing their feelings to each other?” Paterson said.

Labels: culture, gay marriage, New York

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