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Tucson religious leaders who oppose Arizona's marriage amendment spoke against it Tuesday, with many questioning why the measure is before voters again after it was defeated two years ago.

Rabbi Helen Cohn spoke of Jewish Scriptures in urging people to vote against Proposition 102, which would amend the Arizona Constitution to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

"It teaches us to be just and fair to everyone, regardless of social standing, race or any other characteristics," Cohn, spiritual leader of Congregation M'kor Hayim, said of the Old Testament. "It teaches us not to deny certain groups the rights that other groups enjoy."

The proposed amendment differs from the one defeated two years ago in that it would not limit unmarried couples' partner benefits by local governments.

The news conference Tuesday was held after Catholic Bishops Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson and Thomas J. Olmstead of Phoenix publicly urged church members to vote for the amendment as a way to uphold traditional marriage and prevent current laws from being overturned to allow gay marriage.

The amendment, said Kicanas in a previous Star interview, is "in alignment with our deeply held moral beliefs regarding marriage."

Diocese spokesman Fred Allison referred questions to Ron Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference. Johnson declined to comment on Tuesday's news conference.

The Roman Catholic Church has taken an active role in the issue, with the bishops directing Johnson, their lobbyist, to urge lawmakers to put the measure on the November ballot.

The Rev. Frank Bergen, a former Catholic priest now serving the Episcopal Church in parochial ministry, spoke both of the biblical teachings to be just, loving and humble, as well as the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of equality.

The state constitutional amendment proposed on the November ballot does not uphold those principles of love and justice, he said.

"Here we are in 2008 trying to keep civil liberties from being restricted," he said.

Cohn said endorsing the amendment based on religious beliefs blurs the line between religious life and secular life.

"Legislation based on one group's religious beliefs is completely contrary to all this country stands for," she said.

The Rev. Anna Bell, pastor of the Mosaic United Methodist Church, said Arizonans were "clear two years ago" in defeating a similar amendment. She said voters now are "ready for solutions to actual problems."

"Religious beliefs and values are important to many Arizonans, but no religion should be able to use government enforcement to mandate its beliefs for all of us," she said.

One member of Bell's congregation, Kelly Frieders, said she felt compelled to speak out because the amendment doesn't change anything. Arizona's gay and lesbian couples already can't marry, she said.

"To follow Jesus, I must stand up and say 'no' to an amendment that seeks to widen the gap between 'us' and 'them,' " said Frieders, a stay-at-home mother of triplets.

The Rev. John Fife, the retired pastor of Southside Presbyterian Church and former national moderator of the General Convention of the Presbyterian Church, said the proposition does nothing to support marriage or families.

He said the Arizona Legislature needs to focus instead on bringing in good jobs, living wages, well-funded public education and health care.