STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Opposition to this weekend's same sex commitment ceremony at Penn State was hand delivered to university officials and to the man who will preside over the ceremony itself - the mayor of State College.

Pastor Gary Dull of the Altoona Baptist Church said he is against the same-sex commitment ceremony because it doesn't follow the values laid out in the Bible. But, State College Mayor Bill Welch said the ceremony is not about the Bible, but about love and commitment.

Welch said, "To biblical liturgists, this commitment ceremony is probably like the Apocalypse, but to me it isn't."

He said that the majority of the feedback he's received for agreeing to oversee this Saturday's ceremony has been positive. But Dull submitted petitions to Welch in person with the signatures of nearly 6,000 people who are against the event.

Dull said, "I realize this isn't a marriage ceremony, but to a lot of people, this is a step in that direction and we don't agree with it."

Some of the couples participating in the ceremony said they understand if people disagree with what they're doing but they don't want to be disrespected.

Dull said he doesn't believe that he or his supporters have crossed that line.

"We believe that being homosexual is the wrong choice, and we believe that with great conviction. But we don't disrespect individuals. They're a part of this society just like we are," he said.

The commitment ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Hub at Penn State. A Family Values rally is scheduled at 2 p.m. at nearby Old Main.