In a turnout that surprised even event organizers, more than 2,000 people representing dozens of local churches, temples, synagogues and mosques descended on the state Capitol yesterday to protest a bill that would establish civil unions between same-sex partners.

House Bill 444 passed the House earlier this month. The measure is in jeopardy of dying in the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee with potential swing vote Sen. Robert Bunda (D-22nd North Shore, Wahiawa) announcing that he would vote against it.

However, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha) has said she would consider recalling the bill from committee, with agreement from committee chairman state Sen. Brian Taniguchi D-10th (Manoa, McCully), to bring the bill to the full Senate.

Protesters said yesterday that they wanted to send Hanabusa and other legislators a clear cautionary message before any such decision is made.

"I think this is awesome," said former state Rep. Dennis Arakaki, who heads the Hawai'i Family Forum, a nonprofit group that opposes same-sex marriage, civil unions and other legal recognition of same-sex couples. The forum worked with a broad network of local churches to organize the demonstration.

"This just shows how concerned people are about this bill," he said.

Arakaki said that while the local community is generally tolerant of different lifestyles and beliefs, it has also shown a disdain for the sort of social upheaval he believes the bill represents.

He said that in light of all the impact studies required of the Hawaii Superferry, it doesn't make sense to "fast track" a measure that would have a much greater social effect on the state.

"Here, we're just opening the door to social upheaval without taking into consideration the ramifications," he said. "They'd have equal access and equal rights to programs and our education system. They might even force churches to lend out their facilities.

"I just think it's going to open up a Pandora's box of legal suits because that's what we're doing: We're giving them these rights and they'll have a cause to sue," he said. "We can accept the lifestyle, but we don't want to institutionalize it."

Demonstrators clad in bright red filled the first level of the Rotunda and spilled out across the surrounding lawns.

Some took up positions around the block, holding signs that read "No Civil Union," "Destroy the Core of 444," "We Sed No Already" and "Turn to Jesus or Burn in Hell."

Most packed tight around a stage set up in the middle of the Rotunda, where leaders from several different faiths exhorted listeners to call their legislators and submit testimony in opposition to the bill.

Just as the crowd itself presented a mosaic of disparate religious beliefs, so too did the various religious leaders at the microphone demonstrate a myriad of rhetorical approaches.

New Hope executive pastor and former state judge Elwin Ahu took a slippery slope approach, warning the crowd that passage of the bill would mean that children in public schools would "no longer be able to hold on to the values they are taught at home."

Deacon Walter Yoshimitsu, chancellor of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai'i, read a message from Bishop Larry Silva (who is in Rome) to state Sen. Bunda in which Silva called the bill "a travesty to the democratic process" that "ignores the will of the people."

Kuna Sepulveda, associate pastor of Word of Life Christian Center, worked the crowd with evangelical fire, and even reinterpreting the state motto, "Ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono" ("the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness") as "The life of the land is perpetuated in godly righteousness" — a phrase she exhorted the crowd to repeat.

Inside the Rotunda, volunteers manned tables equipped with the names and contact information of legislators, and testimony forms.

Outside, demonstrators shared stories, opinions and concerns with each other.

"This bill is an abomination," said Judy Franklin, an associate with the Ministry of Brother Nathan Paikai. "It opens the door for innocent children in foster care to be taken into homosexual families — that's one of my chief concerns."

Nathan Paikai said he does not condemn homosexuals, but he doesn't believe they should be able to enter into civil unions.

"I still have family that I pray will find the love of Jesus," he said. "But now they're trying to put their uncleanliness on me, and on my children, and on my children's children. If they want to sin on themselves, if they want to do wrong, then do it on themselves."

A steady stream of passing motorists honked in support of the protesters, although a few also expressed dissenting opinions.

There were a handful of counter-protesters around the periphery of the demonstration who represented their side in mostly quiet, unobtrusive terms.

John Zeuzheim, 40, of Hawai'i Kai stood near the corner of King and Punchbowl with a sign that read "Civil Unions = Yes" while a protester yelled warnings of hellfire and damnation at him.

"I felt it was important to be out here today because I believe every resident of the state of Hawai'i has a right to equal protections and equal rights under state law," said Zeuzheim, a self-described "military brat" who was raised in a Catholic family.

"I understand the church has its sanctity of matrimony, but I believe that should be held separate from the benefits given by the government for couples regardless of sexual orientation."

Zeuzheim said he believes there is a silent majority of residents who support civil unions.

"I'm hoping it's more approachable by the Legislature," he said. "I hope they realize that there is separation between church and state, and that we aren't asking for special rights, just equal rights."

Pastor David Katina of Great Life church in Waipahu, said he joined the protest to make a stand for the next generation.

"I think they will encounter mixed messages as far as how to produce children and they'll be robbed of the opportunity to have a father and a mother," he said.

Jeff Epenesa, 33, of Ma'ili said he resented the Legislature's attempt to resuscitate an idea that he feels was already voted down in 1998.

"It's the principle," he said. "We already voted on this issue. They change the name, but it's still the same game."