Archive for May 2009
Support for Marriage INCREASING Nationwide, in West Virginia
Recently, the head of the ACLU declared that same-sex “marriage” was spreading throughout the land, growing in popularity and increasingly accepted by the nation. Following the progressive, unaccountable actions of legislators in Maine, Vermont, DC, and New Hampshire, one sensed a growing excitement from those who would redefine marriage. Could this be the change they had been hoping for?
Then, the California Supreme Court upheld the vote of 7 million voters – the second time voters in California had voted to define marriage as one man and one woman. Perhaps the opponents of marriage were a bit too hasty in optimism.
In America, we respect the results of fair elections. Whenever voters get the opportunity to decide the definition of marriage, the traditional definition always wins. So far, of the 30 states that have voted all have voted in favor of marriage as one man and one woman. That’s more than 40 million U.S. voters expressing their beliefs at the ballot box.
And then came this news:
A Gallup poll of 1,015 adults released Wednesday (May 27) shows that Americans oppose legalizing “gay marriage” by a margin of 57-40 percent, the highest opposition has been in the poll since 2005, when a similar survey showed a margin of 59-37 percent against “gay marriage.”
. . .
Last year, the Gallup poll showed 56 percent opposing “gay marriage,” 40 percent supporting it. In 2007, it was 53-46 percent in opposition.
via News Headlines – Polls: Opposition to ‘gay marriage’ on rise : Townhall.com .
Nationwide, the support for marriage as one man and one woman continues to remain high, growing, if only a little, from year to year. But that wasn’t the most interesting part of this story. According to the same article, that same Gallup poll revealed this most incredible finding:
48 percent of Americans believe “that allowing two people of the same sex to marry will change our society for” the worse.
Whoa! Nearly half of the representative sample of the United States not only supports marriage as one man and one woman, they believe that to allow same-gender “marriage” would make society worse.
The findings by Gallup reflect what we have discovered here in West Virginia. Last Summer (2008), the Family Policy Council of West Virginia commissioned a poll to determine the level of support for marriage in the Mountain State. That poll revealed that 73% of likely voters supported marriage as one man and one woman.
Fast-forward to 2009. After the launch of WV4Marriage.com, a project of the Family Policy Council of West Virginia, another poll was conducted. Not only did this poll indicate that more than 9 in 10 voters believe they should determine the definition of marriage – not judges or politicians; it also indicated an increase of 13% in support for marriage. According to our latest numbers, 86% of West Virginians support the definition of marriage.
West Virginians understand that same-sex “marriage” is a closer reality than politicians think. And they want action. Further, like the rest of their countrymen, West Virginians understand that to redefine marriage would be to change our society for the worse.
Forty million have already voted in defense of marriage. Will our legislators give another 1.8 million the same opportunity?
One man. One woman. That’s marriage.
The Last Obstacle Standing in the Way of Social Liberalism:
What is at the core of the same-sex marriage movement? Is it the freedom to marry anyone we choose? Nope. Is it equality in society with heterosexuals? Nice thought, but wrong again. At the core of the same-sex movement is universal acceptance for a particular lifestyle among people of all gender, nationality, and most notably, religion; and ultimately the complete repression of religious rights held by persons and organizations that morally object to the lifestyle.
No doubt there are some homosexuals who simply want the freedom to marry and enjoy the benefits of a socially recognized marriage. But these are few and far between. The reality is that many same-sex proponents, including every liberal lawmaker in the land, sees an opportunity to silence the conservative, religious majority on the way to a new, so-called improved, socialist state.
But, as Maggie Gallagher pointed out in her spot-on article for National Review,
“A funny thing happened on the way to defeating Communism. Religion has emerged as the sole institution standing in the way of a powerful neo-statist liberalism, in which equality doctrines are used not as a shield but as a sword — to legitimate state intrusion into once-private realms.” (Read the entire article here)
You see, the government knows what many proud, conservative, deeply spiritual Americans have known for many years. If you effectively silence the religious institutions there will be no one left to stand in the way of total government control and regulation of every facet of life. Make no mistake about it, the government wants absolute separation of church and state, but only so far as the insertion of church morals and beliefs into government are concerned. On the flip side the government wants no less than to regulate and micro-manage every religious group and organization to make sure nothing is said or done that big brother does not approve of.
Hypocritical? In the very least. But more accurately it is communism at its best. The government wants to tell every person exactly what to believe, what is right and wrong from the time they enter pre-school until they collect that last social security check and Dr. Kevorkian pulls the plug on the ventilator. And the only way to accomplish this goal is to silence the religious, conservative majority of Americans by relegating free speech and religious speech to Sunday-only-behind-closed-doors-rhetoric.
Don’t be fooled by the trickery of the leftist propaganda machine. Just because President Obama claims to be a “Christian,” his words mean very little until he shows evidence of his faith. But so far he has done nothing of the sort. He, in my humble opinion, is merely playing games in order to lull the millions of devout believers asleep before swiping their religious rights. Again referring to Ms. Gallagher’s article,
“One way is to narrow religious freedom’s scope while claiming to endorse the principle in general. So the Human Rights Campaign believes it supports religious liberty because it does not intend to have the government jail pastors who refuse to perform same-sex unions. Being American liberals, they feel pretty good about themselves for permitting religion to live quietly and impotently behind closed doors.” (Need more evidence? Check out this article relating what is happening in Europe, and soon will happen here).
Simply put, religious, conservative Americans cannot afford to fall asleep at the wheel at this time. We are seeing freedoms stripped one by one at unprecedented rates; and battles for more freedoms rage each day. This is not the time for the warm fuzzies; this is a time to be steadfast. If we want to continue to enjoy our freedom, we must be willing to defend it.
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In Light of CA Supreme Court Decision, Concerns for Protecting Traditional Marriage Still Exist:
In the last couple of days we have seen a flurry of news articles covering the historical and precedent-setting decision by the California State Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of Proposition 8. Just take a look at some of the headlines that have hit the airwaves.
From the Alliance Defense Fund, “California High Court Upholds Proposition 8 Marriage Amendment.”
From Christianity Today online, “California Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 8.”
From Citizenlink, a ministry of Focus on the Family, “California Supreme Court upholds Marriage-Protection Amendment.”
And finally, from World Net Daily, “California Justices Say Marriage is 1-Man, 1-Woman.”
But despite this victory for traditional values and the morals which helped to shape this great country of ours, is concern. For me the first concern is a long forgotten one that the media has never had much interest in. The fact that Proposition 8 even had to be birthed as a response to the reprehensible judicial activism of the California Supreme Court when they ignored the previously voiced will of the people and trampled over California’s DOMA law to single handedly allow same-sex marriage without so much as asking the voters of California.
Regardless of your position on this heavily debated topic, it should outrage every voting citizen of the United States to think that a single court would ignore the will of its constituents and legislate from the bench a decision that the majority of voters did not agree with. I would go so far as to say that the California’s Supreme Court did not want to uphold Proposition 8 but did so purely to regain the favor of the people who will be voting for them very soon. It most likely had nothing to do with upholding the state and federal constitution; it was just a tactic to save face.
Another concern is the susceptibility of every other state with a DOMA law to the judicial whims of activist judges that have forgotten the people they serve. Thinking of my home state of West Virginia, where just a couple of short months ago two lawmakers effectively denied the entire state from voting on a constitutional amendment to define marriage permanently. In a state where well over 70% of residents believe marriage is between one man and one woman, and would like the chance to voice their beliefs for themselves, two lawmakers decided that they would not give the voters that right.
So what’s next? Do we now begin to see judges across this land overturn the DOMA law’s and make the decision for the people instead of allowing the people to vote for themselves? Why exactly are the lawmakers in West Virginia and other states afraid to let the people vote? Could it be that the outcome we saw last November in California, Arizona and Florida was not a fluke, but an accurate representation of the majority of this country? Could it be that lawmakers know that the majority of this country believes in traditional marriage and they would rather ignore the majority and cater to the minority?
One thing is for sure, now is not the time to sit idly by and bask in whatever faint glimmer of hope that comes out of this decision. Marriage is still under attack. We must hold our lawmakers accountable for their decisions. We must continue to speak out and let our voices be heard regarding these tough issues.
I know two West Virginia lawmakers that won’t be getting my vote in the next election.
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Marriage Prevails…Again!
By now you have probably heard that the California Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision, upheld the vote of over 7 million voters in California, amending their state constitution to uphold the definition of marriage.
The decision reminds us that in America, we honor the results of fair elections. The California court arrived at the only correct conclusion: the people have a fundamental right to amend their constitution. Californians knew what they were voting on – marriage as one man and one woman.
Tuesday’s decision finalizes the second time that Californians have voted to affirm the definition of marriage. In 2000, California voters defined marriage as one man and one woman in state statute. After the California Supreme Court found that statute “unconstitutional” last year, voters voted again – this time to define marriage within the state constitution last November. As in California, when marriage goes before voters, it is always affirmed. In fact, all 30 states that have allowed the people to vote on the definition of marriage have amended their state constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman. To date, nearly 40 million voters across America have voted for marriage.
The question remains, will 1.8 million voters in West Virginia get the same opportunity? Or will politicians continue to pander to the 0.3% of the West Virginia population that is currently living in a same-sex relationship?
While no constitutional amendment defining marriage within a state constitution has ever been found “unconstitutional,” unaccountable courts and progressive legislators continue to push the radical homosexual agenda on an unwilling public. In the process, they continue to invalidate defense of marriage acts (DOMA’s), like West Virginia’s, and work to repeal the Federal definition of marriage – each makes same-sex “marriage” a closer reality in West Virginia than many people think.
Legislators are in Charleston for the next couple of weeks. Now is a good time to call your legislator or email them and remind them to let the people vote. Take some time to review the resources available at www.wv4marriage.com and then ask your legislator to let you vote on the definition of marriage.
One man. One woman. That’s marriage.
No, Mr. President!
Have you ever wondered what a “prophetic voice” sounds like? John Piper provides a very clear example – balanced well between grace and truth:
Another Case of Foot IN Mouth
Harry Knox, President Obama’s tap for head of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, renamed the “President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Parnterships” by the Obama Administration, has not been known for his silver tongue. Let’s just say he’s been quite critical of the Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexual behavior and birth control.
It seems Mr. Knox is at it again – this time in a discussion on how best to spend your taxpayer dollars.
In an interview with PBS taped at the Human Rights Campaign, Knox talked of fatherhood:
“Responsible fatherhood offers us an immense opportunity to speak to a real need in the country,” said Knox, director of the faith and religion program at the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual rights group, during the PBS interview broadcast on its Religion & Ethics Newsweekly show.
That’s fair. Weird venue for doing so, but nothing wrong with talking about the importance of fatherhood. This is one of those areas we applaud President Obama’s rhetoric. He has long been vocal about the need to strengthen the role of Dad in the home. We are concerned that the actions don’t always meet the rhetoric, but, still, happy to have the conversation.
But, Knox took a quick, progressive left turn:
“It’ll be challenging to do that for instance in ways that are not dismissive of the tremendous gifts of single mothers; not to sort of hold a heteronormative view of fatherhood up as the only model,” said Knox.
Ok, I added the italics, but……HUH?!?! It’s a challenge to promote responsible fatherhood when the “heteronormative view of fatherhood” is the “only model?” What is precisely wrong with the “heteronormative view of fatherhood?” Is “fatherhood” really “fatherhood” in some other type of model of parenting?
Nope. He didn’t stop there:
“For instance, 25 percent of gay male couples in the country are raising children – their own and other people’s,” Knox, a member of the United Church of Christ and the Interdenominational Conference of Liberation Congregations and Ministries, told PBS.
“So the challenge will be for all of us getting to know what fatherhood means for us, and how to talk about it in a way that is as inclusive as possible and empowering as possible,” he said.
He added that mentoring programs for homosexual fathers should be reviewed by the council.
“One of the things I am suggesting on the council is that they look at mentoring processes that gay dads have developed to help each other be good fathers around the country,” Knox said.
via CNSNews.com – Obama’s Faith-Based Adviser Urges Challenge to ‘Heteronormative’ Fatherhood .
Essentially, Knox is saying that because we have redefined what is meant in terms of “marriage” and “family,” we now have to get “to know what fatherhood means for us, and how to talk about it in a way that is as inclusive as possible and empowering as possible.”
Cue the Twilight Zone music.
Just as marriage ceases to be definitionally “marriage” when persons of the same-sex enter a similar union, so to does “fatherhood” cease to be “fatherhood” when a person of the female gender attempts to mimic the role.
It gets more confusing when we begin discussing the impact of 2 dads and 0 moms in a home. Children are entitled to a Mom and a Dad. Social science tells us that is the best venue in which to raise a child. Gov’t should not knowingly deprive children of that chance, nor fund – in the name of “responsible fatherhood initiatives” – projects to widen that gap.
I recognize that life circumstances sometimes leave children in a lurch, necessarily without one or the other parents. But if the goal is strengthening the role of fathers, we should consider the ideal.
Let’s save “the council” some time: two moms have the potential to make great moms, but they will never make one mediocre dad.
Mr. Knox, President Obama, if you want to strengthen the role of fatherhood, strengthen the institution of marriage. Hold Dad’s accountable for the children they father. Break the cycle of divorce by promoting healthy marriages in which Dad’s live committed to the mother of their children and demonstrate to the next generation what it means to be a man. And father.
Stop tinkering with definitions.
ADF: NH gov’s proposed revisions to marriage redefinition bill fail religious freedom test
A good reminder to look around the smoke screen of “religious exemption” provisions meant to satiate politicians who are looking for cover to advance their agenda to redefine marriage.
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch and same-sex “marriage” supporters insist that proposed revisions to legislation that would make New Hampshire the sixth state to redefine marriage will not infringe on religious liberties. But ADF attorneys argue that Lynch’s added protections–and the anticipated concession by the drafters–is merely smoke and mirrors geared to divert attention from the fact that recognizing same-sex “marriage” in the Granite State would open up a Pandora’s Box of new attacks on religious freedom.
“Contrary to what marriage redefinition activists might argue, redefining marriage in New Hampshire would have serious consequences for the religious community beyond the limited protections the governor has proposed,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks. “The governor is right to recognize the threat to religious liberty, but he underestimates the threat by a long shot. Where are the protections for business owners with religious objections to recognizing same-sex ‘marriages’? Formally affiliated organizations are not the only ones who need their religious liberty protected.”
Love + Love + Love = Marriage?
More on “polyamory” – the new frontier in marriage redefinition…
As gay activists take aim at marriage across the country, other groups are raising their voices in the battle to redefine marriage.
Polyamorists claim there’s no reason to confine a marriage to two people and are calling for “equal marriage rights.”
Glenn Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family, talked about the issue on “Fox & Friends” today.
“We had warned that same-sex ‘marriage’ would be a wedge to drive through a whole bunch of stuff,” he said. “And it hasn’t taken very long for the polyamory people to come along and say, ‘Hey, they got their rights. They got their benefits. Why can’t we have ours?’ ”
Dave Quist, executive director of the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, said cohabitation and the legalization of same-sex “marriage” in his country have eroded marriage.
“As it collapses, our children see that marriage is something very different than what it should be,” he said. “And the effect on succeeding generations is very sad.”
Chuck Colson: Same Sex “Marriage” and Religious Liberty – What do we do?
A few posts below, you can read Chuck Colson’s commentary from yesterday’s Breakpoint. Today, he picks up where he left off, saying, in light of the threats to religious liberty and the first amendment,
[W]hat can we do about this? How can we protect our First Amendment rights—and marriage itself?
First, if you are victimized by a gay activist group or same-sex couple demanding that you throw out your religious beliefs, contact the Alliance Defense Fund. They have spent many years defending the First Amendment right of religious believers—rights now under brutal attack.
Second, we’ve all got to work together to protect the integrity of marriage. Learn how by contacting the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy. You’ll also learn why we need to pass a federal marriage amendment. I know you’re getting fatigued, but it’s time to stiffen our spines.
College students who want to learn how to defend traditional marriage should go to the Ruth Institute website and sign up for a summer conference. The Ruth Institute also offers a list of people who will speak to your group about marriage. Or, you can purchase a same-sex “marriage” home party kit, which includes DVDs, bumper stickers, and wrist bands. Have your friends over, and use the kit to teach them how same-sex “marriage” will harm everybody.
The issue is critical. We all must learn how to answer the charge of “bigotry,” and winsomely explain why marriage cannot exist between same-sex couples; and how same-sex “marriage” will not broaden marriage, but radically and dangerously change its nature.
I would hasten to add that, if you are a West Virginian, in addition to ADF, IMAPP, and the Ruth Institute, you should get involved with the Family Policy Council of West Virginia’s project, WV4Marriage.com. Follow the link to learn what you can do to defend the design of marriage.
One man. One woman. That’s marriage.
The Engage Family Blog 