Attack on Marriage
On November 9th, 2011 the Senate Judiciary Committee passed S.598 "Respect for Marriage Act". While that sounds like a great bill, what could be better than respect for marriage, it is not. Basically the bill is designed to repeal the "Defense of Marriage Act" or DOMA as it is commonly referred to. DOMA defines marriage federally as between one man and one woman.
If S.598 is passed then any marriage that is legal in one state or territory of the United States would then become a legal marriage everywhere. Regardless of how the people of that State feel about it. This is a back door approach to getting homosexual marriage legalized in all states and territories at once. Homosexual activists know that this is their only shot at getting homosexual marriage legalized. Voters have denied homosexual marriage every single time it has been brought up for a vote. The six states that currently allow homosexual marriage had it forced upon them by "judicial legislation" with the exception of New York whose governor signed a law that was passed through in an illegal way (the law is currently being challenged in court).
This bill is worded and being pushed as a state-rights issue. In fact, it is the exact opposite. The 31 states that have voted overwhelmingly to amend their state constitutions to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman will immediately, upon signing of this bill, have homosexual marriage forced upon them.
While there is little chance that either, S.598 or the house version of the bill H.R.1116, will pass this is still an important moment in this process. President Barack Obama has already stated that he will refuse to do his constitutionally mandated duty and defend DOMA in court. He has told the Justice Department to stop defending the law against the litigation aimed at weakening marriage:
Furthermore, pursuant to the President's instructions, and upon further notification to Congress, I will instruct Department attorneys to advise courts in other pending DOMA litigation of the President's and my conclusions that a heightened standard should apply, that Section 3 is unconstitutional under that standard and that the Department will cease defense of Section 3. – Eric Holder, Attorney General
You can read the text of the bills by clicking the buttons below.
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| S.598 | H.R.1116 |
It is important that you let your Senators know what you think of this bill. I can assure you that homosexual activists are all letting their senators know how they feel about it. It is time that we stop being the "silent majority" and start speaking up. Below you can click on the pictures of the two senators from Arizona and you will be taken to a contact form where you can send a message directly to them.
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| Contact Jon Kyl | Contact John McCain |
Tags: DOMA, H.R.1116, homosexual marriage, homosexuality, news, S.598
I have just the opposite perspective. In a democratic republic, in which we all live, our political involvement has the ability to affect moral conduct. The most obvious example is the fact that since many Christians in the 2008 election were uninformed we elected a man whose policies (with the help of his friends in congress) have increased the number of unborn children who have been slaughtered, not only in this country but other countries as well.
Years ago cigarette advertising was stopped in this country because the glamorizing of such behavior would only lead to more experimentation, especially by the young. Does anyone doubt that if our society accepts, wholesale, the concept of "Gay Marriage" that that will not have a detrimental effect on our children. I hope not!
So, my perspective is that Satan is indeed happy but not when we get "caught up" in politics, but when we don't!
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
I respect your perspective, but I also challenge you as my brother in Christ to show me anywhere in scripture where Christians are called to take an active presence in establishing political policy and where that political involvement has the ability to affect moral conduct. Only by leading those individuals to Christ can we ever have an impact on the world in which we live but are not a part of. Satan is indeed happy when we fail to recognize who we are and what our purpose is. We are not of this world.
1 John 5:19
I don't mean to step in for jcamp but I wanted to point out a few examples of political involvement by covenant people in the scriptures.
First, in Esther 4:7-8 Esther was asked by Mordecai to speak with the King to influence the current legislation of the day.
Second, in Matthew 14:1-11 John the Baptist confronted Philip the brother of Herod. I mention this example specifically because it deals with a marriage that is against God's laws for marriage. Philip had taken Herodias to be his wife even though it was against God's laws. What was asked of us Christians in this post was to confront our lawmakers based on God's moral laws. This is the exact same thing that John the Baptist did when he confronted the "ruling class".
Certainly there are many other examples but for the sake of brevity I will not mention them. I believe that these two examples are more than sufficient to demonstrate that we have not only the right but the duty to involve ourselves in political matters when it involves God's people or His laws. Neither of these examples involved "Christians" per se. However, I believe that they set a precedent sufficient for us to take the same action.
Apart from the examples mentioned by restorationman, consider the following:
Galatians 6:10 says: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Voting is an opportunity to do good i.e, stop the slaughter of unborn children and create an environment in which traditional marriage is honored and ungodly homosexual "marriage" remains dishonored, as God would have it.
Let's suppose in all 50 states that Christians become a majority yet do not vote. The laws of the land (including abortion and "Gay" marriage) will then be voted on by the ungodly because Christians stay home – again not availing themselves of an opportunity to do good.
this video captures well what i've been attempting to communicate concerning the christian responsiblity to vote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3EmO5j9n4
as the church we dont live by law so why would we try to change the laws. and satan loves it when we get caught up in anything that stops us from preaching the GOSPEL
Eph 4:17(NKJV)
17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as £the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
Eph 4:18(NKJV)
18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
Why is this kind of article on a website for the Mesa Church of Christ??? Is not marriage the Christian union between one Christian man and one Christian woman! If the world is not in Christ, what difference does it make what we call their relationship with each other or their boyfriend, or girlfriend or whatever. Let's not get caught up in political agenda, please, and stay focused on the Gospel.
I understand your sentiment. I really do. However, you are wrong. Jesus when talking about marriage in Matthew 19:4 said, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female.'" Two points jump out from this simple statement:
1) That marriage was defined by God as between one man and one woman from the "beginning". In fact, the creation of the sexes was specifically for this purpose if you read Genesis 2 in the context of Matthew 19. Woman was perfectly created to be a helper for man.
2) That marriage was for all people not just Christians. By saying, "from the beginning" He was implying that it applied to mankind not just Christians. This is before there was such a thing as a "Christian man" or a "Christian woman". Please understand that this marriage relationship applied to all people through out history not just to Christians. Heathens and covenant people alike.
the name christian was given by the world not the LORD so what was meant was GOD'S people
Matt 19:6(NKJV)
6So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
so here you can see that GOD does not join darkness with darkness or light. GOD has nothing to do with the world except the gospel