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Gay Marriage Amendment
Why We Need the Federal Marriage Amendment. This is commonly called the "Gay Marriage Amendment".
Glenn Stanton
You may not have heard about it, but there is a proposed constitutional amendment currently before Congress. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA), which was crafted by the Alliance for Marriage, is supported by members of both political parties, as well as a broad coalition of Protestants � both mainline and conservative � Catholics, historically African-American churches, Jews, Orthodox Christians and secular groups. The wording of the FMA is simple. It states:
Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this constitution or the constitution of any state, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.
Federal Marriage Amendment
Focus on the Family strongly supports the Federal Marriage Amendment.
The battle over same-sex unions is being fought at two levels: in the courts and at state legislatures. The FMA is essential because it protects marriage from redefinition by either state legislatures or the courts. In addition, if adopted, the FMA would stop activist courts from giving away the legal benefits of marriage to same-sex couples.
To date, the courts have caused 100 percent of the damage that marriage has suffered as an institution. In Vermont, it was the state Supreme Court that forced the Legislature to approve same-sex unions, and in Hawaii, the courts supported these unions as well. Both the Massachusetts and New Jersey courts currently have cases before them from homosexual activists seeking access to marriage. What is more, only 16.5 percent of civil unions granted in Vermont involved Vermonters! More than 3,200 civil unions have been granted in Vermont to out-of-state couples, and some of these couples already are pressing their home-state courts to legally recognize their same-sex unions, representing a judicial time bomb. With increasing opportunity, there is every indication that the courts, if left unchecked, will remain the most pernicious opponents in this battle to protect marriage. That is the primary reason the FMA is needed.
A small handful of conservatives see the FMA as insufficient because, while it constitutionally protects marriage from activist judges, it does not block legislatures from enacting some types of civil unions. True, the FMA does not do everything. It intentionally does not wholly block legislatures in order to respect concerns over states' rights. This is essential in attracting a larger coalition, which is necessary for passage. Without passage, a do everything amendment would end up doing nothing.
The Federal Marriage Amendment FMA
However, the FMA does do something � something very important, strategic and worthy of support. The FMA would stop the courts from reinterpreting marriage and forcing legislatures to do so, as happened in Vermont.
This is no small thing. With the removal of court interference, the battlefield of same-sex unions will be much smaller and more manageable. Even many liberal state legislatures are highly reluctant to tinker with marriage. A few states will consider bills enacting civil unions, but with the combined efforts of the pro-family community, such bills can be turned back. Indeed, earlier this year traditional marriage supporters defeated AB 1338, which sought to create same-sex "civil unions" in California that would be the legal equivalent of marriage. (Interestingly, however, a bill like AB 1338 would be declared unconstitutional under the FMA because the bill would seek to extend the full equivalent of marriage to same-sex couples.) And in Hawaii, a state even more liberal than California, after the state court said "yes" to same-sex marriage, the Legislature turned the decision over to the people, who voted overwhelmingly against the idea.
A Gay Marriage Amendment is needed
In addition, the residual impact of the United States Constitution clearly defining marriage as being between one man and one woman will be substantial. Even though legislatures will still be able to consider legislation on some civil unions, the fact that our Constitution will clearly define marriage under FMA will make it more difficult for homosexual activists to assert that marriage is anything they want it to be.
Therefore we need a gay marriage amendment to define traditional marriage.
Opposition to the FMA because it does not do everything is akin to the old pro-life argument that called for an absolute ban on all abortions right now � or nothing. In terms of political reality, this all-or-nothingï approach has gained us very little in defense of life and it will get us very little in defense of marriage.
Securing passage of an gay marriage amendment to the Constitution is admittedly very difficult, as our Founding Fathers intended. Therefore, the FMA needs a large, cohesive coalition behind it, and efforts to assemble a broad-based coalition around a strong amendment have been successful. Political friends on Capitol Hill say the current wording of the FMA is the strongest that can be attained and has a better chance if the conservative movement unifies behind it. As our culture continues to slide, it will be increasingly difficult to attain this in years to come.
Support the Federal Marriage Amendment
Focus on the Family endorses the Federal Marriage Amendment and strongly encourages the support of this important, strategic effort. Please call your representatives in Congress and ask for their support of the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Glenn Stanton is senior analyst for marriage and sexuality and director of social research and cultural affairs at Focus on the Family. He is also the author of the book, "Why Marriage Matters."
Alabama Amendment 1
On June 6th, the date of the Alabama Primary Election, Alabamians will
also be voting on a traditional marriage amendment. The amendment simply
states:
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901,
to provide that no marriage license shall be issued in Alabama to
parties of the same sex and that the state shall not recognize a
marriage of parties of the same sex that occurred as a result of the law
of any other jurisdiction."
Michael Horton has some thoughts that are of interest on the subject:
Michael Horton Meredith Kline,
Michael Horton
Deuteronomy 23:17-18
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
Exodus 15:26
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice
of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right
in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments,
and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these
diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the
Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Leviticus 26:14
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do
all these commandments;
Leviticus 26:14
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your
soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my
commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
Deuteronomy 4:40
Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his
commandments, which I command thee this day, that it
may go well with thee, and with thy children after
thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the
earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the
faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with
them that love him and keep his commandments to a
thousand generations;
Deuteronomy 7:11
Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the
statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this
day, to do them.
Deuteronomy 8:1
All the commandments which I command thee this day
shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and
multiply, and go in and possess the land which the
LORD sware unto your fathers.
Deuteronomy 7:11
Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
We at Same Sex Marriage brings you Weekly Bible Verses:
Isaiah 63:8
For He said, "Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie." So He became their Savior.
Jeremiah 14:8
O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble, Why should You be like a stranger in the land, And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
Hosea 13:4
"Yet I am the LORD your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For there is no savior besides Me.
Obadiah 1:21
Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.
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