It's not very often that I get involved with political things, however this is something that I feel strongly about.
www.protectmarriage.com
If you live in California, you should Vote Yes on Proposition 8 to keep marriage only between a man and a woman. If you do not live in California, encourage your California friends to vote yes on Prop 8.
I'd like to make it clear that, for me, this is not about discrimination. I don't deny that people have agency to make choices for their life. This is about legally preserving the definition of marriage as it is in God's eyes and as it has been since the beginning of time.
Most of the following information I got from a website I read and from a conference on the subject.
Six Consequences if Proposition 8 Fails
1. Children in public schools will be taught that both traditional marriage and same-sex marriage are okay. This will cause serious problems for parents that want to pass on their heritage, beliefs, and values to their children. This would also include changing the way that sex-education is taught in schools.
2. Churches will be sued if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings that are open to the public. Do you want your Church to change their religious beliefs because of a law? True doctrines that were right yesterday can’t be changed and made right to day, because God in never changing. God was always perfect and will be always perfect.
3. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government agencies to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston has already closed its doors because of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. Preventing the Catholic Church and others from acting as they see morally right will cost the tax payers millions more to do the same job. Not to mention, think of all the children that could have been placed in good Christian homes and would be denied the opportunity.
4. Religions that sponsor private schools and which provide housing for married students will be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if it runs counter to church doctrine, or lose tax exemptions and benefits.
5. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued for hate speech and could be fined by the government. It has already happened in Canada, one of six countries that have legalized gay marriage.
6. It will cost you money. A change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits. Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today's activist judges), think of the money – your money, your church contributions – that will have to be spent on legal fees.
If we don’t act by Voting Yes on Proposition 8 then millions of people and their descendents will lose core religious beliefs and priceless heritage.
Vote YES on Prop 8
4 comments:
It's great that you are passionate about a subject, but it's important that you know that all of these six "consequences" are, in fact, false.
Allow me address them point by point.
1) The only section of the California Education Code that mentions marriage reads thus, and concerns one point of the curriculum: “Family health and child development, including the legal and financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.” There is nothing in the code about teaching anything about defining marriage.
What's more, California law also states that any parent may remove their child from any class if they disagree with the material being taught.
Plus, children SHOULD know the law of the land and why we don't discriminate against people. It should all, of course, be age-appropriate.
If you disagree with what is being taught at school, you are free to teach your children different.
2) This one is COMPLETELY false. If you read the May 15 Supreme Court decision, the justices say the EXACT OPPOSITE: "[A]ffording same-sex couples the opportunity to obtain the designation of marriage will not impinge upon the religious freedom of any religious organization, official, or any other person; no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs."
On top of that, it's clear that churches have always had the right to discriminate against whoever they wish in terms of marriage. The LDS church doesn't allow anyone but those with temple recommends to be married in their temples (and until 1979, wouldn't allow black people to marry in their temples), and Catholics won't marry divorced people in their churches. Each church will be able to deny marriage to any couple they want.
3) That Massachusetts case with Catholic Charities had nothing to do with same-sex marriage. It was due to Catholic Charities unwillingness to obey Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws.
What's more, Catholic Charities did not close its doors. They are still open and functioning, doing charitable work. Just not adoptions.
Besides, adoption agencies will always have the right to deny couples the right to adopt -- but only based on their fitness as parents, not their sexuality. Gay couples who do adopt often adopt the toughest cases, the kids no one else will adopt. You would rather the kids with special needs languish in orphanages or foster homes rather than be with two loving dads or moms?
4) This also has nothing to do with marriage equality and everything to do with anti-discrimination law. Bob Jones University had to allow mixed-race couples in student housing if they wanted to maintain their tax-exempt status. However, they could have chosen to forfeit that status and continue to discriminate if they wished.
But if you want public money, you have to obey public laws. Remain fully private and you can discriminate all you like.
5) Ridiculous. First, the minister in Canada was not preaching against same-sex marriage, but fomenting hate in general toward gay people. Besides, we have the First Amendment here. Ever hear of Fred Phelps? The "God Hates Fags" guy? 'Nuff said.
6) Also ridiculous. Churches will be no more or less likely to be sued if Prop 8 passes.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for allowing comments on your blog. If there is going to be a debate about this issue, I think it's important that both sides tell the truth.
Yes on 8!
Yes on 8!
Yes on 8!
Yes on 8!
Yes on 8!
Thanks for your thoughts Carrie! If we all do our part to stand up for what's right we can make a difference, and you are doing just that.
Atta girl, Carrie. :)
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