Gay Marriage In The News

[Dr. Shane]

Gay marriage is once again back in the headlines.

Assembly Set to Pass Gay Marriage Bill

Quote:

On the one hand, momentum seems to be growing for New York to enact a gay-marriage bill. Five other states have now passed the measure, and it is expected to be overwhelmingly approved by New York's Assembly on Tuesday...

Supporters hope that a strong show of support in the lower chamber, plus the recent adoption of similar statutes in Vermont and Maine, pending approval in New Hampshire and serious consideration of a gay-marriage bill in New Jersey will push it over the top...

Since the Assembly last passed the bill, Senate control has flipped from Republicans to Democrats, and four states have joined Massachusetts in also legalizing the unions: Iowa, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont...

I don't have so much heartburn when a state or a country democratically votes to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. I have a big problem when courts rule that gay "marriage" is somehow a civil right that cannot be denied to gays. This especially upsets me when it is directly contrary to the expressed will of the people.

I would never vote for gay marriage for the following reasons:

1. I believe such laws encourage and condone homosexuality and that homosexuality is bad for both society and individuals. I believe it is a counterfeit of true love which denies the person the authentic.

2. It believe marriage by definition is the joining of two different things. We talk about the marriage of two companies. We talk about the marriage of two foods. We marry beans and rice. We marry chocolate and peanut butter. We marry qualities like strength and beauty. Man and woman are two different things thus the marriage of man with woman is exactly what marriage is. One complements the other.

3. Since I believe homosexuality is bad for individuals and society and would not want to see it promoted or condoned, I would not want gays in the US to gain the right to bring gays from other countries here through the vehicle of marriage.

[phkrause]

Good thoughts Shane. This is really starting to remind me of that statement in the Bible "like in the days of Noah" and "Sodom & Gomorrah".

And just to add to your 2nd point, I would add "bagels & cream cheese".

pk

[phkrause]

Yes but it seems to me that alot of those protestant churches are the ones allowing all this.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

Iowa is a very liberal state as is Minnesota and Illinois. However a recent poll found the majority of Americans now favor gay marriage. This, of course, is after more than ten years of Hollywood telling America that gay marriage is a civil rights issue. It certainly appears that Hollywood has more influence over Americans than the Christian churches do. That is not surprising to me. American Christians, for the most part, are not on fire for their faith. Most non-Christians do not see much of a contrast in lifestyle between their Christian and non-Christian friends. The Christian church has lost its influence in America.

However, I am of the mindset, that this can help the Adventist church. As the Protestant and Catholic churches lose their influence the Adventist church can shine as a peculiar church of peculiar people. The Adventist church has a lot of great outreach programs to meet the communities needs. What we need is for the lay people in the church to use those programs to do exactly that. Our churches should be as known in each community as the Salvation Army is.

[phkrause]

Yes Shane I think you are correct. Its to bad that we don't stand out more, and when I say that I point at myself first.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

However with Secular-Humanism becoming more and more common in society and many Christian churches accepting liberal theology, it creates greater opportunities for the Adventist church to stand out. It also creates a loader cry for us to do so.

[phkrause]

I guess that eventually make us stand up for what we really believe. And this will put us out in the open and standing alone like you say. Or we fall away.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

Getting back a bit to the topic, in the US federal law defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. That definition was signed into law by President Clinton in the Defense of Marriage Act. As a country, we accepted that definition. However it seems that since then Hollywood has convinced many more people to change their minds. It will be interesting to see where things go. Although I disagree with it, I don't have such a problem with gay marriage becoming legal as a result of the legislative process. I have a big issue with judges usurping the will of the people and making it the law of the land.

[phkrause]

I agree.

pk

[carolaa]

I have a big issue with judges usurping the will of the people and making it the law of the land.

I thought a judge's job was to uphold the Constitution. People have rights under the Constitution that do not depend on what the majority thinks.

[Dr. Shane]

I thought a judge's job was to uphold the Constitution. People have rights under the Constitution that do not depend on what the majority thinks.

The Constitution does not address the area of gay marriage. Thus, according to the 10th Amendment it is an issue for the states to deal with. Being gay is not a protected right under the Constitution, nor is gambling, being an alcoholic, abusing one's children or smoking pot.

[carolaa]

But judges interpret the law, and they have said that prohibiting gay marriage is unconstitutional.

[carolaa]

At least I thought that's what they said in California.

[Dr. Shane]

There are basically two kinds of judges (if we can make this simple). A constructionist judge tries to discover what the original intent was of the people that wrote and ratified the Constitution and of those that added amendments to it. Those types of judges are called constructionists. They are simply trying to look at original intent.

Another type of judge views the Constitution as a living document that is to be interpreted in light of a changing society. They do not bind themselves to original intent. In fact, they even look laws of other countries and judicial rulings in other countries which have absolutely nothing to do with the US Constitution. These are called activist judges. They are not bound by original intent.

Which do we think are more likely to support Sunday laws?

I think activist judges are obviously the scary ones. If our nation passes a Sunday law, it is popular with the people and other nations have also passed such laws, an activist judge could easily go right along with it. A constructionist judge would be much more concerned about the original intent of the First Amendment and how the founders would have viewed a national Sunday law.

On the issue of gay marriage, an activist judge is much more willing to rule in favor of gay marriage than a constructionist judge. It is not likely that George Washington, Benjamin Franklin or Alexander Hamilton intended guarentee the right of marriage for homosexuals. The founders did however place a means in the Constitution for it to be changed. If society comes to the point where it believes that gays should have a Constitutionally guaranteed right to marriage, the people can pass an Amendment to the Constitution.

[Planey]

Another thread about the gay community.

Who has the obsession?

Graeme

[Dr. Shane]

It is another story making headlines in the news. We discuss current events here. To ignore it would be to bury our heads in the sand. Who is obsessed? I guess we would have to say the mainstream media. They keep doing stories and shoving this stuff in our face.

[Planey]

Shane, there are very many items in the news every day.

We do not choose to talk about most of them here on CA.

The ones that someone thinks are of particular interest are posted here for discussion.

I believe that the number which you, Shane, post here that are about gays are way out of proportion to their frequency in the main media.

Hence I believe that rather than the main media having an "obsession", rather it is you.

Graeme

[Dr. Shane]

I take stories out of the headlines and post them here. There are others here that want to intimidate me by calling me names and saying I am obsessed with certain subjects. Sorry folks, I will not be intimidated. Like a great oak planted by the river, I will not be moved.

Homosexuality is one of the biggest issues our world is now dealing with. As often as it is in the news I will start threads on it. War and torture are also among the biggest issues in the world today. I am not obsessed with war and torture either but will start threads on them as often as they are in the news. Abortion is another subject that is often in the headlines so guess what??? That's right, I will continue to start threads on abortion as long as it is in the headlines. I am not claiming an abortion obsession, just starting threads on relevant topics to the world we live in.

[Planey]

There are others here that want to intimidate me by calling me names and saying I am obsessed with certain subjects.

[Dr. Shane]

Homosexuality was kept hidden throughout Protestant American history but that is not the case for many other cultures. Many cultures throughout history have been very accepting of homosexuality. However this is a difference today. Never before have Christian churches of any denomination been accepting of homosexual behavior. In our society today we have denominations not only allowing openly, practicing homosexuals become members but some are actually allowing them to become clergy. This most certainly is a sign of the end of time.

Stories about gay marriage becoming legal are headlines. One does not have to flip past the front page to see them. Good Morning America starts its broadcast in the morning with such stories. The stories are included at the top-of-the-hour news breaks on radio stations.

Homosexuals do not live happy and content lives. The compassionate thing to do is love them into the church. We can't do that by condoning their behavior. We can't do that by supporting gay marriage. We can't do that by letting them adopt children. We can only do that be sharing with the unadulterated gospel. We can give them hope. They are no more happy living away from God than any of the unchurched are. A life without God is not a happy and peaceful life. Homosexuals need God just like everyone else. We can help them by extending the hand of friendship to them.