More Than Just The News
The Defense of Marriage Act
FIRST-PERSON:
Stand for marriage
By Kenyn M. Cureton
Editor's note: Marriage Protection Sunday -- in which churches will address the
issue of "gay marriage" and a proposed constitutional marriage amendment -- is
June 4.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Many have seen ABC TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
where they tear down a house and rebuild it. Unfortunately, there has been
another Extreme Makeover happening to the American home. Some are trying to tear
down traditional marriage and redefine it.
Bible-believing Christians were shocked as we witnessed the so called
"Massachusetts marriages" and "San Francisco ceremonies" where two men or two
women were "married" and kissed one another for the cameras. Homosexual
activists have been very effective in promoting their extreme makeover of the
family. From 1990-2000, the number of homosexual households has skyrocketed by
more than 400 percent, and we are only one Supreme Court decision away from
legalizing "same-sex marriage" all across America.
Allow me to offer a message outline and encourage you to challenge your church
to stand for biblical marriage. (The full text of this message is available at
http://baptist2baptist.net/b2barticle.asp?ID=289)
-- The Divine Pattern
What is the divine pattern, God's original intention for marriage and the home?
Go back to Genesis. For example, Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in His own
image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female."
Aren't you glad God created Adam and Eve -- he fully masculine and she fully
feminine? Thank God for that difference. The two genders were meant to complete
each other physically, emotionally and in every other way. Also, both genders
are needed for a healthy home. As James Dobson notes, "More than ten thousand
studies have concluded that kids do best when they are raised by mothers and
fathers."
In Genesis 2:24, God further declares: "This is why a man leaves his father and
mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh." One man and one
woman in a marriage relationship for life is the divine pattern. When a marriage
follows God's design, it is good for everyone -- men, women, children, the
community, the country and the world. By the way, before taking a public stand
for marriage we ought to renew our commitment to live out the biblical
principles of marriage.
Think about it. Every civilization in history is built upon the institution of
marriage. It is the foundation of human social order. The welfare of children,
the propagation of the faith, the wellbeing of society and the orderliness of
civilization are all dependent upon the stability of marriage according to the
divine pattern. When this God-given pattern is undermined, the whole
superstructure of society becomes unstable. Any deviation from the divine
pattern invites disaster. Heterosexuality is the divine pattern.
-- The Deceptive Perversion.
Second, there is a deceptive perversion. What is the deceptive perversion? It is
any sexual sin outside of the marriage relationship, but for the purposes of
this message outline I want to focus on one sin in particular: homosexuality.
The Word of God, which does not err, is brutally clear. Leviticus 18:22 says:
"You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable." Leviticus
20:13 says: "If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both
committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood is on their own
hands." Homosexuality is an abomination to God. This is the strongest biblical
word for the denunciation of sin, the proof of which is in God's own version of
the Extreme Makeover at Sodom and Gomorrah, which were destroyed in a hail of
fire and brimstone.
Again, why is homosexuality a sin? Because it is open rebellion against the
divine pattern, the created order of God. Some say: "Well, that's Old
Testament." Yet Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18: "Don't assume that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I
assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one
stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished."
While the ritual, sacrificial and ceremonial laws were rendered obsolete by
Christ's life, death and resurrection (see Hebrews 8:13), the moral law remains
in force. And that moral law calls homosexuality an abomination. In fact, Jesus
basically condemned homosexuality by affirming the divine pattern for marriage
in Matthew 19:4, where he quotes from Genesis. When you get into the letters of
Paul (Romans 1:18, 26-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:10), Peter (2 Peter
2:6ff), and Jude (v. 7), there is even more confirmation. Homosexuality is a
deceptive perversion.
-- The Definitive Problem.
Third, there is a definitive problem. Some homosexuals claim: "We were born this
way; it is in our genes; God made us gay." They cite "gay gene" studies
predominantly conducted by homosexuals that have been repudiated by credible
research. Yet these same biased and discredited studies have been widely
publicized by the liberal media as true and factual. They essentially practice
Joseph Goebel's Nazi philosophy of propaganda, which is basically this: Tell a
lie loud enough and long enough and eventually most mindless Americans will
believe it.
Get this straight: God did not make anybody homosexual. The Bible declares that
the definitive problem is ours: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God." (Romans 3:23). "We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to
our own way ..." (Isaiah 53:6). Every one of us has a sin nature that twists and
perverts God-given desires not only toward homosexuality, but toward all sorts
of sexual sin, such as promiscuity, adultery, pedophilia, bestiality etc. In
fact, our sinful nature pulls us down into all manner of evil, not just sexual
sin. That's the definitive problem.
-- The Destructive Program.
Fourth, there is a destructive program. The goals of the of the radical
homosexual agenda include universal acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle,
gaining special privileges and rights in the laws, "sensitivity training" of our
children through public education, silencing critics in the clergy and Christian
media, and securing the legal benefits of marriage and parenting for any two
people of the same gender.
Homosexual activists have been marching from victory to victory in the
entertainment arena, the educational arena and the legal arena. Don't think so?
Does "Brokeback Mountain" ring a bell? What about "Will and Grace" and "Queer
Eye for the Straight Guy?" What about books in the public school classroom such
as "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy's New Roommate"? What about the recent
Supreme Court ruling that overturned the nation's remaining sodomy laws? What
about the Massachusetts "marriages" and the movement to make "homosexual
marriage" legal all across the United States? Need I say more?
Homosexuals have come out of the closet and into the classrooms, into the
courtrooms, into the Congress, and even into churches demanding special
recognition and rights. The ultimate prize is marriage. Let's just ask the
question: Why not "gay marriage?" What damage could be done by allowing two
consenting adults of the same gender to join a relationship and sanction it as
"marriage?"
We already know the answer to that question. Take a look at the Scandinavian
countries that embraced de-facto "gay marriage" back in the '90s. The vast
majority of couples there are choosing simply to live together instead of
getting married, figuring that if marriage means anything then marriage means
nothing. In Norway, there are reports of upwards of 80 percent of firstborn
children conceived out of wedlock. In Sweden, Pastor Ake Green was arrested for
using God's Word to preach on the sin of homosexuality. (He was later
acquitted.) The results of the Scandinavian experiment have been devastating. Do
we really want that for America? There is a destructive program.
-- The Determined Plan.
Finally, as Christ-followers, we need a determined plan of action. Admittedly,
most of us have been bystanders to this point, silently watching these events
transpire without any thought to Jesus' command to be stinging salt and shining
light. As Edmund Burke is often quoted: "All that is needed for evil to triumph
is for good men to do nothing." It is time for Christ-followers to get involved,
lift our voices and call America to repentance before it is too late. For just
as the fire of judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, judgment will fall on
America. In light of the Extreme Home Makeover that is taking place, what should
we do?
Here are several action steps we can determine to take as Christian citizens:
Action Step 1: Pray for God's mercy on a nation that is sliding toward Sodom.
Pray that God's Spirit will revive a church that is worldly. The promises of 2
Chronicles 7:14 depend on God's people humbling themselves, seeking the face of
God in prayer and turning from sin to biblical righteousness.
Action Step 2: Practice the biblical principles for a healthy marriage as a
positive witness. Don't skip this one. Getting a hearing in the culture depends
on our credibility. When the divorce rate among professing Christians is
essentially the same as that of the world, we have little credibility with which
to call the world to repentance, even if they are trying to redefine the family.
Action Step 3: Perform an active role as salt and light in our "government of
the people, by the people, and for the people."
-- Consider support for the Marriage Protection Amendment that will be debated
in Congress the first week in June.
-- Call your senators and representative. Visit
www.faithandfamily.com,
enter your zip code, and follow the prompts. Let them know how you feel about
the definition of marriage and the need to protect it.
-- Vote your values. Visit
www.ivotevalues.com, register to vote, help register your friends and then
prayerfully consider voting for candidates who share your biblical values.
Action Step 4: Proclaim the promise found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: "Do you not
know that the unjust will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: no
sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,
thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God's
kingdom. Some of you were like this ...." Notice that it is past tense, and what
comes next speaks of God's amazing grace: "But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God." That is Good News!
Jesus alone can break the strongholds of sin and offer freedom and forgiveness
and hope. For when we turn from our sins and turn to Christ, He will change our
desires, He will change our passions, and He will change everything about us.
Second Corinthians 5:17 says: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new
creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come." And that
is the promise of God we need to share with everybody, everywhere, regardless of
their sin. You can be a new person in Christ Jesus!
Let us live and preach that message. Let us love people who are trapped in
sinful and destructive lifestyles. Let us stand for God's plan for marriage.
--30--
Kenyn M. Cureton is vice president for convention relations for the Southern
Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Children at risk when marriage
redefined, amendment supporters say
By Michael Foust
WASHINGTON (BP)--Senate supporters of a constitutional marriage amendment argued
June 6 that societies that abandon the natural definition of marriage -- one
man, one woman -- place children at risk.
"[S]ociety should be advocating for what's best for children and should set a
standard for what's best," Sen. Rick Santorum, R.-Pa., said on the Senate floor
during the second day of debate on the Marriage Protection Amendment. “[We] know
that when we destroy marriage, when we deconstruct marriage, bad things happen."
On average, he said, children who grow up in a household with a mother and a
father have fewer substance abuse problems, emotional problems, out-of-wedlock
births and less criminal activity. They also perform better in school, he said.
"[W]e know from all the social data, in all societies, at all times, that the
best place to raise children is [within] the union of a man and a woman," Sen.
Sam Brownback, R.-Kan., said. "... You can raise good children in other
settings, but the best -- the optimal setting -- is in the union between a man
and a woman, bonded together for life.... That's something we've got social data
on, but we also know that in our hearts."
A procedural vote on the amendment, S.J. Res. 1, now is scheduled for Wednesday.
It originally was thought a vote would take place today (Tuesday). The vote,
known as a "cloture vote," will determine whether senators will have an
up-or-down vote on the amendment itself. But needing 60 votes to invoke cloture,
it likely will fall short, although it might obtain at least a simple majority
of 51 votes.
The amendment likely will receive few Democratic votes. A handful of
Republicans, meanwhile, oppose it.
Sen. John Warner, R.-Va., said he has concerns with the amendment in its present
form. Specifically, Warner said he objects to the amendment's second sentence,
which states, "Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State,
shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be
conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman." The first
sentence of the amendment simply says marriage "shall consist only of the union
of a man and a woman."
"I am concerned that the second sentence of this proposed constitutional
amendment is unnecessarily vague and could well trample on the rights [of the
states]," he said, adding that the second sentence lacks "clarity."
As they did during the first day of debate, opponents of the amendment
criticized supporters for ignoring "more important" issues.
"I have lots of visitors in my offices in New Jersey and here [in Washington],
and not one of them came in to talk to me about gay marriage," Sen. Frank
Lautenberg, D.-N.J. said. "They came in to talk to me about health insurance.
They came to talk to me about their pensions disappearing...."
But supporters said the amendment is necessary in order to prevent courts from
legalizing "gay marriage" nationwide. Since 2003, courts in five states have
ruled for "gay marriage." One of those (Massachusetts') came at the state
supreme court level. The other decisions have been appealed.
Additionally, lawsuits have been filed against the federal Defense of Marriage
Act, the 1996 law that gives states the option of not recognizing another
state's "gay marriages."
"I am not willing to surrender this issue to the courts," Sen. Wayne Allard, R.-Colo.,
said, arguing that the amendment "protects states' rights."
"My amendment takes the issue out of the hands of a handful of activist judges
and puts it squarely back in the hands of the people," added Allard, the
amendment's sponsor.
Sen. Sam Brownback, R.-Kan., asserted that marriage "is going to be defined"
nationally. The question, he said, is whether it will be defined by "the courts
or the legislative bodies."
"We seek to have it defined by legislative bodies," Brownback said.
Constitutional amendments require the approval of two-thirds of both the House
and Senate and three-quarters of the states. Courts cannot overturn amendments
to the U.S. Constitution.
--30--
For more information about the national debate over "gay marriage," visit
www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage.
SBC president answers Marriage
Protection Amendment questions
By Staff
WASHINGTON (BP)--Having heard various questions about the Marriage Protection
Amendment, Bobby Welch has a few answers.
Welch, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, was in attendance for
President Bush’s speech today (June 5) in support of the initiative to protect
marriage at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington.
The Daytona Beach pastor listed the questions and his answers in a telephone
interview following the president’s speech.
The questions:
-- “Why are we so adamantly in support of the marriage amendment act, beyond the
obvious [reason] that we are opposed to the homosexual lifestyle?”
-- “Why do we keep voting on this [amendment] over and over when it requires a
two-thirds vote?” That threshold wasn’t met in 2004 and may not be met in the
Senate’s deliberations this year, Welch acknowledged.
-- “Isn’t this just political jockeying, political maneuvering by Republicans
and, in particular, the president when his ratings are down?”
Welch’s answers:
Explaining his support of the Marriage Protection Amendment, Welch noted that it
“protects the people’s will. Our people obviously have a will to define marriage
as one man and one woman. And that is borne out by numerous states that have
already voted in popular elections, with overwhelmingly large numbers [for state
marriage amendments].”
But, Welch noted as an illustration, “in Georgia the people have voted 76
percent in favor of a marriage act, yet the unelected and liberal judges have
come in and overruled the people’s will.” A May 16 ruling by a state judge
against the state amendment now has moved to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Welch added, “We need to protect marriage itself as one man and one woman” not
just because it is the people’s will but the institution of marriage is
“sacred and holy to us; it the common sense approach [to family relations] and
it is the approach that morality would take.”
Concerning the Senate’s vote on a marriage amendment following a vote in 2004,
Welch said: “It takes time.”
“It takes time to inform and alert the population of what’s going on behind
their backs against their will with these liberal judges,” the SBC president
said.
And it takes time to vote officials out of office who “go against the
electorate.”
“Senators don’t come around but every six years. If you’ve got somebody going
the wrong way, it takes time to either persuade them to see the light that this
is the will of the people or, if they can’t understand that, then to get them
out of office,” Welch said.
“The amendment process to the Constitution has a very, very high bar, and so it
should,” Welch said. “The last time, we didn’t even get a simple majority, but
the odds are when they vote on it tomorrow we will get a simple majority.”
Concerning politics and the Marriage Protection Amendment, Welch noted that
supporters of the constitutional initiative who were on hand for the president’s
speech included Democrats and independents, not just Republicans.
“However, in my personal opinion,” Welch said, “if it were political, I would
say, ‘Perfect!’ because we want politicians in office, as president and other
elected officials, who demonstrate good sense, who have some morality about them
and who are not ashamed of their of their convictions -- but beyond that, who
are willing to represent the will of the people.
“So if it is political, I say, ‘Great. We need to find out’ [where the
politicians stand].
“As has been said before in the history of politics, usually the politicians see
the light when they feel the heat.” Welch said. “And when we vote on this and we
continue to see the vote increase and we continue to put the spotlight on these
liberal judges and these politicians who side with these liberal judges, then
more and more we’re going to see that light help them understand that the
population out here wants more common sense and more morality and more godliness
in the institution of marriage than is being reflected by these liberal judges.”
--30--