Religion vs. LOVE?

The bill that would allow same sex marriage proposed in Maryland, was recently shot down by the hands of clergy.

Religion has been demonized for the past decade. Office buildings in Washington D.C., that once harbored the Ten Commandments have even gone so far as to remove the once honored testament of our Christian lineage. All as a result of an anti-Christianity movement started by one atheist homemaker who opposed being “forced” to honor a God that she did not believe existed.

People must truly evaluate the context in which certain legislative documents were written; namely the Constitution. The first amendment on its most basic level was created to protect the right for the citizens of the then brand new country to express themselves in written and verbal form during an era that abhorred homosexuality or anything perceived as a threat to their Christian values. These values were most often literally interpreted and effectuated by men.

Those asserting that the first amendment will be violated must clearly understand what the first amendment is ACTUALLY saying versus how individuals or groups have INFERRED what it states for their own person gain or benefit. The sentence stating: “To petition the government for a redress of grievances”, is the only portion of the first amendment that pertains to this topic, given the fact that expression in the 18th century context was nothing like it is today.

It is interesting to note that no other “brown” country (inhabited or occupied by a majority of “minorities”) condones nor accepts marriage between same sex couples. In Brazil, same sex couples have protections but still are not considered married.

Academia

There are five states and one District (DC) that allow same sex marriage. California has clarified it’s definition of legally recognized marriage by the clause “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” As of November 5, 2008 this clause is officially part of the California state constitution and infamously known as Proposition 8.

As a civil institution, marriage offers practical benefits to both partners: contractual rights having to do with taxes and all other legalize that often protect financial interests.

• 45% of Americans in their twenties believe that government should not be involved in licensing marriage. – Gallup. 2001

• 10.7% of the unmarried population report living together with unmarried partners. – U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey: 2005-2007. 12.8% of unmarried-partner households report being same-sex – U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey: 2005-2007.

• So far as we know, only the state of Vermont has civil union laws.

• States with domestic partnership laws: California, Hawaii, New York, District of Columbia

• States with pending legal matters: Massachusetts, Hawaii, Indiana, New Jersey

• Other facts worth mentioning: the only state that will perform a same-sex wedding is Massachusetts. Americans from other states may travel to Massachusetts to get married but they must check their local laws first to make sure that their Massachusetts marriage will be recognized in their state.

A Notice of Intent to Marry must be filed in Massachusetts and couples have to wait three days. If you’re an American living in a state where there is a ban on gay marriages, the state of Massachusetts will not issue a marriage licence to you.

• There are to-date 19 states that ban gay marriages: Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama.

• Same sex couples enjoy all or some state rights and benefits with respect to marriage in Vermont, California, New Jersey, District of Columbia and Connecticut. In Hawaii and Maine, however, domestic partnership laws may provide for some but not all benefits.

http://www.professorshouse.com/Relationships/Marriage-Advice/Articles/Gay-Marriages-Statistics/

Gay Couples Demographics:

The most recent census did not count gay marriages directly, so the following are estimates based on how people reported their household. It counts households with 2 members of the same sex that are unrelated.

• Total Number of Gay Couples: 594,391

• Number of People in a Couple: 1.2 Million

• State With the Most Couples: California (92,138)

• State With the Least Couples: North Dakota (703)

• Highest Concentration of Gay Couple (% of all couples): Washington, D.C. (1.29%)

• Lowest Concentration of Gay Couples (% of all couples): North and South Dakota (.22%)

Gay people make up 1-4% of the population in most cities, but are more concentrated [PDF] in metropolitan areas.

Source: 2000 Census.

Most Same Sex Couples by City

1. New York, NY: 47,000

2. Los Angeles, CA: 12,000

3. Chicago, IL: 10,000

Source: 2000 Census.

Highest LGBT Concentration by Major Metropolitan City

1. San Francisco, CA: 15.4%

2. Seattle, WA: 12.9%

3. Atlanta, GA: 12.8%

Source: 2000 Census.

Lowest LGBT Concentration by Major Metropolitan City

1. Detroit, MI: 1.5%

2. Richmond, VA: 3.4%

3. Cleveland, OH and Memphis, TN: 3.5%

Source: 2000 Census. Year 2000 Census Information on Same Sex Households. Expect these numbers to increase in 2010 more than other types of families. The 2010 census will be the first to let gay couples report as married.

Spirit

The ultimate authority states:

Do not practice homosexuality- Genesis 19:5-7; Leviticus 18:22

Homosexuals have no share in Kingdom- 1 Corinthians 6:9

Love covers all offenses- Proverbs 10:12

God gives us spirit of love 2 Timothy 1:7

“If a man lies with another man as he lies with a woman both of them have done what is detestable.” Leviticus 20:13

….But interestingly nowhere in the Bible does it state that gay men and women cannot marry each other.

Choices/SOLUTIONS

• Love ANYWAY!

o Life is too short to allow man made regulations dictate who and how you love.

o Love, joy, and happiness are omnipresent because they reside within one’s psyche and heart . Can man regulate EVERYTHING!!

• Understand

o The implications of allowing same sex marriages are far reaching.

 Potential discrimination against clergy that refuse to marry same sex couples.

 Religious entities would have to have stronger protections to ward off litigation in cases where the clergy are unwilling to marry or observe same sex marriage.

 The number of child adoptions should increase if passed for same sex couples that do not insimenate.

• Go to a lawyer and draft a “co-existence contract” to obtain the benefits of marriage (joint ownership, medical decision making capacity, financial benefits and decisions, etc.).

• Identify this movement as a HUMAN RIGHTS or a civil union struggle, not civil rights.

o Blacks and other people of color have endured a quite different battle than the one the homosexuals face.

Resources:

NOT A MORAL ISSUE: SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY†

http://www.law.uiuc.edu/lrev/publications/2000s/2010/2010_1/Gilreath.pdf

God in Government

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/11/dc_same-sex_marriage_law_proves_good_fodder_for_lawyers.html

How Gay marriage can help and hurt our understanding of marriage

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/rationaljimmy/are-the-culture-wars-comi_b_831657_80178878.html

Bill of Rights; First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights

http://www.newsweek.com/2008/12/05/our-mutual-joy.html

California has clarified it’s definition of legally recognized marriage by the clause “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” As of November 5, 2008 this clause is officially part of the California state constitution.

http://www.whatisprop8.com/