Never, Never, Never Give Up on Traditional Marriage

Chuck Colson

Is it time for the “marriage battleground” to shift to religious freedom? That’s the question posed by a recent Christianity Today article in the wake of New York’s approval of same-sex “marriage.”  According to University of Virginia law professor Douglas Laycock, the answer is “Yes.” He says, “Religious conservatives who advocate traditional marriage must shift their focus to fighting for religious freedom.”

That’s because Laycock and, sadly, many others mistakenly believe in the inevitability of  same-sex “marriage.” They think that the best Christians can do now is make sure gay “marriage” laws at least provide a modicum of protection for the freedoms of those of us who believe in traditional marriage.

Yes, same-sex “marriage,” so-called, poses a grave threat to religious freedom. There have already been cases where photographers and others have been sued for refusing to participate in same-sex “wedding” ceremonies. Catholic Charities in several states has been pushed out of the adoption business because they only place children with a married mom and dad. Make no mistake: protecting religious freedom is a major priority.

Same-Sex Spin: What Americans Really Believe about Marriage

Chuck Colson

The gap is widening, we’re told. The number of Americans in favor of same-sex “marriage” is growing. Sooner or later, so-called same-sex “marriage” will be the law of the land. There’s no stopping it.

But not so fast. On June 16, the Alliance Defense Fund and Public Opinion Strategies released the results of a new scientific survey that calls all that into question.

The survey “was part of a comprehensive examination of American attitudes toward marriage,” which included both polling and focus groups for added accuracy.

The results? A full sixty-two percent of Americans agreed that “marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman.” Fifty-three percent “strongly agreed.”

Same-Sex Marriage: Debating with Substance and Style

Chuck Colson

In a debate, you are judged in two main areas: substance and style. In the debate about so-called gay “marriage,” we believers are winning on the substance. But we’re not doing very well on style.

Study after study has shown that gay “marriage” undermines the institution of marriage. In those societies where homosexual “marriage” has been tried, traditional marriage is increasingly discarded. Furthermore, the research is nearly unanimous that children do best when they grow up with a mother and a father — which gay “marriage,” by definition, denies them.

Based on all this, you might think that we are winning the debate. And yet, the tide of public opinion appears to be turning against us. According to columnist Michael Barone, “In 1996, Gallup found that Americans opposed it by a 68 percent to 27 percent margin. Last May, Gallup found Americans in favor by 53 percent to 45 percent. ... huge change in 15 years.” And a new Pew Research poll confirms this finding those in favor are in a dead heat with those who oppose it.

Black Pastors Speak Out on Obama's Gay Marriage Stance

By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor

Black pastors across the country dwelt on President Barack Obama's stance during worship services Sunday, after Obama's May 9 announcement that he supports gay marriage.

(Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Vice President Joe Biden walk together to a ceremony honoring the 2012 National Association of Police Organizations Top Cops award winners during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, May 12, 2012.

The Rev. Emmett C. Burns Jr., a politically influential black minister, held an event Sunday at his Rising Sun Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md., to publicly withdraw support from Obama over his same-sex marriage support, CNN reported. "I love the president, but I cannot support what he has done," Burns was quoted as saying at the church. He also predicted that Obama's stance would lead to his defeat in November.

Why I Condemn Obama's Support of Same-Sex Marriage

BISHOP HARRY R. JACKSON JR.

Bishop Harry Jackson

The president’s statement on Wednesday announcing he is endorsing same-sex marriage around the country is a great disappointment for many people. His decision is of great concern to those who still believe in traditional marriage.

These people fall into two major categories—those whose belief systems are informed by their spiritual background and those who have been convinced that redefining marriage will be a horrible social experiment that will further weaken America’s declining structure.

Many in the faith community have suspected for some time that the president’s announcement was coming. It seems as though the administration feels that this moment will bolster the same-sex marriage movement from the crushing defeat it experienced in North Carolina.

There are two outcomes I believe the president’s advisers have not anticipated: (1) His announcement will strengthen future campaigns for the remaining states pushing a marriage amendment. In the state of Maryland, in particular, the already-successful petition process will be injected with a new fuel of enthusiasm and intensity. (2) Although many political analysts believe this announcement will blow over by November, they seem to forget that President Bush won Florida and Ohio in 2004 because of a 7 to 11 percent shift in the black vote alone.

In this election season, we all are aware that the economy will be the big story of the day. Nonetheless, current polls show a small margin of difference between both the presidential candidates and numerous other races around the country.

It may well be that a shift in support will be precipitated by the president’s untimely decision in light of his failure to lift the economic standing of both blacks and Hispanics. These two groups are some of the nation’s most vocal opponents of same-sex marriage. A critical mass of these voters may be pulled from their political moorings, creating an opportunity for the defeat of numerous candidates around the country, including President Obama.

Bishop Harry Jackson is senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in the Washington, D.C., area and founder and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition.

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/33381-why-i-condemn-obamas-support-of-same-sex-marriage

Obama's Spiritual Adviser Rebukes President on Golden Rule, Same-Sex Marriage

By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter
May 10, 2012

The Rev. Joel Hunter of the 15,000-member Northland church, who is often referred to as President Barack Obama's spiritual adviser, said he is disappointed with the president's use of the "Golden Rule" to explain his endorsement of gay marriage.

"The Golden Rule is in the Bible but it cannot be used to contradict God's marriage pattern reaffirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-5," Hunter shared in an interview with The Christian Post. "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh?'"

Obama affirmed his support for same-sex marriage in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, which has sparked a great deal of debate in America among supporters of the traditional definition of marriage, and those who want to see gay marriage legalized.

"In the end, the values that I care most deeply about, and she (Michelle Obama) cares most deeply about is how we treat other people. We're both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but when we think about our faith the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf but it's also the Golden Rule – treat others the way you'd want to be treated," Obama stated.

Five Reasons Christians Should Continue to Oppose Gay Marriage

By Kevin DeYoung , CP Guest Contributor
May 10, 2012

Yesterday, to no one's surprise, President Obama revealed in an interview that after some "evolution" he has "concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married." This after the Vice-President came out last Sunday strongly in favor of gay marriage. Not coincidentally, the New York Times ran an article on Tuesday (an election day with a marriage amendment on one ballot) about how popular and not controversial gay television characters have become. In other words, everyone else has grown up so why don't you? It can seem like the whole world is having a gay old time, with conservative Christians the only ones refusing to party.

The temptation, then, is for Christians go silent and give up the marriage fight: "It's no use staying in this battle," we think to ourselves. "We don't have to change our personal position. We'll keep speaking the truth and upholding the Bible in our churches, but getting worked up over gay marriage in the public square is counter productive. It's a waste of time. It makes us look bad. It ruins our witness. And we've already lost. Time to throw in the towel." I understand that temptation. It is an easier way. But I do not think it is the right way, the God glorifying way, or the way of love.