For my fellow Californians, make sure to read up on Prop 8 before the upcoming election. Below is run down from ProtectMarriage.com (A broad-based coalition of California families, community leaders, religious leaders, pro-family organizations and individuals from all walks of life who have joined together to support Proposition 8.)
The IssueCalifornia voters passed Proposition 22 in 2000 by more than 61%, saying that a marriage in California is between a man and a woman. Earlier this year, four activist judges based in San Francisco wrongly overturned the people's vote, legalizing same-sex marriage.
The Consequences
The Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage did not just overturn the will of California voters; it also redefined marriage for the rest of society, without ever asking the people themselves to accept this decision. This decision has far-reaching consequences. For example, because public schools are already required to teach the role of marriage in society as part of the curriculum, schools will now be required to teach students that gay marriage is the same as traditional marriage, starting with kindergarteners. By saying that a marriage is between "any two persons" rather than between a man and a woman, the Court decision has opened the door to any kind of "marriage." This undermines the value of marriage altogether at a time when we should be restoring marriage, not undermining it.
The Solution
Vote YES on Proposition 8 to overturn the outrageous Supreme Court decision and restore the definition of marriage that was approved by over 61% of voters. Proposition 8 is NOT an attack on gay couples and does not take away the rights that same-sex couples already have under California's domestic partner law. California law already grants domestic partners all the rights that a state can grant to a married couple. Gays have a right to their private lives, but not to change the definition of marriage for everyone else.
For Catholic Californians, you can also check out CatholicsforProtectMarriage.com.
Supporters of Prop 8 often site religious/biblical reasons for opposing gay marriage but in a secular society, it holds little weight. Those who oppose Prop 8 do so in the name of “equality for all.” Who would be opposed to that? However, marriage has always been more than the simple union of two people who love each other. It was instituted to promote and protect the foundation of family life – a husband, wife and their children – and was limited to a union of a man and woman, non-blood relatives, and non-polygamists. While marriage as an institution has suffered many blows with the break up of the family, is changing the very nature of marriage the solution? If we allow gay marriage, wouldn’t we fundamentally also have to allow legal marriages for polygamists? And what are the legal consequences for those who oppose gay marriage? Will they be prosecuted for speaking against or refusing to offer their services for gay weddings, as witnessed to ministers and business owners in Canada? There has to be a better solution for respecting the dignity of homosexuals and granting them rights in financial matters, estate planning, medical decisions, etc without tearing down traditional marriage.
I hope all of the Yes On 8 people end up with gay kids. You have no idea what you're doing! You're sponging up all these hideous ideas about religion, kids, sanctity of marriage, blah blah blah.
Sugar coat it all you like, you people are homophobic and you're setting horrible examples for your children and promoting hate and discrimination. You're doing nothing but setting this country back 200 years. Shame on you!
Discrimination is wrong, always was, and always will be. Everyone knows that eventually gays will be allowed to marry, just likes blacks and women get to vote now, and interracial marriage is now legal. Stop wasting your time and your money. Try setting a better example to your children that hate and discrimination is wrong and that religion is best left at bible study!
Get a life while you're at it!
You are promoting something that has a 50% failure rate – Marriage is not the holy grail of American society and the world will not crumble if gay people get married. God knows the true sinners will still show up for church on Sunday to be forgiven.
But no worries - there are not enough progressive thinkers in California to kill Prop 8. We live in a state full of conservatives that can recite scripture but don’t know how to use their own brains and think for themselves. The church confines and restricts people’s thinking like those caged chickens in the Prop 2 commercials. But hey, some people say the chickens like the community and comfort that those little cages provide.
If gay people are allowed to marry and are part of the status quo then that would make them like you - right? And if they are equal to you, then who will you blame all of our social, moral, and family dysfunctions on? I think the rest of us are more likely to blame…
VOTE NO ON PROP 8!!!!
SPEND YOUR MONEY WISELY
27,000 Children will die TODAY from PREVENTABLE DISEASES.We can do something about the kind of stupid poverty that sees Children dying of hunger and disease in a country of plenty for lack of 20 cent drugs that we take for granted. We have the science, we have the resources, what we dont have is the WILL. Jesus revolution of Love involves uplifting the weak, feeding the hungry, healing the sick clothing the needy, and standing up for justice.
Choose to make a difference. If our arms too busy holding on to things we feel we need to protect. We cant extend our reach far enough to offer help and compassion.
Forget the prop. learn Tolerance, Love one another..And SAVE A LIFE FOR JESUS SAKE!
Why do you choose only the part of man not lying with man? Where does it say anything about women? Are we going to accept slavery? Are we going to stone those who eat shellfish? Where does your intolerance end? Where does religion have a right on civil liberties or a place in state or federal law? When did this become a Christian country (and please don't tell me about how the country was founded by the slavery and raping of innocents in the name of religion)? How is it that my aunt who became a nun and teaches Sunday school and CCD doesn't have enough to eat while the priests eat lobster off of silver plates? How is it that she appreciates and loves me as a lesbian when the 'all-loving' church does not? How is it that you even have time to dictate what is happening elsewhere? How is it that love is infringing on your family, your children, your marriage? How do me and my wife end up in your bedroom, somehow tearing apart your marriage? Is it really that fragile?
From what I understand our religious freedoms can be taken away if this prop does not pass. We can be called discriminatory and intolerant for defining marriage as we see fit to our kids. Religious institutions can have their tax exempt status taken away for discrimination and be forced to carry out same sex marriage even if it goes against their beliefs. The ramifications for all are very serious and should be taken into consideration. Same sex couples have many legal rights and NOTHING will be taken away from them if this passes.
If prop 8 doesn't pass, and gays keep getting legally married, how long do you think before my cousin can marry Tina? He claims she's his true love. I mean, he doesn't own her, yet. It's his neighbors pet donkey, do they have to give consent?
I know it's weird, donkey's are pretty big. But she's small for her breed so they look pretty natural together. And she great with the kids. Do you think she's trying to convert them?
My question on this proposition is more where it leads. If the law won't let you limit it to a man and a woman, how can we limit it to just 2 people without this type of amendment?
I understand where you are coming from but the legalization of same sex marriage will not be a case of “let them do what they want, it doesn’t affect us.” It will reshape society and move from tolerance to open promotion of gay marriages and acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. It will also restrict people who oppose homosexual acts and force them to comply with society’s norms. Children will be taught at the youngest ages that it is normal to have two moms or two dads and those who oppose these lifestyles will be punished. (As is the case in Canada, where priests are prosecuted for speaking out and business owners are denied the right to refuse service for gay marriages and such.) As for Catholic teaching, we are obligated to promote the natural moral law and oppose that which would undermine it.
I cannot articulate this as well as I would like but this piece from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith helped me have a better understanding of the issue.
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS - CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html
I honestly don't believe that the California Supreme Court changed 'the definition of marriage for everyone else'. Nothing in that decision requires Catholics to abandon the clear teaching of their church that marriage is a sacrament that can only take place between a man and a woman. All the decision did was to permit same sex civil marriages. But marriage in the sight of God, and marriage in the eyes of the state, are two different things. The first is a spiritual union (for the purpose of forming a family), while the second is merely a legal condition. I would be false to Catholic teaching if I believed that same-sex unions can be sacramental marriages, but I know of nothing in Catholic teaching that requires me to oppose allowing civil marriages between persons of the same sex.
I think that it is wonderful how the Christen faith of all Churches have come together to keep marriage between a man and a woman scared.
Yes on Prop 8 is just the beginning of many battles I feel we will have to join together and fight. Thank you for what you have placed on the web.
God bless you and your family,
A mormon wife and mother of 2