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Letter to Duluth, MN News Tribune: Many Lutherans Support Marriage Amendment

May 17, 2012 at 3:00 pm

Lutherans are the largest Protestant denomination in Minnesota. Some of them write to the Duluth News Tribune:

A headline in the News Tribune last week read, “Northland Lutherans oppose Minn. marriage amendment.” The story reported on a resolution passed by the Northeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or ELCA, in opposition to the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment, an amendment that would simply put into our state constitution our current law’s definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.

However, there are many other Lutherans who support the amendment. It is not only the case that many pastors and congregation members of the ELCA support the amendment, but there are also many other Lutheran pastors and church bodies that strongly support the marriage amendment.

Just as one example, a couple weeks ago at its tri-annual convention, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s Minnesota North District, which covers the northern two-thirds of the state, passed a resolution encouraging its pastors and congregation’s members to support, promote and vote for the amendment.

Other Lutheran church bodies and congregations, including the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), the Association of American Lutheran Churches (TAALC), the Association of Free Lutheran Churches (AFLC), and Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), also support the marriage amendment.

We are representatives of different Lutheran church bodies who agree with the historic and traditional definition of marriage. We believe the definition of marriage in the amendment as “a union of one man and one woman” is in agreement with God’s institution of marriage in the Scriptures (Genesis 2:24), a definition reaffirmed by Jesus Christ himself (Matthew 19:4-5; Mark 10:6-8), and used by Paul and others as a reflection of Christ and His bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:23-32).

Marriage as God designed it is foundational for our society. Redefining what marriage is will have adverse effects on children and on the order and stability of our broader community.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Minnesota, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

Rod Dreher: Why SSM Is Not Loving v. Virginia

May 17, 2012 at 2:30 pm

Rod Dreher at the American Conservative:

"... I know I promised y’all a post on why I don’t think the analogy between interracial marriage and same-sex marriage succeeds. I’m going to have to point you to my friend Frank Beckwith, who analyzes the issue from a legal point of view.

Excerpt:

It is clear then that the miscegenation/same-sex analogy does not work. For if the purpose of anti-miscegenation laws was racial purity, such a purpose only makes sense if people of different races have the ability by nature to marry each other. And given the fact that such marriages were a common law liberty, the anti-miscegenation laws presuppose this truth. But opponents of same-sex marriage ground their viewpoint in precisely the opposite belief: people of the same gender do not have the ability by nature to marry each other since gender complementarity is a necessary condition for marriage. Supporters of anti-miscegenation laws believed in their cause precisely because they understood that when male and female are joined in matrimony they may beget racially-mixed progeny, and these children, along with their parents, will participate in civil society and influence its cultural trajectory.

In other words, the fact that a man and a woman from different races were biologically and metaphysically capable of marrying each other, building families, and living among the general population is precisely why the race purists wanted to forbid such unions by the force of law. And because this view of marriage and its gender-complementary nature was firmly in place and the only understanding found in common law, the Supreme Court in Loving knew that racial identity was not relevant to what marriage requires of its two opposite-gender members. By injecting race into the equation, anti-miscegenation supporters were very much like contemporary same-sex marriage proponents, for in both cases they introduced a criterion other than male-female complementarity in order to promote the goals of a utopian social movement: race purity or sexual egalitarianism.

In other words, it all turns on the question: “What do you say marriage is?”

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Law, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Supreme Court | Comments (48)

300+ Coloradans Rally Under Theme "Loving All, Protecting Marriage"

May 17, 2012 at 2:00 pm

Karla Dial at CitizenLink:

More than 300 people turned out on the west side of the Colorado Capitol building today for a rally celebrating another victory for marriage, after state lawmakers killed a bill seeking to establish same-sex civil unions.

Legislators and pastors alike spoke at the gathering, urging pro-family advocates — who wore white T-shirts proclaiming “Loving All, Protecting Marriage” — to continue to stay vigilant and active.

Though a committee voted the bill down 5-4 along party lines Monday, it could re-emerge in a different form as long as the Legislature remains in a special session, which Gov. John Hickenlooper called after the civil-unions bill failed to reach the House floor for a vote last week.

... State Rep. Robert Ramirez said that for every email or phone call he received from constituents asking him to pass the civil-unions legislation, he received 35 from people asking him not to.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Civil Unions, Colorado, Events | Comments (8)

Audio: NOM's Peters Calls Out Dan Savage on Seattle Radio, Looks Forward To NOM Debate

May 17, 2012 at 1:30 pm

NOM's Thomas Peters went on KOMO Seattle radio recently to talk about Brian Brown's challenge to Dan Savage to have a civil debate about marriage:

Interviewer: "I think Dan Savage is very passionate about his defense of gay marriage and I think he's become very tired of the arguments used against it. And I think that's in part what we were witnessing when he was addressing that high school auditorium on the issue of journalism."

Peters: "Well if he's tired of the arguments he should spend time refuting them and not attacking the people who make them, and I watched most of that video and I didn't recognize any of the arguments I've seen used at the National Organization for Marriage ... in my experience gay marriage activists are very selective about which arguments they think traditional marriage proponents are actually using. The arguments we use are from reason, common sense, our legal tradition and also the social sciences in terms of how children flourish and what the public purpose of marriage is. That's nothing about what Dan went after in his speech on journalism."

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Civility, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (8)

Boxer Manny Pacquiao Banned From CA Shopping Mall Over SSM Remarks

May 17, 2012 at 1:00 pm

Los Angeles Times blog L.A. Now:

Boxer Manny Pacquiao has been banned from the Grove shopping mall because of comments he made about gay marriage.

In an interview with National Conservative Examiner, Pacquiao addressed President Obama's recent endorsement of gay marriage.

"God's words first ... obey God's law first before considering the laws of man," Pacquiao told the Examiner.

... Pacquiao struck back with a post on his official website by boxing trainer and writer Keith Terceira. Pacquiao says: "I didn't say that, that's a lie… I didn't know that quote from Leviticus because I haven't read the Book of Leviticus yet."

"I'm not against gay people.… I have a relative who is also gay," the boxer insists. "We can't help it if they were born that way. What I'm critical off are actions that violate the word of God. I only gave out my opinion that same-sex marriage is against the law of God."

On Monday night, the Grove, owned by shopping mall magnate Rick Caruso, posted a statement on Twitter saying Pacquiao is not allowed on the premises.

The tweet reads: "Boxer Manny Pacquiao is not welcome at @TheGroveLA. @TheGroveLA is a gathering place for all Angelenos, not a place for intolerance."

Pacquiao was scheduled to be interviewed Wednesday at the Grove for the TV show "Extra."

Pacquiao, a devout Catholic, is a congressman in his homeland of the Philippines, where he has a record of voting along conservative lines.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Free Speech, Marriage, MarriageADA, President Obama, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (22)

Update: Bomb Threat Which Evacuated DC Gay Organizations Under Investigation

May 17, 2012 at 12:30 pm

Again, we find any threat of violence against people or property on either side of the marriage debate to be appalling and condemn such acts unequivocally. Our condolences and best wishes to the staff of these organizations. May we all strive for a civil debate about marriage without fear of reprisal and intimidation:

The offices of 11 gay rights organizations were briefly evacuated earlier today after receiving a series of bomb threats, including one that was phoned in from California.

Among the groups whose employees were evacuated were the Human Rights Campaign, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, WTOP reports. The first threats were reported about 11:45 a.m.

All together, D.C. police evacuated two buildings—the Human Rights Campaign's headquarters at 1640 Rhode Island Avenue NW and a building at 729 15th Street NW that houses the other targeted organizations, The Washington Blade reports.

One of the threats was relayed to authorities here by the Los Angeles Police Department, which received a phone call about 8 a.m. Pacific time from someone threatening to blow up the "gay and lesbian headquarters," the Blade reports. On that tip, the LAPD called D.C. police, who as a precaution also cleared out its Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit's office in Dupont Circle.

Traffic outside the Human Rights Campaign's building was briefly blocked as police swept the area. Both buildings were eventually deemed safe and employees were allowed to return to work.

Police in both Washington and Los Angeles are still investigating the bomb threats. -- DCist

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Civility, Culture, Ethics, Human Rights Campaign, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

Video: Colorado Pastor Decides to Literally DumpStarbucks.com!

May 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Via the YouTube intro:

Pastor Bob Enyart of Denver Bible Church joins DumpStarbucks.com by pouring his Venti (20 oz) Pike blend down a Colorado sewer because the company is trying to undermine the teach[ing] of Jesus Christ that God made us male and female at the beginning of creation.

We're closing in on 40,000 of you who have chosen to Dump Starbucks by taking the pledge!

Feel free to think of your own creative ways to videotape or photograph yourself dumping Starbucks (just remember to stay safe and follow the law!). Please email links to your videos or photographs to us at [email protected].

Also, if you want to engage in some online activist, click here and "Like" this video on YouTube.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Dump Starbucks, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (17)

Frank Schubert: Obama’s Gay Marriage Gambit A Pinball Loser

May 17, 2012 at 11:00 am

Frank Schubert, President of Mission Public Affairs, in California's FlashReport:

After months of very carefully managing expectations about his “evolving” position on gay marriage, President Obama suddenly found himself last week careening between powerful forces like the steel ball in Elton John’s “pinball wizard.” His own Vice President threw him into the pinball machine, and then his Education Secretary thrust the plunger, launching him into game.

... The left is jumping for joy at their accomplishment, forcing President Obama out of the closet on gay marriage. Their celebration will be short-lived, though, because they have very likely cost him the presidency.

The presidential election is not going to be decided in states like California where George Clunie and Nancy Pelosi are cheering President Obama’s gay marriage “evolution,” but based on how voters in a series of swing states cast their ballots – states like North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada. President Obama and his buddies on the left have thrust the issue of same-sex marriage front and center in these swing states. How is that going to play? Not well for Obama.

The average margin of victory among these six swing states on marriage amendment votes was 61.33%, which almost precisely matches the vote that North Carolina voters cast last week in favor of their marriage amendment. That’s a far bigger majority than any candidate for president could ever hope to achieve in these states. Keep in mind, too, that some of the same activists who urged President Obama to endorse gay marriage were predicting the weekend before the North Carolina vote that the marriage amendment would fail. (This includes gay marriage activists and media activists at the New York Times, among other publications.) Instead, a broad and deep coalition of voters, including a plurality of Democrats, a majority of Independents and an overwhelming majority of Republicans and African Americans supported the marriage amendment.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Mitt Romney, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

Obama's Marriage Flip Flop Already Hurting Him in Arkansas Primary?

May 17, 2012 at 10:00 am

The ripple effect continues to magnify:

"...according to a Talk Business–Hendrix College poll conducted on May 10, Obamaleads John Wolfe, a virtually unknown candidate, in Arkansas’s 4th congressional district by only 7 points, 45–38

Three weeks earlier, the Talk Business–Hendrix College poll showed the president leading by 65–24 in the slightly less conservative 1st district, but that was before Obama declared his support for same-sex marriage."

...now that the president has announced his support for same-sex marriage, it’s likely the discontent among southern Democrats will only increase.

“The president’s policies are wildly unpopular in a party that has historically supported mainstream Democrats like Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton,” says Republican state representative David Sanders. “He’s got some major problems, I think. A lot of it is driven by his new position on marriage.”

To be fair to the president, Arkansas and West Virginia have been reliable Republican states in the presidential election for years. Nonetheless, “I think that [his support for same-sex marriage] presents potential problems for states like Virginia and North Carolina,” Sanders notes. It appears that Obama’s much-discussed “Appalachian problem” is still alive and kicking. -- National Review

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Politics, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (5)

NRO's Charles Cooke on The Gay Divorces

May 17, 2012 at 9:00 am

Charles Cooke, editorial associate for National Review, writes about low enthusiasm for same-sex marriage in places where it is legal, and about the high incidence of gay divorce:

"...Enthusiasm for marriage is somewhat lopsided by gender. Divorces, too. According to UCLA’s Williams Institute, two-thirds of legally recognized same-sex couples in the United States are lesbian. (Solely on the “marriage” front, in Massachusetts’s first four years, this statistic was 62 percent.) While data in the United States are clearly limited, Scandinavian countries have been at this a little longer. Denmark was the first country to introduce recognition of same-sex partnerships, coining the term “registered partnership” in 1989. Norway followed suit in 1993, and then Sweden in 1995. Again, Stockholm University’s study seems to confirm the American trend. In Norway, male same-sex marriages are 50 percent more likely to end in divorce than heterosexual marriages, and female same-sex marriages are an astonishing 167 percent more likely to be dissolved. In Sweden, the divorce risk for male-male partnerships is 50 percent higher than for heterosexual marriages, and the divorce risk for female partnerships is nearly double that for men. This should not be surprising: In the United States, women request approximately two-thirds of divorces in all forms of relationships — and have done so since the start of the 19th century — so it reasonably follows that relationships in which both partners are women are more likely to include someone who wishes to exit.

The debate over marriage does not necessarily hinge on its popularity among the eligible, and advocates of gay unions would no doubt assert that “equality” is not a numerical proposition as quickly as their opponents would aver that the very idea is a hopeless category mistake. But it is nonetheless worth noting that there is no particular groundswell — even in states and cities that have both legal gay marriage and significant numbers of homosexuals — and that, when gay couples do decide to get married, they are more likely than their straight equivalents to change their minds later." -- National Review

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Divorce, Europe, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (11)

For First Time, Obama Calls for Repeal of DOMA

May 17, 2012 at 8:00 am

Steve Fountaion at CitizenLink on Obama's continuing "evolution" towards opposing all laws which protect marriage and the right of states to define it:

During a fundraising event in New York City Monday, President Obama for the first time personally called for the repeal of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The law, which President Bill Clinton signed in 1996, defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for purposes of federal laws and regulations. It also protects individual states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.

“Requiring states like mine — which has one of the strongest marriage-protection laws in the country — to respect and uphold same-sex marriages from a state like Massachusetts would tear down marriage laws in the other 49 states,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.

Former Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickels, who sponsored the Senate version of DOMA, concurred.

“If you believe in states’ rights, then we need DOMA,” he said.

... Though the Obama administration has done several things to undermine DOMA over the last four years — including not defending it in court when it’s attacked — the president’s address Monday marked the first time he’s publicly called for the law to be repealed or struck down outright.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (13)

Obama Announcement Renews DOMA Attacks!

May 16, 2012 at 4:05 pm

Email Header Image

Dear Marriage Supporter,

President Obama's announcement of support for same-sex marriage last week is already escalating the attacks on DOMA.

The day after President Obama's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid immediately tagged along, announcing his newfound support for the cause du jour.

But he didn't stop there.

As Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid controls the senate calendar...and he told the press this weekend that he wants to see an up-or-down vote on the federal Defense of Marriage Act yet this year.

This could move fast, and there are a lot of Democratic Senators who haven't publicly declared their position on same-sex marriage, but are coming under increased pressure to toe the Obama line and support same-sex marriage. It's Obama's new plan to paint the Republican party as bigots, but he needs Democratic senators to fall in line.

Please take a moment to send a message
to your senators urging them to protect DOMA today!

And the Senate isn't the only place where marriage legislation is ramping up. In the House, Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) spearheaded a successful effort to amend the Department of Justice appropriation bill to ensure that no DOJ funds are spent attacking DOMA or any of the state marriage amendments. The amendment passed on a 245-171 vote, with 7 Republicans betraying marriage and their party by voting no.

Congress needs to hear from you!

Click here to send a message thanking Rep. Huelskamp for his leadership in the battle to protect marriage, and to let these 7 Republicans know that voters are counting on them to defend marriage.

The 7 renegade Republicans include Representatives Richard Hanna (R-NY), Nan Hayworth (R-NY), Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Lee Terry (R-NE).

There is simply no excuse for anyone in the GOP to back away from marriage. Not only is defending marriage the right thing to do, but it's a winning political issue as well. In a swing state like North Carolina, 61% of the electorate just voted to defend marriage. Republicans can scarcely afford to back away from marriage in this critical election year.

Some are pushing the argument that this election is only about jobs and the economy. But while these are important issues, the future of marriage is no less important.

Mitt Romney and Reince Priebus, head of the Republican National Committee, understand this, and NOM applauds them for quickly and strongly responding to President Obama's announcement with a powerful affirmation of marriage. These men understand that marriage—and pro-marriage voters—are critical to the success of their party. The GOP needs pro-marriage voters to turn out in force this November, and their willingness to publicly defend marriage will make a difference in how marriage supporters invest their donations and volunteer hours this November.

This is a critical issue—and President Obama has made it a centerpiece of the 2012 election campaign. Please take a moment to send a message to your representatives in Washington by clicking this link right now.

Then use the buttons below to forward this message to your friends or share on Facebook or Twitter!

Brian Brown
By Brian Brown | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (24)

DumpStarbucks.com: UK Edition

May 16, 2012 at 3:00 pm

The UK Christian Institute:

The Starbucks coffee giant says redefining marriage is one of its “core” values, and an international boycott has been launched against the company.

The boycott has been organised by American-based campaign group the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which has set up the dumpstarbucks.com website.

Director of NOM’s Corporate Fairness Project, Jonathan Baker, said Starbucks’ support for same-sex marriage goes beyond a mere statement from an executive.

“The support is not just the personal endorsement of a senior executive, but is the official corporate position of the company,” he said.

“Obviously this position does not reflect the views of all customers and employees and the NOM protest and dumpstarbucks.com is designed to enable these customers and employees to have a voice.”

... The boycott has so far attracted the support of over 36,000 people.

Since this article was posted we're now closer to 40,000! Please hop over and sign the pledge right now!

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Dump Starbucks, United Kingdom | Comments (9)

Rasmussen: In North Carolina, Romney Now Leads Obama by 8

May 16, 2012 at 2:30 pm

Pres. Obam and the Democrats chose to have their convention in Charlotte, NC because they believed they could win the state. Now that the marriage protection amendment has passed there by an overwhelming majority and Obama still chose to come out for same-sex marriage, his position in North Carolina has deteriorated substantially, according to Rasmussen:

Mitt Romney has moved out to an eight-point lead over President Obama in North Carolina after the two men were virtually tied a month ago.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Tar Heel State shows the putative Republican nominee earning 51% of the vote to Obama’s 43%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

That’s a big change from last month when Romney posted a narrow 46% to 44% lead over the president in Rasmussen Reports’ first survey of the race in North Carolina. Democrats have signaled North Carolina’s importance as a key swing state by deciding to hold their national convention in Charlotte this summer.

... Last week, 61% of North Carolina voters last week approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between only a man and a woman. The next night, Obama became the first U.S. president to publicly endorse gay marriage.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Mitt Romney, North Carolina, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (10)

Pro Wrestler Tells Marriage Supporter: "Kill Yourself" (and Worse)

May 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm

LifeSiteNews:

WWE wrestling superstar C.M. Punk strikes an aggressive pose inside the ring, but it seems he saved his hardest blows for supporters of the traditional family.

On Monday, the grappler told his Twitter followers he opposed North Carolina’s constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, which passed in a landslide on Tuesday.

One of his followers responded, “Man was meant for woman, and even the thought of homo’s make me sick.” Punk thenreplied, “Kill yourself.”

He told another supporter of the nuclear family to “drink bleach.”

... In another tweet, Punk castigated the amendment’s supporters as “So many stupid people. Bigots. Talking about what’s ‘natural.’”

Ironically, he later posted a message stating, “I am a star. I’m fighting bigots here. Zero tolerance.”

The measure, he wrote, “is ridiculous.” He added, “The human race is embarrassing. #evolve.”

The 33-year-old, born Philip Jack Brooks, is one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Civility, Culture, Marriage, North Carolina, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (13)
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