What is marriage?

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

From: JayDWhite (Original Message) Sent: 6/4/2006 3:47 PM
What is marriage? For some is it about the commitment of your life to another. For others it is apparently about who can be excluded. The US Congress is, again, taking up the task of considering an amendment to the US Constitution to define marriage as only being between a single man and a single woman. This is advanced with the claim that this amendment is needed to “protect” marriage. But does it?

Will this amendment reduce the rate of divorce? Will this amendment stop domestic abuse? Will this amendment guarantee that each marriage between a man and a women be perfect, and allow the couple to forever live in harmony? No, it will do none of these. So how is the amendment going to “protect” marriage?

It will do so by excluding couples that are as loving, as committed, perhaps even more so, than the traditional couples. The only difference is that these couples are of the same gender.

Without this amendment will marriage miraculously disappear if same-gender couples ever wed? The simple, and only, answer is a resounding NO! Many advance these “protect marriage” amendments with the implied claim that if same-gender couples are permitted to marry then marriage between different-gender couples will be outlawed. That is so false that it should never even be implied.

The term “marriage” is, for some, a sacred religious term. They advance a need for an amendment to protect the “sanctity” of marriage. The problem with this approach is that the governance of the US, at both the Federal and State levels, is a secular one, and can not endorse a religious precept. Marriage has been, since the founding of this great nation, a secular, not a sectarian, institution. Further if same-gender marriage becomes legal no one will be forced into one. Nor will any religious organization be forced to solemnize one.

What is it that is actually at stake? Is it the need to deny, and thus subjugate, a portion of society its constitutional protections? It seems so but the American people are far better than to lower themselves to such tactics.

We must stand up for the ideals that have made this nation great and refuse to be petty. Call your US Representatives and US Senators and demand that they do the American thing and prevent the passage of Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution!

Jay

PS Sadly I have to post and run. I am preparing for a business trip and do not know whether I'll have time to access the net. Since the vote will be something during the Jun5th week I am posting it now.

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

From: ManagerMasterGracey Sent: 6/10/2006 1:29 AM
I agree wholeheartedly with Jay. Sadly, most Americans do not see the full scope of this heinous Marriage Amendment. It is not just an anti-gay issue. It is a threat to destroy the very foundation of the United States. It is an attempt to pry a wedge into the Constitution, under the guise of protecting "traditional marriage", that would throw open the door to further treasonous desecrations of human rights and the destruction of the absolute sovereignty of American Citizens. As I have said repeatedly in the past, and will say again now, the United States is a Constitutional Republic - not a theocracy and not a democracy. We are not to be ruled by the personal religious interpretations and convictions of other people, nor by the majority opinion of mob rule. No human nor government has power to grant or deny rights, as Thomas Jefferson so clearly defined in the Declaration of Independence, because UNALIENABLE human rights come from nature, not man. In other words, it is unlawful and a crime against nature to alienate a sovereign human being from his rights. Black slavery, and the subjegation of women and children, and the harrassment of Asians and Native Americans, were ALSO deep rooted "traditional values" of this nation; yet these have been abolished. It was not just the South which assented to these criminal "traditions", as South Carolina Representitive to the Continental Congress pointed out when the South was accused in Congress of being bigoted against blacks:
"Who sail the slaver ships from BOSTON,
laiden with Bibles and gold?
Tis Boston that can boast to the Ivory Coast, saying,
'Hail Africa! The Slavers have come!
Gentlemen, I give you a toast:
Hail Boston! Hail Charleston!
Who stinketh the most?"

"Traditional" does not mean nor imply "lawful" nor "absolute value". Tradition is a man-made invention designed to cater to individual or collective desires. Jesus knew this full well, and I would quote His very words to the hateful religion folks of our country, which says,

"You make the Word of God to be of no effect by your traditions!"

"Mercy, Justice, Good Faith: these you ought to have done."

In Jesus of Nazareth,
Rev. Jim

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

From: centaur-x Sent: 6/13/2006 1:26 AM
I don't know, I was just getting comfortable with the idea of not marrying. I realize that I'm not as educated as many people and I havn't read all the articles yet so my veiws might be altered, but the bibles does say (in the old testament mind you) that marriage is between a man and a woman... it's just so confusing to interpret the bible... why doesn't God just have an information hotline or something?

[Rev. Jim Cunningham]

From: ManagerMasterGracey Sent: 6/15/2006 2:19 AM
Hi Centaur-X,

It was nice to hear from you, and thank you for your comments.

I'm confused as to where you read in the Old Testament that marriage is only between a man and woman. That doctrine is taught in many churches, but it is not contained in the Scriptures. Typically what churches usually do, whenever there is a group they wish to persecute, is try to find words in the Bible that refer to one thing and then twist it around to sound as if it was meant to support their biased views. They did this to blacks during the time of slavery. However, there is in reality not one single Bible verse that says that gays or lesbians cannot marry; and in fact, while there are some verses that forbid heterosexuals from fornicating with people of the same sex, there is not one single verse that condemns homosexuals. When you get the chance to take a look at the info on our sight, you will see each of the Bible verses that the church has twisted to use against gays, but you will discover that when you actually read the verses they say nothing against gays.

God bless you...and don't be such a stranger.
Rev. Jim