The Defense of Marriage

No, this is an issue that won’t go away anytime soon. Supporters of same-sex marriage are seeking to place an initiative on the ballot in November of 2010, to bring the issue back to the voters, and seek approval for their redefinition of marriage.

The Church State Council remains adamantly in support of preserving marriage as it has been defined by every civilization and culture throughout human history. While we strongly defend the separation of church and state, marriage is most definitely NOT an issue that implicates church-state separation.  Supporters of same-sex marriage invoke moral and religious justifications equally with its opponents. The fact remains that the state regulates marriage as a civil institution, not a religious one.

The Council’s position is not anti-gay. The Council has not opposed gay rights measures, and notes that in California, domestic partnerships enjoy all the same rights as married couples that state law can provide. We do not oppose the rights of gay or lesbian couples to establish legally binding, secure and stable relationships. They do not need to be designated by the term “marriage,” which describes a unique heterosexual institution.

In the context of last year’s battles in Arizona and California over ballot propositions, the Church State Council produced extensive analysis of the issues.

Church State Council articles, blogs, etc:

• Church State Council Supports the California Marriage Amendment
• Same-sex Marriage, Censorship, and the Separation of Church and State
• The Real Issue Behind Prop 8 is Who Gets to Decide
• The Missing Topic in the Marriage Debate
• Gay Marriage and the Final Conflict

Articles by other writers:

• It's About the Kids, Stupid!
• When Gay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash
• Will Gay Rights Trample Religious Freedom?