"....if same-sex marriage becomes a recognized civil right, there will be substantial conflicts with religious freedom. And in some important areas, religious freedom may be diminished." (The Divine Institution of Marriage)
I blog-jacked this from a friends blog (thanks Kim)....
If proposition 102 DOES NOT pass...
1. Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage . The California Education Code (§51890) already requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage. Therefore, unless Proposition 8 passes (similar to Arizona's Prop 102), children will be taught that marriage is a relation between any two adults regardless of gender. There will be serious clashes between the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs. Note: California has already seen an influx of people pulling their kids from public schools and now they are working on banning home schooling. What will you do then?
2. It will lead to more government intrusion into private lives. A photographer in Albuquerque refused to photograph a lesbian couple's civil union ceremony. The New Mexico Human Rights Commission fined the photographer $6000 even though there were other photographers willing to accept the business. And this in a state where same-sex marriage is still illegal.
3. It will lead to speech monitors. An employee at the City of Oakland was threatened with termination for using the terms 'natural family, marriage and family values' while discussing a public issue with co-workers. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal backed up the district court saying administrative efficiency in a government office is more important than. Today it's municipal employees; tomorrow...who?
4. Anti-discrimination regulations will become more important than religious beliefs. In Vista, California, a lesbian couple sued a doctor who refused to perform a requested artificial insemination because of the doctor's religious beliefs. Although another doctor offered to do the procedure, the California Supreme Court held unanimously that the '1st Amendment's right to the free exercise of religion does not exempt defendant physicians here from conforming their conduct to the antidiscrimination requirements.' An elective procedure, no emergency involved, another doctor willing to do the procedure. Anti-bias laws still outweigh religion.
5. Churches will be sued over their tax-exempt status if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings open to the public. While pastors, priests, ministers, bishops, and rabbis may not be forced to conduct such marriages themselves, they will be required to allow such marriages in their chapels and sanctuaries.
6. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston has already closed its doors because of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
7. Religions that sponsor private schools with married-student housing will be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if counter to church doctrine, or risk lawsuits over tax exemptions and related benefits.
8. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued for hate speech and could be fined by the government. It has already happened in Canada, one of six countries that have legalized gay marriage. If a government agency such as the Alberta Human Rights Commission can stop a minister from teaching his church's doctrine about marriage, then it won't be long before everyone's free speech rights will be in jeopardy.
9. It will cost everyone more money. This change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits, including some already decided adversely. Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today's activist judges), think of the money - your money, your church contributions - that will be spent on legal battles.Think of a world where Human Rights Commissions - unelected bureaucrats with unfettered authority - are judge, jury, and executioner of anything they feel is antagonistic speech toward same-sex marriage and its practitioners.
Think of a world where the judicial system relegates long-held religious beliefs to second-class importance behind anti-bias laws and a newly discovered protected class of people.
Think of a world where the public school system is required to teach values and beliefs to your children that may conflict with your own.
Think of the very real threat to your parental rights, your free speech, your freedom of religion. And think of all the unintended consequences that we cannot even foresee at this time. Where will it end?
It's your children, your grandchildren, your money, and your freedoms. Lets work together to protect them.
"We already have a law, why do we need to ammend the constitution?"
27 other states have already ammended their constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a women. The majority of the vote in California approved a law defining marriage as between a man and a women, but because there was not an ammendment the judges took it upon themselves to change the law and no vote was needed to do that.
"My vote does not count, it is going to happen anyway, I have no say"
This is NOT true! We need everyone's votes! If you take a stand and vote and make sure your neighbors, family and friends understand the importance of their vote we can make a huge difference and make our opinions be heard! VOTE!!! The deadline to register to vote is OCTOBER 6TH and the deadline to request early ballots is October 24th. GO HERE to register to vote! If you are in Pinal County make sure the county on your registration reflects that-not Maricopa or your vote will not count.
"What else can I do besides vote?"
#1-talk to all of your friends and family. This is the most effective way to spread the word and share the facts.
GO HERE to order these magnets for your car for FREE!
GO HERE to order signs, bumper stickers, early ballots, and registration information. You can also go here (http://www.yesformarriage.com/) to volunteer (phone calls, office work, host an event, distribute materials, etc).
Although, we ultimately have the free agency to vote as we wish, the leaders of our church and many others have come out in support of PROP 102 and similar ammendments in other states including California because they understand the ramifications of not ammending the constitutions to reflect marriage as between a man and a women, and we need to back it as well. GO HERE to read the release from The First Presidency of the Church regarding the Institution of Marriage and our families that is being threatened. I hope after reading this you can feel as passionate and determined about this as I am. I am seriously scared for my children if this does not pass and similar things start happening here that have happened in CA and the EU.
VOTE "YES" ON PROP 102
3 comments:
I totally agree with you...although I didn't know that churches will be REQUIRED to allow same sex marriages inside their buildings...that is shocking!
It's too bad McCain doesn't support an ammendent to the U.S. Constitution. I remember a few years back when we were all sending emails and calls to his office asking him to vote yes on that issue...but he didn't. The whole country is moving left, isn't it?
Thanks for all of this info. We are not voting on this issue in Utah yet, but we all need to be aware, because it'll eventually come to each state.
Wow! This is awesome. Thank you for posting it. I am totally with you on some peoples lack of support for this. I may jack this post too and email it out to my family and friends.
Heidi
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