Today marks a very dramatic shift in California’s HISTORY as well as for the United States of America. Marriage has been defined as being “between a man and a woman” since the beginning. I know you might be asking, since the beginning of what? Well, God had ordained marriage in the book of Genesis. For any one that needs another source, let’s look at the definition in Noah Webster’s first Dictionary that was published in 1828:
MAR’RIAGE, n. [L.mas, maris.] The act of uniting a man and woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and woman for life. Marriage is a contract both civil and religious, by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. Marriage was instituted by God himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and for securing the maintenance and education of children.
Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. Heb.13.
1. A feast made on the occasion of a marriage.
The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage for his son. Matt.22.
2. In a scriptural sense, the union between Christ and his church by the covenant of grace. Rev.19.
So why has Proposition 8 been such a big deal? Because it wanted to re-clarify the wording of California’s Constitutional “Family Code” definition of marriage as, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” that was previously voted in through Prop 22 by 61% in favor and then invalidated by a 4-3 decision by San Francisco judges. The previous wording before Prop 22 was, “a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of the parties capable of making that contract is necessary.”
But what about the peoples choices, equalities, and rights? Saying yes to Proposition 8 has not removed the choices from those that want to engage in a homosexual lifestyle. Saying yes to Proposition 8 has not slanted the playing field of equality; homosexuals still have the right to a civil union with legal benefits that approach or are equivalent to those of marriage. All Americans have the right to vote, no rights have been removed by saying yes to Prop 8; it is the rights of the voters that have been denied in this case. 7 MILLION (52%) CALIFORNIA VOTERS WERE DENIED THEIR RIGHTS THROUGH THE OVERTURNING OF PROPOSITION 8!
But, Antonio Villarigosa says, “Today, the sun is shining is little brighter on the Golden State, because by overturning Prop 8, a federal judge has affirmed what a majority of Californians know to be true: love doesn’t discriminate.”
I am thankful that our CREATOR and NOT man DEFINE TRUE LOVE.
What were some of the reasons that the opponents used against Prop 8? (Taken out of Prop 8 Ruling, pdf Link below)
1. It prevents each plaintiff from marrying the person of his or her choice;
2. The choice of a marriage partner is sheltered by the Fourteenth Amendment from the state’s unwarranted usurpation of that choice; and
3. California’s provision of a domestic partnership —— a status giving same-sex couples the rights and responsibilities of marriage without providing marriage —— does not afford plaintiffs an adequate substitute for marriage and, by disabling plaintiffs from marrying the person of their choice, invidiously discriminates, without justification, against plaintiffs and others who seek to marry a person of the same sex.
To Perry, marriage would provide access to the language to describe her relationship with Stier: “I’m a 45-year-old woman. I have been in love with a woman for 10 years and I don’t have a word to tell anybody about that.”
- Marriage is not the word to describe a relationship between two female partners.
To Stier Marriage would be a way to tell “our friends, our family, our society, our community, our parents * * * and each other that this is a lifetime commitment * * * we are not girlfriends. We are not partners. We are married.”
- You can still have a lifetime commitment without being married.
To Katami, marriage to Zarrillo would solidify their relationship and provide them the foundation they seek to raise a family together, explaining that for them, “the timeline has always been marriage first, before family.
- Marriage is the foundation between a man and a women and the foundation for a strong family.
To check out the 138 page article on the Prop 8 Ruling click below:
prop8ruling
If our basic rights are being overturned and our basic definitions of words are being redefined so that people can have their choice without being wrong…then at what point do we stop and realize we have lost everything that has been defined?
Lord, I thank You that You spoke everything into existence with Your Word, and that You uphold Your Word, and that Your Words will not be broken or redefined, but Your Words are the DEFINITION for ETERNITY! AMEN.
Keep praying,
Patrick Judah
