Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
#564 (6/29) What the Supreme Court Did And DIDN'T Do In Their Marriage Decisions
URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org
UPDATE
: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The morning after two important—and troubling—Supreme Court decisions in the Proposition 8 and efense of Marriage Act (DOMA) cases, here’s the lay of the land. The important takeaway: The marriage debate is every bit as live today [1] as it was yesterday morning…and that means it’s time to redouble our efforts to stand for marriage across America. Some key numbers following the decisions:
50 The number of states whose marriage laws [2] remain the same after the Court’s marriage decisions.
38 The number of states with laws defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman [2]. That includes California, where the scope of today’s Prop 8 decision beyond the specific plaintiffs will be the subject of ongoing debate and, most likely, further litigation.
12 The number of states that can now force the federal government to recognize their redefinition of marriage. The Court struck Section 3 of DOMA, which means that it must recognize same-sex marriages in states that redefine marriage.
1 The number of sections of the Defense of Marriage Act struck down yesterday (Section 3). Section 2, which ensures that no state will be forced to recognize another state’s redefinition of marriage, is still law.
0 The number of states forced to recognize other states’ redefinition of marriage.
The important news you may not be hearing is that the U.S. Supreme Court did not redefine marriage across the nation.That means the debate about marriage will continue [1]. States are free to uphold policies recognizing that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, so that children have a mother and a father.
States will lead the way even as we work to restore clear marriage policy at the federal level. And in the states, support for marriage as the union of a man and a woman remains strong [2].[emph. in this par. mine]
Still, the Court should have respected the authority of California citizens and Congress. On DOMA, the Court did not respect Congress’s authority to define marriage for the purposes of federal programs and benefits. The Court got federalism wrong [3]. On Proposition 8, the citizens of California who voted twice to pass Prop 8 should have been able to count on their Governor and Attorney General to defend the state’s constitution. That’s what democratic self-government is all about.
Now more than ever, we need to make it clear why marriage as the union of a man and a woman matters—for children, for civil society, and for limited government. As citizens, we all need to be prepared to make the case for marriage. That’s why we at Heritage have worked with allies to produce a booklet called “What You Need to Know about Marriage.” Download your free copy at TheMarriageFacts.com [4]. [emph. of this par. mine]
- Heritage President Jim DeMint [1] says the Supreme Court’s decision means the marriage debate is more crucial than ever.
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL
to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/27/morning-bell-the-supreme-courts-marriage-decisions-by-the-numbers/
URLs in this post:
[1] every bit as live today: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/26/demint-scotus-decisions-mean-marriage-debate-more-important-than-ever/
[2] marriage laws: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/25/the-facts-on-marriage-laws-in-america/
[3] The Court got federalism wrong: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/26/supreme-courts-mixed-decision-on-marriage/
[4] TheMarriageFacts.com: http://heritage.org/marriage/
Copyright © 2011 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
#563 (6/27) "The Media’s Shameful Coverage of the Abortion Debate"
URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
Breaking News: "SAME SEX " MARRIAGE: Court Strikes DOMA; Clears Way for CA Gay Marriage, CBNNews.com, Wednesday, June 26, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/June/Nation-Awaits-High-Court-Rulings-on-Gay-Marriage/ "Traditional marriage supporters expressed disappointment with the Court's ruling. "One thing is true, the Supreme Court has no authority when it comes to the nature of marriage. That authority belongs to the Creator whom our Founders declared is the source of all our rights," Rev. Rob Schenck, chairman of the Evangelical Church Alliance, said. The court's deliberations on whether to legalize same-sex marriage come as states remain split over the issue.The number of states permitting gay marriage has increased from six to 12 in the last year. But the drive to legalize it in Illinois stalled. Constitutions in 30 states still ban the practice."; best comment heard from former Ark Gov. Mike Huckabee who Tweeted: "Jesus wept." PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7) - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org
UPDATE
: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here’s what we know about the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban most abortions after 20 weeks: The Associated Press tells us that the “GOP-led House on Tuesday [6/18] passed a far-reaching anti-abortion bill.” But don’t worry, Politico adds. It is “largely symbolic: The bill will be dead on arrival in the Senate.”
All well and good — and maybe even true — but consider this: When the Gang of Eight immigration bill finally passes the Senate and the House refuses to take it up, will Politico or any other mainstream news outlet refer to the matter as “largely symbolic”? Have any of the president’s many doomed agenda items been treated similarly? Hardly.
Congress, as you’ve heard, does nothing — by which the media mean that Congress does nothing that the Beltway finds terribly significant. The assumption is embedded and codified in coverage. Bias isn’t explicit or concerted; it’s about a worldview’s dictating coverage. Immigration bills inspire journalists to find victims who are living in the shadows; abortion bills inspire them to dredge D.C. in hopes of finding some anti-science quackery — a project that invariably unearths a helpful Republican.
But if we were really looking for Todd Akin-level twaddle on abortion, we wouldn’t have to look further than Nancy Pelosi, whose brainy insights make Miss Utah sound like William F. Buckley. It’s one thing to be unable to articulate a moral distinction between baby killer Kermit Gosnell and a standard late-term abortion — maybe there is none — but it’s quite another to claim that the Republican bill “would make it a federal law that there would be no abortion in our country” (a lie) or claim that you’re unable to discuss the morality of dismembering a viable 30-week-old fetus because it is on “sacred ground.” Outside the conservative media (the question was asked by The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack). Pelosi’s incoherence was hardly worthy of discussion.
So some things matter, and other things most definitely do not. The Democrats’ ill-fated gun restriction push was never a “symbolic effort” or “far-reaching,” was it? Coverage of the Newtown, Conn., shootings — though it often had a fitting level of outrage, horror and sadness — was almost immediately turned into a debate over gun control. The Gosnell horror, when covered (which was sporadically), was sequestered from any broader discussion about morality or science or regulations or reform — or anything other than the crime itself.
You will also, no doubt, remember that nearly every piece you read about gun control recently informed you that polls found large majority numbers of Americans — the president claimed that 90 percent of Americans supported him — in favor of expanded background checks. What you may not have heard is that Gallup (and many others) consistently find that strong majorities of Americans oppose not only third-trimester abortions but second-trimester abortions, as well.
That is the reason, of course, that coverage tends to conflate all positions on abortion — throwing together those who believe that 22-week-old fetuses can feel pain and those who believe that a woman can avoid pregnancy while being raped if she prays hard enough — so they can focus on the all-important political implications (hint: terrible for Republicans) of a debate they’re already distorting. It’s a lot easier to file the entire thing under “Troglodytes and the War on Women.”
So Republicans will play the obstructionists (not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you), too busy building fortifications against progress to do anything useful but waste our time with another abortion bill. And though polls may show that gun control and immigration are also regarded as some of the least important problems facing Americans, those issues will be treated with the reverence that the Beltway press corps knows they deserve.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Congress, as you’ve heard, does nothing — by which the media mean that Congress does nothing that the Beltway finds terribly significant. The assumption is embedded and codified in coverage. Bias isn’t explicit or concerted; it’s about a worldview’s dictating coverage. Immigration bills inspire journalists to find victims who are living in the shadows; abortion bills inspire them to dredge D.C. in hopes of finding some anti-science quackery — a project that invariably unearths a helpful Republican.
But if we were really looking for Todd Akin-level twaddle on abortion, we wouldn’t have to look further than Nancy Pelosi, whose brainy insights make Miss Utah sound like William F. Buckley. It’s one thing to be unable to articulate a moral distinction between baby killer Kermit Gosnell and a standard late-term abortion — maybe there is none — but it’s quite another to claim that the Republican bill “would make it a federal law that there would be no abortion in our country” (a lie) or claim that you’re unable to discuss the morality of dismembering a viable 30-week-old fetus because it is on “sacred ground.” Outside the conservative media (the question was asked by The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack). Pelosi’s incoherence was hardly worthy of discussion.
So some things matter, and other things most definitely do not. The Democrats’ ill-fated gun restriction push was never a “symbolic effort” or “far-reaching,” was it? Coverage of the Newtown, Conn., shootings — though it often had a fitting level of outrage, horror and sadness — was almost immediately turned into a debate over gun control. The Gosnell horror, when covered (which was sporadically), was sequestered from any broader discussion about morality or science or regulations or reform — or anything other than the crime itself.
You will also, no doubt, remember that nearly every piece you read about gun control recently informed you that polls found large majority numbers of Americans — the president claimed that 90 percent of Americans supported him — in favor of expanded background checks. What you may not have heard is that Gallup (and many others) consistently find that strong majorities of Americans oppose not only third-trimester abortions but second-trimester abortions, as well.
That is the reason, of course, that coverage tends to conflate all positions on abortion — throwing together those who believe that 22-week-old fetuses can feel pain and those who believe that a woman can avoid pregnancy while being raped if she prays hard enough — so they can focus on the all-important political implications (hint: terrible for Republicans) of a debate they’re already distorting. It’s a lot easier to file the entire thing under “Troglodytes and the War on Women.”
So Republicans will play the obstructionists (not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you), too busy building fortifications against progress to do anything useful but waste our time with another abortion bill. And though polls may show that gun control and immigration are also regarded as some of the least important problems facing Americans, those issues will be treated with the reverence that the Beltway press corps knows they deserve.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
#562 (6/26) "5 Things You Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Marriage Cases"...
URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
Breaking News: "SAME SEX " MARRIAGE: Court Strikes DOMA; Clears Way for CA Gay Marriage, CBNNews.com, Wednesday, June 26, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/June/Nation-Awaits-High-Court-Rulings-on-Gay-Marriage/
"Traditional marriage supporters expressed disappointment with the Court's ruling. "One thing is true, the Supreme Court has no authority when it comes to the nature of marriage. That authority belongs to the Creator whom our Founders declared is the source of all our rights," Rev. Rob Schenck, chairman of the Evangelical Church Alliance, said. The court's deliberations on whether to legalize same-sex marriage come as states remain split over the issue.The number of states permitting gay marriage has increased from six to 12 in the last year. But the drive to legalize it in Illinois stalled. Constitutions in 30 states still ban the practice." PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7) - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org
UPDATE
: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"5 Things You Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Marriage Cases," by Ryan T. Anderson,June 22, 2013
[This] week the Supreme Court will decide two cases dealing with the definition of marriage.One concerns the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for the purposes of federal law as the union of one man and one woman. President Clinton signed DOMA into law after Congress passed it by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in 1996. The other case concerns Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment approved by California voters in 2008 defining marriage for state purposes as the union of one man and one woman.
At stake is whether citizens and their elected representatives have the constitutional authority to make laws that reflect the truth about marriage. Here are five things you need to know:
1. Courts Shouldn’t Redefine Marriage - The U.S. Constitution does not require redefining marriage. Unelected judges should not usurp the authority of citizens and their elected representatives to discuss, debate and vote on important policy matters. In a Heritage Legal Memorandum [2], John Eastman explains why marriage laws are constitutional.
2. President Obama and the Government of California Didn’t Do Their Duty - President Obama instructed Attorney General Eric Holder not to defend DOMA. The governor of California told the state’s attorney general not to defend Prop 8. These abdications of the constitutional responsibility to defend laws passed by citizens and their elected representatives sets a disturbing precedent. Their inaction distorts the balance of powers among the legislative, executive and judicial branches. This tactic allows the executive branch to effectively veto any law, simply by refusing to defend it [3] against challenge.
3. Telling the Truth About Marriage Matters for Policy - Marriage exists to bring a man and a woman together as husband and wife to be father and mother to any children their union produces. Government recognizes marriage because it is an institution that benefits society [4] in a way that no other relationship does. Marriage is society’s best way to ensure the well-being of children. State recognition of marriage protects children by encouraging men and women to commit to each other and take responsibility for their children.
4. Redefining Marriage Would Have Bad Consequences - Redefining marriage would further distance marriage from the needs of children and would deny, as a matter of policy, the ideal that a child should have both a mother and a father. It’s hard to insist that fathers are essential when the law has redefined marriage to make fathers optional. Delinking childbearing from marriage leads to more state intervention and expanded government welfare programs. Redefining marriage to abandon male-female sexual complementarity would make other essential characteristics—such as monogamy, exclusivity and permanency—arbitrary, as leading LGBT scholars and activists admit [5]. Redefining marriage is a direct and demonstrable [6] threat to religious freedom. This is already evident in Massachusetts, Illinois and Washington, D.C., where Christian adoption agencies have been forced to stop providing adoption and foster care services.
5. What You Can Do to Prepare for the Rulings - The Supreme Court’s decisions will not end the marriage debate. That’s why we need to explain well what marriage is, why marriage matters and what the consequences will be if we redefine it [4]. Whatever one thinks about marriage, the courts shouldn’t be redefining it. America should make marriage policy through the democratic process, rather than allowing unelected judges to dictate it through decisions that have no grounding in our Constitution.
To help you engage the marriage debate, Heritage worked with allies to produce a downloadable booklet [7] using everyday language to explain why marriage matters.
Additional research from Heritage on marriage:
[bold and italics emphasis (not underlined) mine]
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/22/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-supreme-courts-marriage-cases/
URLs in this post:
[1] Watch Our Short Video on Why This Matters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu-2hBGYiOM
[2] Heritage Legal Memorandum: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/the-constitutionality-of-traditional-marriage
[3] refusing to defend it: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/351478/marriage-democracy-and-court-ryan-t-anderson
[4] an institution that benefits society: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/marriage-what-it-is-why-it-matters-and-the-consequences-of-redefining-it
[5] admit: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/redefining-marriage-eroding-marital-norms-and-other-impact
[6] direct and demonstrable: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10393/
[7] downloadable booklet: http://www.heritage.org/marriage/
[8] Marriage Matters: Consequences of Redefining Marriage: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/why-marriage-matters-consequences-of-redefining-marriage
[9] What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: a Defense: http://whatismarriagebook.com/
Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Three recent articles on the online journal Public Discourse [1] examine different ways in which the institution of marriage would be affected if it is redefined to disregard the norm of sexual complementarity.
1) “Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How [2],” by University of Texas professor of sociology Mark Regnerus, predicts the effects of redefinition on marital relationships. Regnerus argues that the redefinition of marriage would, among other things, erode marital norms. The expectation of exclusivity and fidelity, for example, would give way to greater acceptance of non-exclusive or “monogamish” marriages:
Smoot also warns about the consequences of normalizing the use of surrogate wombs and sperm and egg donors to produce children artificially. He writes that “same-sex marriage will enshrine in our culture the ongoing industrialization of collecting and distributing sperm and eggs,” since same-sex couples would have to look to others for reproductive capacity.
3) Finally, Professor Matthew J. Franck argues in “Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds [4],” that the redefinition of marriage would not be accompanied by protections for those who believe marriage is—and remains, whatever policy may say about it—the union of a man and a woman:
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Jim McGlone is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here [6].
1) “Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How [2],” by University of Texas professor of sociology Mark Regnerus, predicts the effects of redefinition on marital relationships. Regnerus argues that the redefinition of marriage would, among other things, erode marital norms. The expectation of exclusivity and fidelity, for example, would give way to greater acceptance of non-exclusive or “monogamish” marriages:
"This, I predict, will be same-sex marriage’s signature effect on the institution—the institutionalization of monogamish as an acceptable marital trait.… [T]he legitimacy newly accorded [same-sex] marital unions spells opportunity for men everywhere to bend the boundaries."2) In “Children Need Our Marriage Tradition [3],” John M. Smoot, a former trial court judge of Boston’s Probate and Family Court, describes how children need a strong marriage culture to give them a life script that puts them on a track to channel their sexual desire into a stable and healthy relationship.
Smoot also warns about the consequences of normalizing the use of surrogate wombs and sperm and egg donors to produce children artificially. He writes that “same-sex marriage will enshrine in our culture the ongoing industrialization of collecting and distributing sperm and eggs,” since same-sex couples would have to look to others for reproductive capacity.
3) Finally, Professor Matthew J. Franck argues in “Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds [4],” that the redefinition of marriage would not be accompanied by protections for those who believe marriage is—and remains, whatever policy may say about it—the union of a man and a woman:
"At bottom, even the defense of religious liberty is a struggle over what is true and false about the meaning of marriage. Should the truth about marriage—that it unites men and women so that children will have fathers and mothers—be defied by the laws of the land, we cannot expect the religious freedom of those who believe in that ancient truth to be respected under the new dominion of falsehood."To help you engage in the marriage debate, The Heritage Foundation—along with the National Organization for Marriage, the Family Research Council, and the Alliance Defending Freedom—has produced What You Need to Know about Marriage [5], a free e-book available for download at TheMarriageFacts.com.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Jim McGlone is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here [6].
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/23/marriage-consequences-of-redefinition/
URLs in this post:
[1] Public Discourse: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/
[2] Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10325/
[3] Children Need Our Marriage Tradition: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10344/
[4] Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10393/
[5] What You Need to Know about Marriage: http://www.heritage.org/marriage/
[6] click here: http://www.heritage.org/about/departments/ylp.cfm
Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
#561 (6/25) "Marriage: Get Equipped for the Supreme Court’s Decisions"
URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
Same -Sex "Marriage"-Breaking News: Court Strikes DOMA; Clears Way for CA Gay Marriage CBNNews.com Wednesday, June 26, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/June/Nation-Awaits-High-Court-Rulings-on-Gay-Marriage/"...Traditional marriage supporters expressed disappointment with the court's rulings."One thing is true, the Supreme Court has no authority when it comes to the nature of marriage. That authority belongs to the Creator whom our Founders declared is the source of all our rights," Rev. Rob Schenck, chairman of the Evangelical Church Alliance, said. The court's deliberations on whether to legalize same-sex marriage come as states remain split over the issue.The number of states permitting gay marriage has increased from six to 12 in the last year. But the drive to legalize it in Illinois stalled. Constitutions in 30 states still ban the practice." PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7) - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org
UPDATE
: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"5 Things You Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Marriage Cases," by Ryan T. Anderson,June 22, 2013
[This] week the Supreme Court will decide two cases dealing with the definition of marriage.One concerns the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for the purposes of federal law as the union of one man and one woman. President Clinton signed DOMA into law after Congress passed it by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in 1996. The other case concerns Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment approved by California voters in 2008 defining marriage for state purposes as the union of one man and one woman.
At stake is whether citizens and their elected representatives have the constitutional authority to make laws that reflect the truth about marriage. Here are five things you need to know:
1. Courts Shouldn’t Redefine Marriage - The U.S. Constitution does not require redefining marriage. Unelected judges should not usurp the authority of citizens and their elected representatives to discuss, debate and vote on important policy matters. In a Heritage Legal Memorandum [2], John Eastman explains why marriage laws are constitutional.
2. President Obama and the Government of California Didn’t Do Their Duty - President Obama instructed Attorney General Eric Holder not to defend DOMA. The governor of California told the state’s attorney general not to defend Prop 8. These abdications of the constitutional responsibility to defend laws passed by citizens and their elected representatives sets a disturbing precedent. Their inaction distorts the balance of powers among the legislative, executive and judicial branches. This tactic allows the executive branch to effectively veto any law, simply by refusing to defend it [3] against challenge.
3. Telling the Truth About Marriage Matters for Policy - Marriage exists to bring a man and a woman together as husband and wife to be father and mother to any children their union produces. Government recognizes marriage because it is an institution that benefits society [4] in a way that no other relationship does. Marriage is society’s best way to ensure the well-being of children. State recognition of marriage protects children by encouraging men and women to commit to each other and take responsibility for their children.
4. Redefining Marriage Would Have Bad Consequences - Redefining marriage would further distance marriage from the needs of children and would deny, as a matter of policy, the ideal that a child should have both a mother and a father. It’s hard to insist that fathers are essential when the law has redefined marriage to make fathers optional. Delinking childbearing from marriage leads to more state intervention and expanded government welfare programs. Redefining marriage to abandon male-female sexual complementarity would make other essential characteristics—such as monogamy, exclusivity and permanency—arbitrary, as leading LGBT scholars and activists admit [5]. Redefining marriage is a direct and demonstrable [6] threat to religious freedom. This is already evident in Massachusetts, Illinois and Washington, D.C., where Christian adoption agencies have been forced to stop providing adoption and foster care services.
5. What You Can Do to Prepare for the Rulings - The Supreme Court’s decisions will not end the marriage debate. That’s why we need to explain well what marriage is, why marriage matters and what the consequences will be if we redefine it [4]. Whatever one thinks about marriage, the courts shouldn’t be redefining it. America should make marriage policy through the democratic process, rather than allowing unelected judges to dictate it through decisions that have no grounding in our Constitution.
To help you engage the marriage debate, Heritage worked with allies to produce a downloadable booklet [7] using everyday language to explain why marriage matters.
Additional research from Heritage on marriage:
[bold and italics emphasis (not underlined) mine]
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/22/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-supreme-courts-marriage-cases/
URLs in this post:
[1] Watch Our Short Video on Why This Matters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu-2hBGYiOM
[2] Heritage Legal Memorandum: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/the-constitutionality-of-traditional-marriage
[3] refusing to defend it: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/351478/marriage-democracy-and-court-ryan-t-anderson
[4] an institution that benefits society: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/marriage-what-it-is-why-it-matters-and-the-consequences-of-redefining-it
[5] admit: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/redefining-marriage-eroding-marital-norms-and-other-impact
[6] direct and demonstrable: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10393/
[7] downloadable booklet: http://www.heritage.org/marriage/
[8] Marriage Matters: Consequences of Redefining Marriage: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/why-marriage-matters-consequences-of-redefining-marriage
[9] What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: a Defense: http://whatismarriagebook.com/
Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Three recent articles on the online journal Public Discourse [1] examine different ways in which the institution of marriage would be affected if it is redefined to disregard the norm of sexual complementarity.
1) “Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How [2],” by University of Texas professor of sociology Mark Regnerus, predicts the effects of redefinition on marital relationships. Regnerus argues that the redefinition of marriage would, among other things, erode marital norms. The expectation of exclusivity and fidelity, for example, would give way to greater acceptance of non-exclusive or “monogamish” marriages:
Smoot also warns about the consequences of normalizing the use of surrogate wombs and sperm and egg donors to produce children artificially. He writes that “same-sex marriage will enshrine in our culture the ongoing industrialization of collecting and distributing sperm and eggs,” since same-sex couples would have to look to others for reproductive capacity.
3) Finally, Professor Matthew J. Franck argues in “Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds [4],” that the redefinition of marriage would not be accompanied by protections for those who believe marriage is—and remains, whatever policy may say about it—the union of a man and a woman:
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Jim McGlone is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here [6].
1) “Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How [2],” by University of Texas professor of sociology Mark Regnerus, predicts the effects of redefinition on marital relationships. Regnerus argues that the redefinition of marriage would, among other things, erode marital norms. The expectation of exclusivity and fidelity, for example, would give way to greater acceptance of non-exclusive or “monogamish” marriages:
"This, I predict, will be same-sex marriage’s signature effect on the institution—the institutionalization of monogamish as an acceptable marital trait.… [T]he legitimacy newly accorded [same-sex] marital unions spells opportunity for men everywhere to bend the boundaries."2) In “Children Need Our Marriage Tradition [3],” John M. Smoot, a former trial court judge of Boston’s Probate and Family Court, describes how children need a strong marriage culture to give them a life script that puts them on a track to channel their sexual desire into a stable and healthy relationship.
Smoot also warns about the consequences of normalizing the use of surrogate wombs and sperm and egg donors to produce children artificially. He writes that “same-sex marriage will enshrine in our culture the ongoing industrialization of collecting and distributing sperm and eggs,” since same-sex couples would have to look to others for reproductive capacity.
3) Finally, Professor Matthew J. Franck argues in “Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds [4],” that the redefinition of marriage would not be accompanied by protections for those who believe marriage is—and remains, whatever policy may say about it—the union of a man and a woman:
"At bottom, even the defense of religious liberty is a struggle over what is true and false about the meaning of marriage. Should the truth about marriage—that it unites men and women so that children will have fathers and mothers—be defied by the laws of the land, we cannot expect the religious freedom of those who believe in that ancient truth to be respected under the new dominion of falsehood."To help you engage in the marriage debate, The Heritage Foundation—along with the National Organization for Marriage, the Family Research Council, and the Alliance Defending Freedom—has produced What You Need to Know about Marriage [5], a free e-book available for download at TheMarriageFacts.com.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Jim McGlone is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here [6].
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/23/marriage-consequences-of-redefinition/
URLs in this post:
[1] Public Discourse: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/
[2] Yes, Marriage Will Change—and Here’s How: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10325/
[3] Children Need Our Marriage Tradition: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10344/
[4] Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom, Fundamentally at Odds: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10393/
[5] What You Need to Know about Marriage: http://www.heritage.org/marriage/
[6] click here: http://www.heritage.org/about/departments/ylp.cfm
Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Monday, June 24, 2013
#560 (6/24) Christian Celebrities Worth Celebrating
URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
Same -Sex "Marriage"- PLEASE PRAY WITH ME (every day untill the decision is revealed sometime THIS month.) THAT THE SUPREME COURT WILL VOTE TO UPHOLD THE 2 LAWS REVIEWED SUPPORTING A TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.. PRAY that the Court will resist any pressure to MAKE new law based on "cultural trends." PRAY as though the very future of the institution of the family is at stake because it is. PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7) - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.orgUPDATE
: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.Same -Sex "Marriage"- PLEASE PRAY WITH ME (every day untill the decision is revealed sometime THIS month.) THAT THE SUPREME COURT WILL VOTE TO UPHOLD THE 2 LAWS REVIEWED SUPPORTING A TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.. PRAY that the Court will resist any pressure to MAKE new law based on "cultural trends." PRAY as though the very future of the institution of the family is at stake because it is. PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7) - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]
American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.orgUPDATE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Tim Tebow’s Spirituality No Small Factor for Patriots Owner "- 
Faith-Based Make-Up A Positive, said Robert Kraft; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/brightspot
Two words coursed across the New England Patriot’s football world earlier this month: “Tebow,” and “spirituality.” “No coincidence,” said team owner Robert Kraft, who acknowledged the quarterback’s faith was a major factor in deciding to bring him onto the team. “He’s a winner, and the fact that spirituality is so important to him is very appealing to me,” Kraft said. Speaking at a charity event, Kraft also made two other significant statements:
“For me personally, having Tim Tebow on this team, he’s someone who believes in spirituality, he’s very competitive, works hard, and has a great attitude.” And “You can’t have enough good people around you, and [Tebow] has the added dimension of spirituality being so important to him, and that personally appeals to me a lot.” “For me personally, having Tim Tebow on this team, he’s someone who believes in spirituality, he’s very competitive, works hard, and has a great attitude.” And “You can’t have enough good people around you, and [Tebow] has the added dimension of spirituality being so important to him, and that personally appeals to me a lot.”
Tebow has never been reluctant to share his faith, as he did at an Easter service a year ago: After telling how he and his mother got on their knees and Tim asked Jesus to be his Savior and Lord, Tebow said, “I know from that moment on I went from darkness to light and my eternity was sealed because I had a relationship with Jesus Christ. … He came in and forgave my sins and I was so thankful for that. My life was eternally changed and I am eternally grateful.” [NOTE: It's been difficult to note the unfair derision this great athlete and incredible example of a man of God has had to endure from the cynical media and others. What a great encouragement that his services has been acquired by someone who recognizes the man's true worths to the team.[PRAY for Tim and others in the public spotlight who face great trial for standing for Christ. And may God raise up many others like the Patriot team owner to lend their support.]
"Gary Sinise on Mission to Serve 'America's Bravest'," By Mark Martin, June 18, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/June/Gary-Sinise-on-Mission-to-Serve-Americas-Bravest/
PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- For more than a decade, thousands of U.S. troops have been injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many celebrities work to help America's veterans, and one of the most passionate is actor Gary Sinise. The film and TV star is best-known by millions as "Lt. Dan Taylor" from the 1994 film "Forrest Gump." His portrayal of the Vietnam veteran earned him a best supporting actor nomination.
On a personal level, the role led to Sinise's involvement with the organization Disabled American Veterans and a deep devotion to the well-being of our troops. "Then September 11 came along; we deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; people started getting hurt, and the thought of what happened to our Vietnam veterans happening to our active duty folks today was very difficult for me," Sinise told CBN News. "It wasn't something I could sit back and let happen again."
So Sinise started visiting American military men and women overseas. Eventually the actor, who is also a musician, asked the United Service Organizations if he could take a band on a tour. The USO agreed and the "Lt. Dan Band" was born. "We're trying to get to every single base around the world before we're done with this journey," Sinise told the audience at a concert in Portsmouth, Va. "They deserve our attention, our respect, and our gratitude, and whatever we can do for them," he said. Sinise plays the bass in the Lt. Dan Band, and on average they play about 30 to 40 shows a year, with around 75 percent of those for USO, charities, or benefits.
Filling in the Gaps - "The VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) can only do so much and only does so much," he told CBN News. "Sometimes the VA can actually make things a little more difficult than it should be for our veterans," he added. "So thankfully, there are some good organizations out there in the non-profit world that are trying to fill those gaps, and that's why I created my foundation."
The mission of the Gary Sinise Foundation is to serve and honor veterans, first responders, their families, and others in need.In addition to building morale, the Lt. Dan Band is now on its "Building for America's Bravest" 2013 benefit concert tour. The Gary Sinise Foundation is partnering with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to build "smart" homes for the most severely injured veterans. "They're run by iPads; they have elevators; they have sensors all around," Sinise explained. "If you're confined to a wheelchair and you can't reach something, the cupboards can come down to your level and that kind of thing. So we want these warriors to come home and have an opportunity in life to at least be independent within their living space."
Sinise emphasized before the crowd at the Lt. Dan Band concert in Portsmouth, "We need to take care of you before the battle; we need to take care of you during the battle, and we need to take care of you after the battle and make sure you know that we're grateful for everything you do for us."
The Need is Great - The band will hold concerts across 10 states to help veterans. The need is great.
According to the Wounded Warrior Project, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan led to physical injuries for more than 50,000 service members. In addition, an estimated 400,000 battle combat-related stress, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. [PRAY for the average of nearly one per day who are deployed and an average of 22 a day (almost one per hour) among our veterans who commit suicide. Pray that God might sovereignly place a believer in Jesus in the circle of influence of each one with such struggles who could direct them to the love, comfort, and strength found only in our Savior and Lord Jesus.]
Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Post also had to get part of a leg amputated -- the victim of an improvised explosive device. "My limb was just mangled to the point where there was no recovery," Post explained to CBN News. "I tried to save it after a year and a half, and it just, it wasn't working. I had to give it up."
Post said his faith, family, and support groups like the Gary Sinise Foundation are critical in helping him move on with his life."God, Corps, country. That's the way it works," he shared. "I do have a family, and I'm Catholic. The support group has been amazing, and that's what it's about. When I feel like I'm down and I can't do anymore, the people around me always bring me back with the help of God."
Motivated by Faith - Sinise said his faith motivates him to reach out to veterans like Post and Zahn. "I'm Catholic. My wife's a Catholic; we've raised our kids all Catholic," Sinise said. "My daughter goes to Catholic school. They've all gone to Catholic school. Service above self is something that's a part of the faith obviously, and it's something that I've just been privileged to learn over the years."
The Wounded Warrior Project says on its website, "The greatest casualty is being forgotten." Sinise and his foundation agree, wanting to make sure every veteran feels valued. "There is a heavy cost for freedom and you are our freedom providers," he told military men and women at the Portsmouth concert.
[bold, italics, and underline emphasis generally mine]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
