A look at current events from the point of a view of a Conservative Evangelical Christian who stands firmly on the Word of God (that's the Bible for those of you at Berkley) and stands behind the Constitution of the United States of America. So grab yourself a big cup of java, kick back in your chair and enjoy another member of the "vast right wing conspiracy" making his voice heard.

Friday, May 16, 2008

California Supreme Court Redefines Marriage

I was in the library with my son earlier, and as he looked for books for himself i thumbed through this great little book about our own US Constitution. It reminded me of the good old days when every vote counted, everyone vote carried the same weight, and elections meant something. Since 2000, with Algore counting only the votes he thought were necessary to win and the debacle with the democrats this year...those days are long gone; but what has taken place in California with their state Supreme Court ruling against the will of the voters, it appears a new low has been reached. This was written today by Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on his blog.

The California Supreme Court's 4-3 decision striking down the state's definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman throws open the door for a massive redefinition of human relationships. The people of California approved Proposition 22 by a huge margin in 2000, clearly stating their understanding of marriage and their desire to protect marriage from legal revision. By a one-vote margin, their state Supreme Court renounced the will of the people. The ruling is both revolutionary and radical. It sets the stage for a much broader reorganization of human society.

Chief Justice Ronald M. George, writing for the majority, pushed the argument for same-sex marriage far beyond where any court had taken it before. The decision identified marriage as a "fundamental right," thus opening the door for infinite challenges beyond same-sex marriage.

The court also declared sexual orientation to be a class protected by a "strict scrutiny" test of all legislation and regulation. In so doing, the California court became the first in the nation to apply this test on the basis of sexual orientation. This move also opens the door for much broader challenges to laws and regulations across the board.

Unless stayed by another court, the ruling takes effect in 30 days, when California authorities will be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. California voters will have another opportunity to protect marriage in November, when a proposed constitutional amendment will come before the electorate. The stakes now could not be higher.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what? Gay marriage doesn't affect my marriage in the slightest, and I doubt that you're going to be forced to perform gay ceremonies, even if it becomes legal in whichever state you live in--Mississippi or Arkansas or whatever.

boBByd said...

A gay marriage in California must now be recognized in any and all states. Does that effect my marriage or yours...of course not. And although i now living in AR (not MS...not sure if that was your attempt to make a negative comment about the South in general), should i find myself in CA, i have to worry about how that affects how i do my job; and how it may affect my job in the future if more states begin to recognize this "marriage" law. Should i now have to entertain their lifestyles by peforming a mockery of a wedding for them? And if i don't what will those consequences be for me or my church? Will we lose our tax exempt status for making an alleged "political statement" or will i get sued for discrimination?
As much as you may think this is a non-issue, it really is a huge issue in many, MANY ways.