Justin Taylor has a good summary in Q&A form showing that Christians and Mormons don’t believe the same thing. Because of the prominence of some Mormons in our culture, it is important for Christians to be clear on this. Please take the time to read this piece about the differences between Christians and Mormons.
Last week, a federal judge overturned California’s ban on gay marriage—a measure that was added to the state’s constitution through a 2008 ballot effort called Proposition 8. Federal district judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was a violation of the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment (page 109). The judge immediately stayed his own decision pending appeals, so gay marriages will not be performed until the issue is resolved in the higher courts. Read the decision here.
The next stop for this case is the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—a court well-known for leaning left on social issues and which will almost certainly rubber-stamp the lower court’s decision. The next stop will then be the Supreme Court. That is where the showdown will be and where there won’t be any rubber-stamps. In fact, I think the Supreme Court could overturn this. But if Justice Anthony Kennedy is the tie-breaking vote (as many expect him to be), who knows how this will end up?
I think the court’s decision last week sets a horrible precedent. The court didn’t merely strike down a law enacted by the state’s legislature. Proposition 8 is an amendment to California’s constitution that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The court ruled that this part of the state’s constitution was a violation of the U.S. constitution.
Just so you understand the implications of this. If the Supreme Court were to uphold this ruling, it would immediately overturn constitutional amendments and laws in 45 states that define marriage as between one man and one woman. If you are reading this in America, chances are you live in a state that has enacted a ban on gay marriage. The law in your state is now on the line. In short if the Supreme Court would uphold this decision, it would be the most egregious overreach of the high court since Roe v. Wade. It would also polarize the nation just as much if not more than the Roe v. Wade decision did.
Another disappointing aspect of this decision is that the judge sided with plaintiffs who brought in witnesses to show how evangelical Christianity in particular leads to abuse of gay people. Throughout the trial, the plaintiff’s subtext has been that Christianity promotes bigotry. This idea is gaining traction not just in this court, but in the culture at large. Christians who prize the Bible’s teaching on marriage will likely find themselves in very uncomfortable territory in the not too distant future. Faithfulness to Christ on this point will earn us the status of a pariah and bigot. And now with the legal situation changing, Christians will also have to deal with a host of unforeseen consequences that will likely result in diminishing religious liberty.
Among the most troubling aspects of this decision are these:
“The gender of a child’s parent is not a factor in a child’s adjustment. The sexual orientation of an individual does not determine whether the individual can be a good parent… Children do not need to be raised by a male parent and a female parent to be well-adjusted” (p. 97).
“Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians” (p. 103).
“Gender is not relevant to the state in determining spouses’ obligations to each other and to their dependents” (p. 115).
“That the majority of California voters supported Proposition 8 is irrelevant” (p. 118).
“Sexual orientation discrimination is thus a phenomenon distinct from, but related to, sex discrimination” (p. 122).
“The court determines that plaintiff’s equal protection claim is based on sexual orientation, but this claim is equivalent to a claim of discrimination based on sex” (p. 123).
“The tradition of restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples does not further any state interest. Rather, the evidence shows that Proposition 8 harms the state’s interest in equality, because it mandates that men and women be treated differently based only on antiquated and discredited notions of gender” (p. 126).
“The evidence shows conclusively that moral and religious views form the only basis for a belief that same-sex couples are different from opposite-sex couples… These interests do not provide a rational basis supporting Proposition 8” (pp. 132-33).
“Moral disapproval alone is an improper basis on which to deny rights to gay men and lesbians” (p. 137).
Anyone who thinks they don’t have a stake in this case is burying their head in the sand. Massive social change is just around the corner, and the ground is moving beneath our feet. This judge declares that “religious beliefs” are no rational basis for law, that fathers or mothers are expendable in child-rearing, that the elected will of the majority of voters is irrelevant, and that homosexuals are a protected class. These statements represent nothing less than a legal and societal revolution. The implications of this decision—if upheld by the Supreme Court—are far-reaching, and I am concerned that many Americans are not paying attention to what could become the most significant legal decision of their lifetimes.
In the years to come, the issue of homosexuality and marriage will be a touchstone issue for evangelicals. It will be an issue that divides the men from the boys. It will test who will be willing to take a hit for the truth and who will shrink back. In other words, it will ferret out for us who is willing to take their lumps for the Bible and who will not.
Stay tuned.
Sources:
Jesse McKinley and John Schwartz, “Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Ban in California” (NY Times)
Michael Foust, “Landmark: Judge overturns Calif. ‘gay marriage’ ban” (Baptist Press)
This past Friday, Dr. Charles Stanley delivered a prophetic, powerful, sobering 4th of July message about a dangerous spiritual tide that is engulfing the country and the desperate need for prayer.
“America currently stands in a very dangerous position, said renowned pastor and author Dr. Charles Stanley. Today more than ever, the country is turning away from God and moving closer toward socialism, he warned. And the consequences will be grave.”
You can read an article about Dr. Stanley’s message here.
I encourage you to pray about making the commit to spend the next 140 days praying and asking God to turn our great nation back to Him. If you are willing to commit to praying for God to turn the tide in this nation, I encourage you to visit the InTouch website and pledge to pray for our nation for the next 140 days. While you are visiting the InTouch website, you can watch the video of Dr. Stanley’s message or purchase a copy of his message.
