The Divine Institution of Marriage...

This last week was motivational for me. I was able to work the phones in calling those in the San Diego to encourage them to vote Yes on Proposition 8. Wednesday night was a fireside broadcast by church leaders from Salt Lake City, encouraging and outlining the ways the church is helping in this effort. Firstly, I am so grateful to know that God cares about this matter, that we are in a unique situation, place and time. I have talked to some people who are under the assumption that this Proposition will take away rights of homosexual couples. It DOES NO SUCH thing. This proposition defines what marriage will be in the state of California. California recognizes same sex civil unions, allowing those couples to receive the same benefits, tax status, rights, recognition as any other couple who are domestic partners or that have civil unions, heterosexual couples included in that. The taking away of rights IS NOT THE ISSUE.

I don't understand why folks who have rejected the traditional marriage definition want to TAKE AWAY MY RIGHTS TO BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE IS ONLY BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. And they have rejected it. There was a choice involved in this. And now MY CHOICE TO BELIEVE IN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE is being threatened. I have every right granted under the US Constitution to believe and practice my religion the way I want. I have every right to go to a church that teaches what I believe, not what the state mandates I need to accept. I cannot believe, that we in California are allowing 4 judges to mandate what we believe. I truly believe, that if this proposition passes, it will be like turning over my beliefs to the state. The state could then mandate what marriages must be performed in church buildings, what children must learn in public schools. I DO NOT WANT MY CHILDREN taught that same-sex marriage is an equally recognized institution to traditional marriage. I would pull my children from public school before I allowed them to be taught that. It goes against my religious beliefs. The state courts are on the edge of infringing on our religious beliefs and rights. This is our opportunity to stand up and be a voice of reason when our court systems seem to be lacking in that.