Principles of Advocacy and Public Policy

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MarriageUnderFire.pdf

MARRIAGE UNDER FIRE

J a m e s C . D o b s o n , P h . D .

July 2011 Newsletter

 

 

        July  2011         Dear  Readers,     Behold,  the  institution  of  marriage!    It  is  one  of  the  most  marvelous  and  enduring  gifts  to  humankind.  This   divine  plan  was  revealed  to  Adam  and  Eve  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  and  then  described  succinctly  in  Genesis   2:24,  where  we  read,  “For  this  cause,  a  man  shall   leave  his   father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife,  and   they  shall  be  one   flesh.”    With   those  20  words,   the  Creator  announced   the  ordination  of   the   family,   long   before  He  established  the  two  other  great  human  institutions,  the  government  and  the  church.  Notice  that   there  is  no  mention  in  this  verse,  or  any  other,  of  same-­‐sex  marriage.     More  than  5,000  years  have  come  and  gone  since  that  point  of  origin,  yet  every  civilization  in  the  history  of   the  world  has  been  built  upon   it.    Despite   today’s   skeptics  who  claim   that  marriage   is  an  outmoded  and   narrow-­‐minded  Christian  concoction,   the  desire  of  men  and  women   to   “leave”  and   “cleave”  has   survived   and   thrived   through   times   of   prosperity,   peace,   famine,   wars,   epidemics,   and   every   other   possible   circumstance  and  condition.  It  has  been  the  bedrock  of  culture  in  Asia,  Africa,  Europe,  North  America,  South   America,  Australia,   and  even  Antarctica.  Given   this  unbroken  continuity,  one  might  begin   to   suspect   that   something  mystical  within   human  nature  must   be   drawing   the   sexes   together—not   just   for   purposes   of   reproduction   as  with   animals—but   to   satisfy   an   inexpressible   longing   for   companionship,   intimacy   and   spiritual  bonding.    Indeed,  how  can  it  be  doubted?    It  finds  its  expression  in  the  institution  of  marriage.     Marriage   represents   the   very   foundation   of   human   social   order.     Everything   of   value   sits   on   that   base.   Institutions,   governments,   religious   fervor   and   the  welfare   of   children   are   all   dependent   on   its   stability.   When  it  is  weakened  or  undermined,  the  entire  superstructure  begins  to  wobble.    Admittedly,  there  have   been  periods   in   history  where   homosexuality   has   flourished,   such   as   in   the   biblical   cities   of   Sodom  and   Gomorrah,  in  ancient  Greece  and  in  the  Roman  Empire.    None  of  these  civilizations  survived.    Even  where   sexual  perversion  was  tolerated,  marriage  continued  to  be  honored  in  law  and  custom.       But,  as  we  all  know,  liberal  forces  within  the  American  culture  are  working  night  and  day  to  bring  about  a   redefinition  and   complete   restructuring  of  marriage.    As   you  have  heard,   the  New  York  State   legislature   voted   to   legalize   same   sex   marriage   on   June   24th,   making   it   the   sixth   state   in   the   union   to   take   this   momentous  step.1  How  ominous  this  is  for  the  welfare  of  the  nation.       “With  one  vote,”  wrote  Family  Research  Council  president  Tony  Perkins,  “New  York  forced  more  Americans   to  bow  to  its  twisted  definition  of  marriage  than  the  combined  population  of  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,   Vermont,  New  Hampshire,   Iowa,   and   the  District  of  Columbia.    And  none  of   it  would  have  been  possible   without  the  political  cowardice  of  New  York  Republicans.”2     It  is  true.  Passage  of  the  legislation  had  been  made  possible  by  Republican  legislators  who  abandoned  their   earlier   opposition   after   being   enticed   by   huge   campaign   contributions   from   Wall   Street   and   from   homosexual  activists.3    Former  Republican  National  Committee  chairman,  Ken  Mehlman,   raised  a  million   dollars  for  the  campaign,4  and  leftist  millionaire  Tim  Gill  and  his  Gill  Action  Fund  sweetened  the  deal  with   enormous  contributions.5  A  few  words  describe  the  flip  flopping  by  four  members  of  the  GOP  —  they  are   “bought  off,”  “duck  and  cover,”  “self  serving,”  and  “caved  in.”     There  was  jubilation  in  the  State  Capitol  as  Governor  Andrew  Cuomo  strode  onto  the  Senate  floor  to  wave   at  cheering  supporters  who  crowded  into  the  galleries  to  watch.  Among  those  celebrating  the  victory  four   days   later   was   President   Barack   Obama,   whose   administration   has   been   working   behind   the   scenes   to  

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promote  the  redefinition  of  marriage.    While  he  has  professed  from  the  days  of  his  campaign  not  to  support   same  sex  unions,  these  are  his  candid  reactions  to  the  decision  in  New  York.      

“This   administration,   under  my   direction,   has   consistently   said  we   cannot   discriminate   as   a   country  against  people  on  the  basis  of  sexual  orientation.  And  we  have  done  more  in  the  two   and   a   half   years   that   I’ve   been   in   here   than   the   previous   43   presidents   to   uphold   that  principle...”     “What  I’ve  seen  happen  over  the  last  several  years,  and  what  happened  in  New  York  last  week,   I  think  was  a  good  thing.  Because  what  you  saw  was  the  people  of  New  York  having  a  debate,   talking  through  these  issues.”6    

This   is   phony-­‐baloney.     In   what   context   did   the   people   of   New   York   have   a   “debate”   about   same   sex   marriage?    They  had  no  say  in  it.    Marriage  was  hijacked  by  liberals  and  political  powerbrokers  in  New  York   and  throughout  the  country.    Ultimately,  they  had  their  way.     Speaking  again  of  the  President,  The  New  York  Times  reported  a  couple  of  weeks  ago  that  he  is  on  the  verge   of  publicly  endorsing  same-­‐sex  marriage.7    The  White  House  has  been  debating  when  to  come  out  of   the   closet   for   some   time.     The   Times   also   said   Obama   recently   attended   a   fundraising   “Gala   with   the   Gay   Community,”8  and  hosted  a  “gay  pride”  reception  at  the  White  House.9    Sounds  like  the  fix  is  in,  doesn’t  it?     You’ll   recall   that   the   President   also   ordered   the   Department   of   Justice   not   to   defend   the   Defense   of   Marriage  Act  (DOMA)  in  the  courts,10  despite  the  fact  that  in  1996,  the  Senate  passed  that  legislation  by  a   vote  of  85-­‐14,11  and  the  House  of  Representatives  approved  it  by  a  342-­‐67  margin.12  Then  President  Clinton   signed  the  bill  and  it  has  been  the  law  of  the  land  for  16  years.13     Because   the  Department  of   Justice  has  been  ordered  not   to  defend  DOMA  against  attack,   it  may  soon  be   struck  down  by  the  courts.    That  would  affect  the  citizens  of  nearly  every  state  in  the  nation.    Obama,  acting   like  an  autocratic  Justice,  simply  overrode  the  actions  of  the  Congress.  The  Separation  of  Powers  prescribed   in   the   Constitution  was   ignored.     Clearly,   the   President   is   committed   to   homosexual   activism,   including   implementation  of  a  radical  social  experiment.       The  family  is  facing  formidable  foes  in  every  dimension  of  the  culture.    The  most  powerful  among  them  are   the  federal  and  state  courts,  which  are  determined  to  impose  their  will  on  the  American  people.    The  U.S.   Court  of  Appeals  for  the  9th  Circuit  is  a  prime  example  of  this  threat,  which  may  soon  declare  Proposition  8   unconstitutional.     That   amendment  was   enacted   by   7  million   Californians  who   declared  marriage   to   be   exclusively  between  one  man  and  one  woman.14  If  Proposition  8  is  overturned,  the  case  will  likely  go  to  the   U.S.  Supreme  Court,  where  anything  could  happen.       If   there  ever  was  a  time  when  Christian  people  should   fight   for  what  they  believe,   this   is   it.    Solidarity   is   critical.    And  yet,  regrettably,  some  Christian  leaders  are  saying  that  the  battle  has  been  lost,  and  that  the   family  of  the  future  will  be  increasingly  compromised.    Some  have  even  told  their  constituencies  to  get  used   to  same  sex  marriage.  They  are  tragically  wrong.     We  have  striking  new  evidence  that  public  support   for  marriage  as  an   institution   involving  one  man  and   one  woman  is  rock  solid,  despite  what  the  cultural  elites,  politicians  and  judges  are  trying  to  accomplish.     Divorce   is   still   a   serious   problem,   of   course,   but   the   majority   of   Americans   believe   in   the   traditional   definition  of  marriage.    Further,  it  isn’t  losing  ground;  it  is  gaining  support.         Consider   these   findings:     The   Alliance   Defense   Fund,   led   by   my   valued   friend   Alan   Sears,   recently   commissioned   an   organization   called   Public   Opinion   Strategies   (POS)   to   conduct   a   national   survey   on   marriage.    POS  regularly  provides  polling  for  members  of  Congress,  the  Wall  Street  Journal,  National  Public   Radio,  Fortune  100  companies  and  many  others.  In  response  to  the  request  by  the  Alliance  Defense  Fund,   POS  surveyed  more  than  1,500  adults  in  May  2011  and  found  that  62  percent  of  Americans  agreed  with  the  

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statement,  “I  believe  marriage  should  be  defined  only  as  the  union  of  one  man  and  one  woman.”15  Only  35   percent  disagreed!16     Other  developments  validate  these  findings.    Voters  in  thirty-­‐one  states  have  participated  in  statewide  elections   for   the  purpose  of  defining  marriage.    All  31  of   them,  without  exception,  have  defined   it  exclusively  as  being   between  one  man  and  one  woman.17    The  results  were  the  same  whether  they  were  in  large  states,  small  states,   liberal  states,  conservative  states,  prosperous  states,  poor  states,   industrialized  states  and  agricultural  states.     The  majority  of  the  electorate  came  to  the  same  conclusion.     Here’s   more   hard   evidence.     In   30   of   the   31   states   referred   to   above,   63   million   Americans   voted   on   constitutional   marriage   amendments,   and   40   million   of   them   (63   percent   of   total   voters),   affirmed   marriage  as  the  union  between  a  man  and  a  woman.18    In  the  31st  state  (Maine),  voters  overruled  their  state   legislature  and  governor—who  had  signed  a  same-­‐sex  marriage  bill—and  restored  marriage  as  one  man   and  one  woman  in  their  state.  Can  there  be  any  doubt  how  the  majority  of  our  citizens  feel  about  this  issue?       Despite  this  good  news,  I  am  still  deeply  concerned  about  the  institution  of  the  family.    It  is  because  I  fear   the  people  will  not  be  permitted   to  make  decisions   for   themselves  and   the  country.  Given   the   imperious   courts  and  the  influence  of  liberal  politicians,  the  wishes  of  the  American  people  could  be  overridden.    It  is   a  battle  for  the  very  soul  of  the  nation.       What  would  be  the  consequences  of  losing  this  cultural  war?    It  would  be  a  social  and  international  disaster   for  six  reasons  as  spelled  out  in  my  book,  Marriage  Under  Fire.       1.    The  legalization  of  homosexual  marriage  would  destroy  the  traditional  family.  

  When   the   State   sanctions   homosexual   unions   and   gives   them   the   blessing   of   the   law,   the   younger   generation   is   confused   about   sexual   identity   and   quickly   loses   its   understanding   of   lifelong   commitments,   emotional   bonding,   sexual   purity,   the   role   of   children   in   a   family,   and   from  a   spiritual   perspective,  the  “sanctity”  of  marriage.    It  is  reduced  to  something  of  a  partnership  (cohabitation)  that   provides   attractive   benefits   and   sexual   convenience,   but   cannot   achieve   the   intimacy   described   in   Genesis  2:24.    Cohabitation  and  short-­term  relationships  are  the  inevitable  result.         Ask  the  Norwegians,  the  Swedes  and  the  people  from  the  Netherlands.    This  is  exactly  what  is  happening   there.    Indeed,  more  than  80  percent  of  the  children  in  some  areas  of  Norway  are  born  out  of  wedlock.19   It  comes  down  to  this:  same-­sex  marriage  and  de-­facto  marital  unions  destroy  the  Real  Deal.    These  two   entities  cannot  co-­exist  because  they  represent  opposite  ends  of  the  universe.           It  is  also  true  that  the  introduction  of  gay  marriage  will  set  the  table  for  polygamy  because  there  is  no   place  to  stop  once  that  Rubicon  has  been  crossed.  Historically,  the  definition  of  marriage  has  rested  on  a   foundation  of  tradition,  legal  precedent,  theology  and  the  overwhelming  support  of  the  people.  After  the   introduction   of   marriage   between   homosexuals,   however,   it   will   be   supported   by   nothing   more   substantial   than   the   rulings   handed   down   by   individual   judges   or   by   a   black-­robed   panel   of   justices.   After   they  have   reached   their  decisions  and  made   them   the   law  of   the   land,   the   family  will   consist   of   little  more  than  someone’s  interpretation  of  “rights.”  Given  that  unstable  legal  climate,  it  is  certain  that   some  self-­possessed  judge,  somewhere,  will  rule  that  three  men  or  three  women  can  marry.  Or  five  men   and  two  women,  or  four  and  four.  Who  will  be  able  to  deny  them  that  right?  The  guarantee  is  implied,   we   will   be   told,   by   the   Constitution.   Those   who   disagree   will   be   characterized   as   hate-­mongers   and   bigots.  (Indeed,  those  charges  are  already  being  leveled  against  Christians  who  espouse  biblical  values!)   How   about   group   marriage,   or   marriage   between   cousins,   or   marriage   between   daddies   and   little   girls?20  Anything  allegedly  linked  to  "civil  rights"  will  be  doable.  The  legal  underpinnings  for  marriage   will  have  been  destroyed.       What  will  happen  then,  if  marriage  becomes  anything,  or  everything,  or  nothing?    The  short  answer  is   that  the  state  will  lose  its  compelling  interest  in  marital  relationships  altogether.  After  marriages  have  

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been   redefined,  divorces  will   be  obtained  automatically,  will  not   involve  a   court,   and  will   take  on   the   status   of   a   driver's   license   or   hunting   permit.   With   the   family   out   of   the   way,   marriages   will   occur   without  legal  entanglements  or  commitments,  and  its  meaning  will  be  destroyed.  

  2.    Children  will  suffer  the  greatest  harm.     The   implications   for   children   in  a  world   of   decaying   families   are  profound.  Because  homosexuals   are   rarely  monogamous,  children  in  those  polyamorous  (meaning  “many  lovers”)  situations  will  typically  be   caught  in  a  perpetual  coming  and  going.  Such  instability  is  devastating  to  kids,  who  by  their  nature  are   inherently  conservative  creatures.    They  like  things  to  stay  just  the  way  they  are,  and  they  hate  change.     Some  have  been  known  to  eat  the  same  brand  of  peanut  butter  throughout  childhood.    More  than  10,000   studies  have   concluded   that  kids  do  best  when   they  are   raised  by   loving  and  committed  mothers  and   fathers.    They  are  less  likely  to  be  on  illegal  drugs,21  less  likely  to  be  retained  (held  back)  in  a  grade,22  less   likely   to  drop  out  of   school,23   less   likely   to  commit  suicide,24   less   likely   to  be   in  poverty,25   less   likely   to   become  juvenile  delinquents,  26and  for  the  girls,  less  likely  to  become  teen  mothers.27  They  are  healthier,   both  emotionally  and  physically,  even  30  years  later,  than  those  not  so  blessed  by  traditional  parents.28     (There  is  more  to  say  here  about  the  welfare  of  children,  but  we  must  move  on.    Marriage  Under  Fire   spells  out  the  additional  ramifications.)     3.    Public  schools  in  every  state  will  have  to  endorse  homosexuality  in  its  curriculum.     With  the  legalization  of  homosexual  marriage,  every  textbook  will  be  obsolete  and  every  public  school  in   the   nation  will   be   required   to   teach   this   perversion   as   the  moral   equivalent   of   traditional  marriage   between  a  man  and  a  woman.  Textbooks,  even  in  conservative  states,  will  have  to  depict  man/man  and   woman/woman  relationships,  and  stories  written   for  children  as  young  as  elementary  school,  or  even   kindergarten,  will  have   to  give   equal   space  and  emphasis   to   same-­sex   relationships.  How  can  a   child,   fresh  out  of  toddlerhood,  comprehend  the  meaning  of  adult  sexuality?    The  answer  is  they  can’t,  and  they   shouldn’t,   but   it   is   happening   in   California   and   Massachusetts,   already.29   Social   propaganda   to   elementary  school  kids  and  beyond  is  already  the  order  of  the  day.     World  Net  Daily  posted   this   blog  on   July  5,   2011,   titled,   “California   lawmakers  demand   schools   teach   ‘gay’  history.”    

A   bill   devised   by   a   homosexual   California   lawmaker,   Mark   Leno,   requiring   schools   to   promote   homosexuality   and   other   alternative   sexual   lifestyles   to   children   without   parental  permission  or  even  knowledge  has  been  approved  by  the  legislature  and  is  on   its  way  to  Gov.  Jerry  Brown.     Critics   say   the   vote   to   approve   SB48   could   create   a   vast   new   opportunity   for   indoctrinating  children  into  such  roles.  “May  this  brash  attack  upon  children’s  innocence   finally  motivate  parents   to   remove   their   children   from   the   government   school   system,   and  get  them  into  the  safe  havens  of  church  schooling  and  homeschooling,”  said  Randy   Thomasson,  president  of  SaveCalifornia.com,  a  leading  statewide  pro-­‐family  organization   promoting  moral  virtues  for  the  common  good.     Teachers  also  will  be  required  to  portray  homosexuality  positively,  “because  to  be  silent   can   bring   the   charge   of   ‘reflecting   adversely’   or   ‘promoting   a   discriminatory   bias.’”   School  boards  will  have  to  adopt  textbooks  and  other  materials  based  on  their  positive   advocacy  for  homosexuality  and  parents  –  because  the  teachings  are  a  part  of  the  state’s   core   curriculum   –   will   be   neither   notified   nor   given   the   option   of   withdrawing   their   children  from  the  teachings,  he  said.        

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“This  sexual  brainwashing  bill  would  mandate  that  children  as  young  as  six  years  old  be   told  falsehoods  –  that  homosexuality  is  biological,  when  it  isn’t,  or  healthy,  when  it’s  not,”   Thomasson  said.30  

  4.    Adoption  laws  and  foster-­care  regulations  will  be  obsolete.       From   the   moment   that   homosexual   marriage   becomes   legal,   courts   will   not   be   able   to   favor   a   traditional  family  involving  one  man  and  one  woman  in  matters  of  adoption.  Children  will  be  placed  in   homes  with  parents  representing  only  one  sex  on  an  equal  basis  with  those  having  a  mom  and  a  dad.   Even  the  polyamorous  couples  won’t  be  excluded.  The  prospect  of  fatherless  and  motherless  children  will   not  be  considered  in  the  evaluation  of  eligibility.  It  will  be  the  law.    It  has  happened  already.    The  latest   Census  data  reveal  that  more  than  25  percent  of  gay  and  lesbian  couples  are  raising  children.31       5.    The  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  will  be  severely  curtailed.     The   family   has   been   God's   primary   vehicle   for   evangelism   since   the   beginning.   Its   most   important   assignment  has  been  the  propagation  of  the  human  race  and  the  handing  down  of  the  faith  to  children.   Malachi  2:15  reads,   referring   to  husbands  and  wives,   "Has  not   the  Lord  made   them  one?   In   flesh  and   spirit   they   are  His.   And  why   one?  Because  He  was   seeking   godly   offspring.   So   guard   yourself   in   your   spirit,  and  do  not  break  faith  with  the  wife  of  your  youth"  (NIV).       You  can  be  certain  that  if  same  sex  marriage  is  legalized  and  the  rest  of  the  gay  agenda  is  achieved,  the   church  will  be  subjected  to  ever-­increasing  oppression  and  discrimination.    That  has  already  happened   in  some  European  countries  and,  to  a  lesser  degree,  in  Canada.32  At  stake  is  the  right  of  pastors  to  preach   their  understanding  of  the  Scripture,  to  hire  people  who  share  their  theology,  to  fire  those  who  do  not,   and   to   have   uncensored   Bibles.   Could   the   independence   and   mission   of   the   Conservative   church   be   threatened  in  these  and  other  critical  areas?    I  don’t  know.     I  can  only  tell  you  what  the  New  York  law  means  for  religious  liberty.  According  to  the  Alliance  Defense  Fund,    

 “(It)  does  not  protect   individuals.   It  does  not  protect  private  business  owners.   It  does   not   protect,   for   example,   a   bed   and   breakfast   owner   who   is   using   their   own   private   personal  property  in  the  type  of  intimate  setting  that  a  bed  and  breakfast  is.  It  does  not   protect   licensed  professionals.  For  example,   it  does  not  protect  counselors.   It  also  does   not  protect   lawyers  –   you  may  have  a   family   law  attorney  who  does  not  want   to  do  a   same-­‐sex   divorce   because   of   their   deeply   held   religious   beliefs.   It   does   not   protect   fertility   doctors   who   may   have   a   strict   belief   and   only   want   to   help   [heterosexual]   married   couples   because   they   believe   a   kid   deserves   both   a   mom   and   a   dad.”   The   dominos  from  this  decision  are  just  starting  to  fall.  One  newspaper  is  reporting  that  the   New  York  Department  of  Correctional  Services  is  already  rewriting  its  rules  for  inmates’   “conjugal  visits,”  which  will  now  be  open  to  homosexual  “spouses.”  Prisons  will  provide   the  condoms.33    

And  this  is  just  be  beginning.  Can  churches  be  far  behind?     6.     The   culture   war   will   be   over,   and   the   world   will   become   "as   it   was   in   the   days   of   Noah"   (Matthew   24:37,   NIV).   This   is   the   climactic   moment   in   the   battle   to   preserve   the   family,   and   future  generations  hang  in  the  balance.     This  apocalyptic  and  pessimistic  view  of  the  institution  of  the  family  and  its  future  will  sound  alarmist  to   many,   but   I   think   it   will   prove   accurate   unless—unless—God's   people   begin   an   even   greater   vigil   of   prayer  and  petition  for  our  nation.    

  6  

Marriage  is  a  sacrament  designed  by  God  that  serves  as  a  metaphor  for  the  relationship  between  Christ   and  His  Church.  Tampering  with  His  plan   for   the   family   is   immoral  and  wrong.  To   violate   the  Lord's   expressed  will  for  humankind,  especially  in  regard  to  behavior  that  He  has  prohibited,  is  to  court  disaster.    

Excerpted  from  Dr.  Dobson’s  book,  Marriage  Under  Fire.    Used  by  Permission.    

  One   thing   is   certain.     This   is   NO   time   for   Christian   people   to   throw   up   their   hands   in   despair.   The  moral  principles  in  Scripture  have  guided  this  great  nation  since  the  days  of  its  founding,  and  we  must   remain  true  to  them.  This  is  a  moment  for  greater  courage  and  wisdom  than  we  have  ever  been  called  upon   to  exercise.  If  we  now  choose  to  stand  by  idly  while  our  foundational  social  order  is  destroyed,  the  family,   as   it   has  been  understood   for  millennia,  will   be   gone.    And  with   its   demise  will   come   chaos   such   as   the   world  has  never  seen.     If   you   read   or   hear   from   Christian   leaders   who   are   saying   traditional   marriage   is   headed   for   the   ash  heap  of  history  and  we  should  just  get  used  to  it,  pray  for  them  and  for  the  protection  of  the  American  family.     Thank  you  for  reading  along  with  me  this  month.    I  felt  it  was  important  to  set  the  record  straight  in  regard   to  the  views  of  the  American  people  and  the  risks  posed  for  the  nation.     Also,  please  pray   for  us  when  you  think  about   this  ministry.    A   letter  such  as   this  one  on  a  controversial   topic   can   always   be   expected   to   bring   a   flurry   of   hostile   responses.     Part   of   our  mission,   however,   is   to   “speak  the  truth  in  love,”  and  we  will  continue  to  accept  that  challenge.       Protect   your   marriage,   if   you   are   indeed   married,   and   remain   determined   to   go   the   distance   together.     Shirley  and  I  have  discovered  that  our  relationship  grows  sweeter  as  the  years  roll  by.    What  a  gift  that  is   from  the  Lord.     God’s  blessings  to  you  and  yours.     Your  friend  in  Christ,           James  C.  Dobson,  Ph.D.   President                                                                                                                             ENDNOTES 1 “New York Becomes Sixth State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage,” Fox News, June 24, 2011. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/24/gay-marriage-headed-to-vote-on-ny-senate-floor/ 2 Tony Perkins, “A New York State of Blind,” FRC Washington Update, June 27, 2011. http://www.frc.org/washingtonupdate/a- new-york-state-of-blind 3 Michael Barbaro, “Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage: An Unlikely Mix of Forces,” New York Times, June 25, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/nyregion/the-road-to-gay-marriage-in-new-york.html 4 Sam Stein, “Money Was the Key Ingredient in New York’s Gay Marriage Bill, Huffington Post Politics, June 27, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/27/money-gay-marriage-bill-new-york_n_885546.html?view=screen 5 Ben Smith, “Stealth Campaign Pays Off for Gay Marriage Proponents,” Politico.com, June 25, 2011. http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0611/Stealth_campaign_pays_offs_for_gay_marriage_proponents.html?showall 6 Remarks by the President at Reception Observing LGBT Pride Month,” East Room, June 29, 2011. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/29/remarks-president-reception-observing-lgbt-pride-month 7 Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Obama’s Views on Gay Marriage ‘Evolving,’” New York Times, June 18, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/us/politics/19marriage.html 8 Ibid.

  7  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                9 Ibid. Fred Lucas, “Obama Praises Homosexual Spouses in Gay Gathering at White House,” CNSNews.com., June 30, 2011. http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-praises-homosexual-spouses-gay-gat 10 Brian Montopoli, “Obama Administration Will No Longer Defend DOMA,” CBSNews.com, February 23, 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20035398-503544.html 11 “U.S. Congress Roll Call Votes 104th Congress, 2nd Session September 10, 1996. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=104&session=2&vote=00280 12 Final Vote Results for Roll Call 316: HR 3396,” July 12, 1996. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1996/roll316.xml 13 Kim A. Lawton, “Clinton Signs Law Backing Heterosexual Marriage,” Christianity Today, October 28, 1996. http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1996/october28/6tc080.html 14 Final yes vote was 7,001,084 according to the California Secretary of State’s office. See http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2008_general/ssov/10-ballot-measures-statewide-summary-by-county.pdf 15 Married to Marriage: 62% of Americans Say It’s One Man, One Woman,” Alliance Defense Fund Press Release, June 16, 2011. http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/?CID=27539. 16 Marriage Survey Results Survey http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/ADF-POS_Survey_Results_Summary.pdf and State Marriage Amendment Vote Percentages as of June 2011. http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/MarriageAmendmentVotePercentages.pdf 17 Marriage Survey Results Survey http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/ADF-POS_Survey_Results_Summary.pdf and State Marriage Amendment Vote Percentages as of June 2011. http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/MarriageAmendmentVotePercentages.pdf 18 State Marriage Amendment Vote Percentages as of June 2011. http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/MarriageAmendmentVotePercentages.pdf 19 Stanley Kurtz, “Death of Marriage in Scandinavia,” Boston Globe, March 10, 2004. http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/articles/2004/03/10/death_of_marriage_in_scandinavia/ 20 For evidence that same-sex marriage advocates want to expand marriage beyond just same-sex couples, see “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage,” signed by several hundred same-sex marriage advocates. http://www.beyondmarriage.org/ 21 “Family Matters: Substance Abuse and the American Family,” The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, March 2005, p. 17. http://www.casacolumbia.org/articlefiles/380-Family%20Matters.pdf 22 David Popenoe, Life Without Father (New York: Free Press, 1996) cited in Sara McLanahan, “Father Absence and the Welfare of Children,” Network on the Family and the Economy. http://apps.olin.wustl.edu/macarthur/working%20papers/wp- mclanahan2.htm. Also see Nan Marie Astone and Sara S. McLanahan, "Family Structure, Parental Practices and High School Completion," American Sociological Review 56 309-320, 1991. 23 Gunilla Ringback Weitoft, Anders Hjern, Bengt Haglung, and Mans Rosen, “Mortality, Severe Morbidity in Children Living with Single Parents in Sweden: A Population Based Study,” The Lancet, 36: 289-295, 2003. 24 Susan Larson and David Larson, M.D., M.S.P.H., "Divorce: A Hazard to Your Health?" Physician, May/June 1990, p. 16. 25 Robert Rector, “Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Poverty,” The Heritage Foundation, September 16, 2010. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/09/marriage-america-s-greatest-weapon-against-child-poverty 26 Cynthia Harper and Sara McLanahan, “Father Absence and Youth Incarceration,” Journal of Research on Adolescence, 14: pp. 369-397, 2004. 27 B. Ellis, “Does Father Absence Place Daughters at Special Risk for Early Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy?” Child Development, 7: No.3, May/June 2003. 28 Judith Wallerstein, Catherine E. Ross and John Mirowsky. "Parental Divorce, Life-Course Disruption, and Adult Depression." Journal of Marriage and the Family 61 1034-1035 (1999). 29 See Claudia Cowen, “Bill Mandating California Schools Teach Gay History is a Lesson in Controversy,” Fox News, June 30, 2011 http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/30/gay-history-in-califronia-schools-lesson-in-controversy/?test=latestnews; Drew Zahn, “’Gay’ Curriculum Challenges Student’s Faith,” WorldNetDaily, September 19,2009 http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=110248; Bob Unruh, “Judge Orders ‘Gay Agenda’ Taught to Christian Children,” WorldNetDaily, February 24, 2007 http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=40339; Diana Jean Schemo, “Lessons on Homosexuality Move Into the Classroom,” New York Times, August 15, 2007 http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0F1EFC3D5B0C768DDDA10894DF404482&fta=y&incamp=archive:article_ related. 30 Bob Unruh, “California Lawmakers Demand Schools Teach ‘Gay’ History," WorldNetDaily, July 7, 2011. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=319225 31 “One-Quarter of Gay Couples Raising Children,” ABCNews.com, June 23, 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/sex-couples- census-data-trickles-quarter-raising-children/story?id=13850332 32  See Jonathan Petre, “Church ‘Could Be Forced to Bless’ Gay Weddings,” London Telegraph, October 6, 2006. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? xml=/news/2006/06/10/nbless10.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/06/10/ixuknews.html; “High Court Considers Barring Christian Foster Parents,” WorldNetDaily, November 13, 2010. http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=227553; “Government to Pastor: Renounce Your Faith!,” WorldNetDaily, June 9, 2008. http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=66704; “Homosexual Sues Church for Right to be Employed as Youth Worker,” The Christian Institute, April 3, 2007. 33 Tony Perkins, “Washington Update,” June 29. 2011. http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WU11F23&f=PG07J01 This  letter  may  be  reproduced  without  change  and  in  its  entirety  for  non-­‐commercial  and  non-­‐political  purposes  without   prior  permission  from  Family  Talk.  Copyright  ©  2011  Family  Talk.  All  Rights  Reserved.  International  Copyright  Secured.   Printed  in  the  U.S.A.    

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