The Marriage Saga Continues...

I wrote this below under “Catching Up…”

Proposition 8
We are still awaiting this to be adjudicated. It’s my understanding that the California State Supreme Court will be hearing the case next month (March). The argument being made against it is that it makes such a drastic change in the California Constitution that it goes beyond an Amendment, is therefore a “Revision,” and so must originate from the Legislature rather than by petition (yeah, right)…

I just don’t see how the Court can overturn an Initiative Constitutional Amendment without also trashing the entire initiative process. The reason Prop. 8 was circulated was so that it would be stronger than the Initiative Statute that was declared unconstitutional (Prop. 22) – basically, a constitutional amendment, by its nature, is constitutional… Now the Court may tell us that we can change our Constitution through the petition/initiative process as long as we don’t change it too much? Or, really, as long as we don’t change it in a way that the liberal minority disagrees with…

Voiding Prop. 8 does nothing less than erase all value in the Initiative process all together.
Keep praying.

Today is the day the California State Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on the Proposition 8 lawsuit. I truly believe this is vitally important for the issue of marriage and the validity of our Constitutional Amendment process. I also believe the Court could go either direction on it.

I do not see how you make the argument that defining marriage as between one man and one woman is a Revision, a drastic change. This is only been the definition of marriage in every society for all time!

Which also brings up the issue of how it is reporting: Prop. 8 did not ban gay marriage. It defined marriage constitutionally as what it has always been understood to be. But Christians have been known for too long as what we are against, rather than what we are for. This issue should be our opportunity to stand for holiness in our society at the same time we reach out and share the love and grace of Jesus Christ to those with whom we disagree. We say, “Love the sinner, hate the sin” so much that it has become cliché and meaningless. Jesus loves those engaged in homosexuality just as much as everyone else. He died for all of us (God so loved the world… remember?). Yet we Christians behave as though homosexuality is somehow different – it is the unforgivable sin, and all in it must repent before they go to church or seek God… No! Homosexuality is no different a sin than the heterosexual lust so pervasive in so many Christians, no different than the host of other sins and temptations we accept in our congregations. Our churches should be havens, refuges, sanctuaries, and hospitals for sinners. Come to Jesus Christ FIRST, and let him save, sanctify, and deliver from whatever happens to be your private sin. We have a rare opportunity right now to share love and grace through a very contentious process.

Politically, this is a time for the Church, meaning all Believers, to stand up for our faith in the public square. The only reason Prop. 8 passed in California was because Barack Obama did so well in our state, and brought out the African-American voting demographic in record numbers. That sector of our society tends to hold to traditional view of the family. (I guess it’s sadly ironic that this sector of our society also suffers the worst rates of breakdown of the family, especially in out-of-wedlock births, which also deserves much prayer.) Unfortunately, the Church at large mostly stayed home on election day, not supporting McCain or Obama, especially the largely Caucasian evangelical demographic. This can be born out by looking at the success of Prop. 8 over against the failure of the Abortion Parental Notification initiative on the same ballot. If it was Christians that passed the first, why didn’t the second also pass? Answer: because Christians didn’t vote.

ALL HANDS ON DECK
It time for Christians to get off our blessed assurance and stand up for faith. The California Supreme Court will have 90 days to render their decision. There was a large group of Christians committed to prayer and fasting prior to last November’s election (I guess they were too hungry to actually vote…). NOW WE HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN! We have three months to pray and fast for God’s will and holiness to prevail in our culture, to pray for these judges, and to seriously act as though we really believe the love and grace of Jesus Christ covers all sin.