Marriage is on the Texas Ballot
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Are you sick and tired of the black-robed judicial tyrants dictating strange new immoral standards which violate clear Biblical teaching? I sure am.
Like the 6-3 Supreme Court decision of Lawrence vs. Texas in 2003 where these God-haters actually concluded that there is some so-called “right” to homosexual sodomy in the Constitution. A right to sodomy? Give me a break!
It’s enough to make George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson spin in their graves!
Never in their worst nightmares could they have envisioned a Supreme Court which so dramatically rejected our precious Christian heritage.
So much for the founding fathers’ vision that America would be a new Jerusalem, a light set on the hill for the nations of the world.
Or look at what the moral reprobates decided at the Massachusetts Supreme Court in May of 2004. They attacked the God-ordained institution of marriage by handing down a judicial fiat declaring that sodomites can get married.
They’ve forgotten the Biblical counsel from Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
You see, the homosexual activists and the pagans understand that they cannot push their immorality down the throats of the American people at the ballot box. Each and every time they have tried, they have been roundly defeated.
On November 2nd of last year, the voters in 11 states took a stand for Biblical marriage – one man and one woman – in various constitutional amendments. 88% of conservative Mississippi said no to the radical homosexual agenda and 58% of liberal Oregon said marriage should be between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.
Whenever the people get a chance to vote, even in Blue states like Oregon, they soundly oppose homosexual marriage
So now the pagans recognize that they need to bypass us the people. They’ve turned instead to the Clinton and Carter judicial appointees who are eager to do their bidding.
As you can see, a constitutional amendment is necessary because “statutes”
are being struck down in other states. In fact, there are currently more than 60 lawsuits across the country to overturn state marriage laws.
Well, they haven’t heard from Texas yet. Until now.
This coming November 8, 2005 – on a Tuesday – you will have the unique privilege of casting your ballot in favor of Biblical marriage.
You see, thanks to tremendous pressure by Christians like you and me, the Texas State Senate voted over the summer to place the prohibition of homosexual marriage on the Lone Star ballot under Proposition 2.
It reads: “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.”
In other words, not only does it prohibit homosexual marriage, but it also bars homosexual civil unions like the ones Vermont has embraced. And that’s a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say.
I fear that if America doesn’t take this moral test seriously, we will slide down the same slippery slope of Sweden and Denmark before us.
Stanley Kurtz wrote in The Weekly Standard Magazine “that marriage is slowly dying in Scandinavia. A majority of children in Sweden and Norway are born out of wedlock. Sixty percent of first-born children in Denmark have unmarried parents. Not coincidentally, these countries have had something close to full gay marriage for a decade or more. Same-sex marriage has locked in and reinforced an existing Scandinavian trend toward the separation of marriage and parenthood. The Nordic family pattern--including gay marriage--is spreading across Europe. And by looking closely at it we can answer the key empirical question underlying the gay marriage debate.
Will same-sex marriage undermine the institution of marriage? It already has.”
While there will be a total of nine constitutional amendments, you have the option of voting only on Proposition 2, if you are not fully informed on the other 8. For an overview of the others, go to www.freemarket.org
Thankfully, a wide variety of pastors across Texas, to their credit, have spoken up for God’s standard on marriage and in favor of Proposition 2.
For example, Rev. Dwight McKissoc of Cornerstone Baptist Church, an African-American pastor in Dallas, and a former guest on my talk show on AM 630, KSLR, said, “I wholeheartedly support the Texas Marriage Amendment declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman. I concur with Martin Luther – the man after whom Martin Luther King was named -- who said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. To go against conscience is neither right, nor safe.” God’s Word does not endorse same-sex marriage, and I am encouraging you to vote the Bible, vote God’s way, vote for the biblical view of family.
“I urge all of my fellow Texans to support the efforts of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Texas seeking to preserve marriage in our State as a union between a man and a woman,” said Rev. Rene Gracida, Bishop Emeritus in Corpus Christi. “The chaos we are witnessing in Massachusetts, California and Canada must be prevented from occurring in Texas. Let all who believe in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman rally to this cause.”
Rev. Edsel Duréus of Thanksgiving Tabernacle Bible Fellowship in Cedar Hill, said, “In keeping with the Biblical teaching of Romans 1:18-32, it is quiet impossible for me to approve and support the approval of any other form and or practice of marriage than that which is biblical instituted by God.”
"I stand firm in my belief that God ordained marriage as being for one man and one woman for life,” said Rev. Paul Natchtigall of Highland Baptist Church in Pampa. “Anything that man does beyond that is sin in the eyes of God."
Bishop Andrew Dennis of Holy Spirit Chapel in Austin said, “The Bible is replete with references that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. God said it, I believe it, that settles it.”
“As the Apostles 'cast lots' to choose the replacement for Judas' place, my vote will be cast to help choose God's will over our 'evolving' immorality,”
said Rev. Bob Grigg of the Brenham Church of Christ.
And finally our own Randy Garcia, Pastor of Fortress Church right here in San Antonio, said, "We are told in Scripture (Joel 3:14) that the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. We are living in the last days and, as Texans, we have a major decision to make on November 8th. It's not a political decision. It is a moral decision. As Scripture teaches, this decision will result in either the blessings of God or the curse upon our state. Let's choose the blessing!"
As I reflect on those pastoral endorsements of Proposition 2 on the November 8th ballot here in Texas, I’m reminded of the 1800’s observation of French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville in his book “Democracy in America.” He said America is great because America is good. And America is good because righteousness is aflame in the pulpits.
It’s my prayer that more pastors, including yours, will champion this Biblical cause of protecting marriage. Time is short. Please give this column to your pastor and urge him to speak up from his pulpit.
Needless to say, God has a plan for our sexuality. And it certainly does not include homosexual relations, much less homosexual marriage.
The Bible could not be more clear:
· God’s standard for marriage is one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
· Jesus Himself echoed this foundational Genesis principle in Matthew
19:4-6: "Haven't you read," [Jesus] replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
· God does not pull any punches. Leviticus 18:22 says “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
· As good stewards of the bodies God has entrusted to us, we are not allowed to do anything we want to do with them – from heterosexual pre-marital sex to homosexual sex to gorging ourselves at the church potluck supper. I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
· Homosexuality is a symptom of fallen humanity. No one is born gay. Romans
1:24-28 says, “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct.”
So on Tuesday, November 8th, you can vote to affirm what God’s Word so clearly teaches about marriage being defined as one man and one woman.
While you might be convinced that God’s plan should be man’s plan, perhaps you’re of the opinion that existing Texas state law is sufficient in
limiting marriage to one man and woman. Think again. Proposition 2 is
still desperately needed because some liberal activist Texas judges might well strike down that law, despite the will of the people.
The only way to ensure with a 100% guarantee that marriage will be defined according to Biblical standards is to vote for Proposition 2 which will amend our state constitution, thus tying the hands of pagan judges.
And know this. Because this is not a Presidential or Congressional election, voter turnout will be quite low.
Typically, only 5-7% of Texans bother showing up to cast their ballots in constitutional amendment elections. Thus, a very small percentage of the people will make this decision. You and I can have a disproportionate impact on this upcoming election if we take 10 minutes out of our day on November 8th and go to the polls.
That’s why YOUR vote and your decision to motivate others to join you on Tuesday, November 8th is so imperative. Think about all the people you know well – your family, friends, co-workers and fellow churchgoers. God has given you that sphere of influence for a reason.
I’d like to echo the thoughts of Queen Esther’s cousin Mordecai, who poignantly asked, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Believe me. The homosexual activists are leaving nothing to chance. They are raising huge sums of money, purchasing deceptive radio and TV ads and manning phone banks to urge Texans to embrace their unbiblical, unnatural death-style.
Take a look at their website: www.NoNonsenseInNovember.com. If you’re not fully convinced yet, their website will reinforce the seriousness of the battle which lies ahead.
The sodomites opened their state office on July 28th, 2005 in Austin. Glen Maxey, a former Texas State representative, who is now the homosexual campaign director, said, “This amendment is pure nonsense. Instead of focusing on issues that really matter to Texans, like education and school finance, the Texas Legislature gives us this hateful, divisive amendment that is redundant and unnecessary.”
You see. They think it’s hateful to affirm the God-ordained institution of marriage.
Here’s my question for you: “What are YOU going to do?”
Will you sit back in the bleachers, watching this spiritual battle for marriage take place on the field below? Or are you ready sign up to fight in the Lord’s Army?
TAKE A STAND ACTION STEPS:
1. You must register 30 days prior to the election date to be eligible to vote. For the 2005 Amendments Election, the deadline is Oct. 11, 2005.
2. Request a voter registration card. Register to vote by visiting this
website: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqvr.shtml
3. Fill out the form and mail it to the Interim Elections Administrator, Jacque Callanen, 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61, San Antonio 78207-4045, (210) 335-8683.
4. Remember to vote FOR Proposition 2 in the Constitutional Amendments Election on Tuesday November 8, 2005! You do not have to vote on all 9 Amendments. You can choose to vote only for Proposition 2 exclusively.
Learn more about the others: http://www.FreeMarket.org
5. Find your voting district here:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm
6. Start talking to your pastor now to get permission to put out voter guides for November’s election.
7. Order your free voter guides. To reserve your copy of the Voters' Guides for the 2005 Constitutional Amendments or request a bulk shipment for your church, please call 972-423-8889 x 104 or e-mail programs@freemarket.org.
This non-partisan, educational voters’ guide lists a short summary of the amendments, while presenting pros and cons to each in order to help you make a more informed vote. Extensive research and preparation went into this guide to provide you with the most dependable and complete information.
Free Market Foundation has produced voters’ guides for every statewide election for the last 20 years. In 2004, we reached more than 4 million Texans with the General Election Voters’ Guide.
8. Call KSLR to see if we have some extra voter guides. We had several thousand delivered. Our number is 210.344.8481.
9. Learn about your Churches' Rights Regarding Political Activities:
http://www.uspastorcouncil.org/resources.htm
10. Visit the website http://www.TexansForMarriage.org for church bulletin inserts and more information.
© 2005 Adam McManus. -------------------------------------------------------
Adam McManus hosts a weekday afternoon radio show called "Take A Stand" on AM 630, KSLR in San Antonio, Texas from 3-6 p.m. If you’d like him to speak to your group or you’d like to react to this column, call Adam at (210) 344-8481 ext 132 or e-mail adam@takeastand.net. Join 5,300 San Antonions and sign up for his weekday e-mail alert about upcoming guests, critical articles and action steps to make a difference Go to: www.TakeAStand.net and listen live at www.kslr.com
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