13 Civil & Religious Reasons to Vote YES on 8!
Civil Reasons
1. Scholars recognize that marriage is the fundamental
and universal human institution. To call homosexual relationships "marriage"
will be to sweep aside what civilization has understood as a marriage since the
dawn of history and call the history and heritage of American family a mistake.
2. Without exception, our founding fathers such as
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson believed certain truths
are "self evident." Among those self evident truths was the belief that
marriage was defined and designed by nature for one man with one woman.
3. Yes on Proposition 8 protects our children from
being taught in public schools that "same-sex marriage" is the same as
traditional marriage.
4. Same sex couples already enjoy legal rights of
domestic partnership, etc. We do not need to surrender the definition of "marriage"
to vindicate these relationships. Proposition 8 does not deprive domestic partnerships
of any of their rights.
5. Proposition 8 opponents argue that "Homosexuals are a minority that should not
be discriminated against." On close analysis, the idea that gays should receive the status of a
"minority group" is patently absurd. They are not a racial or ethnic
group. The gay rights movement is nothing other than a powerful special
interest lobby masquerading as a "minority" and applying its money and
political clout to "muscle in on" the special status and entitlements
properly reserved for the truly disadvantaged. If homosexuals are
recognized as a minority group, the identical arguments could also be
applied to classify polygamists or pedophiles as oppressed minorities.
6. The same arguments put forward to justify same
sex marriages can logically be used to legalize polygamy and lower the age of consent.
7. Unless we vote Yes on Proposition 8 our religious
liberties are at risk. To better understand the threats to religious liberty see
the following articles by Alan J. Reinach, Esq.:
- The
Implications of Same Sex Marriage
- Why
Promote Marriage?
- Same
Sex Marriage Challenges Religious Liberty
8. The most devastating effect of same sex marriage
will be the destruction of marriage and family the way we know it. Redefining marriage
will cause profound confusion to our children. California marriage licenses have
recently deleted the words "husband and wife" or Bride and Groom" and replaced it
with "Party A & Party B." Where will it stop!?
9. The California Supreme Court's decision changing
the definition of marriage is profoundly undemocratic. 61% of Californians voted
to retain the definition of marriage as recently as 2000.
Religious Reasons
We should Vote Yes on Proposition 8 because we love God and our fellow man. If we
love Jesus we will not vote in support of sin. Sin is what nailed Jesus to the cross.
If we love our fellow man we will not cast a vote that will directly widen the road
to destruction.
A good resource for a Biblical understanding of homosexuality can be found at Bible.com's
web site here:
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT... HOMOSEXUALITY?
10. Seventh-day Adventists have always believed there
is a distinction between the first four and last six of the Ten Commandments. The
first four commandments are religious in nature and governments should not make
laws that dictate what god to worship, or when and how to worship him. Conversely,
the last six commandments are civil in nature. Adventists have always supported
laws that protect parental rights, life, truth, property, and family as found on
the second table of the Decalogue.
11. Marriage is one of the 28 fundamental beliefs of the
Seventh-day Adventist church. Click here to read belief number 23 on Marriage and the Family. Also read the official Seventh-day
Adventist Church's statement on same sex unions here: Seventh-day Adventist Response to Same-Sex Unions--A Reaffirmation
of Christian Marriage.
12. Adventists have a prophetic calling to champion the
law of God. If we fail to uphold marriage we compromise our moral authority to defend
the Sabbath.
13. Ellen G. White supported voting in support of moral
issues.
"How can Christian men and women tolerate this evil?… There is a cause
for the moral paralysis upon society. Our laws sustain an evil which is sapping
their very foundations. Many deplore the wrongs which they know exist, but consider
themselves free from all responsibility in the matter. This cannot be. Every individual
exerts an influence in society. In our favored land, every voter has some voice
in determining what laws shall control the nation. Should not that influence and
that vote be cast on the side of temperance and virtue?" - Gospel Workers,
page 387
Sign the Petition
Endorsements
(Alphabetical Order)Regent University School of Law