(RNS)Conservative Christians hailed the results of Tuesday's (Nov. 3) voting, especially the defeat of gay marriage legislation in Maine.
Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, called the Maine decision, which overturned a same-sex marriage law enacted earlier this year, a "huge victory" for supporters of traditional marriage.
"Every time the citizens have voted on marriage, they have always sided with natural marriage and rejected same-sex marriage," said Staver. "Maine dramatically illustrates the will of the people, and politicians should wake up and listen."
Stand for Marriage Maine, a group that worked for the repeal of the law, was supported by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Knights of Columbus and the Maine chapter of Concerned Women of America.
Gay rights supporters were disappointed in the Maine vote.
"As is too often the case, fear and misinformation have stood in the way of justice," said the Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Conservatives also welcomed the election of two Republican governors with ties to conservative Christian organizations: Bob McDonnell in Virginia, an alumnus of Pat Robertson's Regent University, and Chris Christie in New Jersey, who was endorsed by FRC Action PAC, the political action committee of the Family Research Council.
"Many factors played a role in the outcome of yesterday's elections, so it's important not to exaggerate the religious right's influence," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "But at the same time, Americans need to know that this movement's leaders are still influential in American politics."
Despite the conservative victories, supporters of gay rights in Michigan hailed a vote in Kalamazoo, where city voters adopted an ordinance that includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in anti-discrimination protections. A referendum in Washington state that gives domestic partnerships many of the legal rights of married couples appears headed for approval.
By Adelle M. Banks
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
Healthy is what it is but you are indeed not just choosing your belief but enforcing your opinion on what healthy is on other individuals. I don't care if the majority of people think that one woman cannot enter into a marriage commitment with another woman, it is not their right to choose that.
Believe all you want cknuck, but enforcing that belief is where your right over someone else's ends.
Next time you go to the polls vote for the right of each individual to pursue happiness with the lover of their choice. Vote for freedom.
"...to vote in acceptance for the black race...""
This perversity is NOT deserving of civil rights. This perversity is NOT the equal of blackness.
Blackness is NOT a perversity.
It is GOOD.
Homosexual practice and fixation is EVIL.
"This perversity is NOT deservng of civil rights" GC
It isn't up to you to decide that. This is the USA, and whether you like it or not, a democracy. EQUAL rights for all...sexual orientation isn't a consideration. Religion isn't a consideration. I understand that is hard for you to understand. You prefer to sit in judgement....and hide behind a little book that is supposed to represent an invisible beings "words" as told by a super son. You happened to be born heterosexual ( I assume...or?). Some are born homosexual. Who some one loves and wants to spend their life with, legally, with a marriage, is really NONE of your concern. It doesn't have anything at all to do with your heterosexual life. No one appointed you the Master of Morals. It simply isn't your job.
""...It simply isn't your job...""
...pity the fools and naifs who may, somehow, come to think it's YOUR job...
I simply won't let you have that kind of sway.
You represent evil. You deny God.
I am here to tell the truth.
Defeat of gay "marriage" is the only acceptable outcome, as would the defeat of any evil practice.
".....I simply won't let you have that kind of sway." GC
YOU, my friend, have absolutely no power to do anything, but if it makes your ego feel better, go for it!
You are the truth teller? Like I said already, you are not the Master of Morals....which is a blessing in more ways than one.
As for me representing evil? You really love that word, huh? No, I'm just a person with a different opinion and faith than yours, and you have problems with that. "Evil" is not allowing people who love each other to legally commit in marriage to each other. That, my hallowed friend, is true "evil".
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.