Vote, VoTe, VOTE!

In my state, a referendum (a propsed law that has been passed by the Legislature after a petition from voters) is up on the ballot that could change the definition of marriage.  I really liked the "Argument Against" in the voter information guide.

"Marriage is more than a commitment between two loving people. It was created to benefit the next generation. Traditional marriage promotes child well-being because kids need both a mother and a father. Extensive social science shows that children do best when raised by their married parents.

The new marriage law passed by legislators did not enact same-sex marriage – it redefined marriage for all, stripping it of its essential man/woman nature and tossing common-sense out the window. Women can now be “husbands” and men can be “wives.”

Our “Everything But Marriage” Law Already Provides Gays Full Legal Equality
Washington same-sex couples already enjoy full legal equality. The new marriage legislation did not provide any new substantive legal rights for gay couples.

Redefining marriage has consequences.
God’s creation of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is the foundation of society and has served us well for thousands of years. People who disagree with this new definition could find themselves facing sanctions, as has occurred elsewhere. Church groups have lost their tax exemptions. Small businesses were sued. Wedding professionals have been fined. Charities opposing gay marriage were forced to end services. Young children were taught about gay marriage in public school.
Gays and lesbians are entitled to respect and to live as they choose, but they don’t have a right to redefine marriage. Being opposed to same-sex marriage doesn’t mean you dislike gays and lesbians. It means you support traditional marriage. Please reject R-74 to reject redefining marriage."

I think that sums it up pretty well.  Whatever your views, get out there and VOTE on Tuesday, November 6 to stand up for the principles that you believe in!

Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy is not chikin...

Recently, the president of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy went public with his views on marriage, backing the "biblical definition of a family".  What came of it?  

• Big cities threatened to block building of Chick-fil-A chains in their parts.
• Individuals and groups publicly criticized the Cathy family for taking a stand.
• People criticized Chick-fil-A as being a "vicious anti-gay voice", "intolerant" and "discrimitory.
• A company pulled their toy lines from the restaurant chain.
• Thousands decided to boycott eating at Chick-fil-A and signed pledges promising not to patronize.

Okay, so when did freedom of speech become so expensive?  It seems to be that it's okay for some individuals or groups to speak out, but when others try to stand up for their beliefs, they become under attack.  “We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles,” Dan Cathy said.  

It's not that Cathy or the company has anything against the LGBT community.  It's not that they won't serve to those who fit in the category, all he is doing is using his First Amendment rights.  

“The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender,” said a Chick-fil-A statement.  The Cathy family has always been a strong voice for traditional marriage and family values.  This is nothing new for them.  

Well, Chick-fil-A got the last laugh.

• The mayors who opposed having Chick-fil-A in their cities were called "bullies" by Herman Cain.
• National Organization for marriage praised Chick-fil-A founder's son Truett Cathy as “a corporate hero for marriage.
• They might not have the Muppets toys in the kids meals now, but they've got dignity by the way they treat all people.  
• Chick-fil-A hit record setting profits this month on "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day", an idea that was started by Mike Huckabee and was supported across the country in a big way.  People in masses lined up to get a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich and make a political statement at the same time.

We need more people like the Cathys who will stand up for what they believe, regardless of what that is, even if it will mean coming in the cross-fire.  Way to go, Cathy family, way to go!  I know I'll be eating "more chickin" from now on!

Why is it so important to society that marriage be preserved...?

I stumbled across a Q & A that was featured in the Catholic Update newsletter in 2004. To go to their article "Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers about Marriage & Same Sex Unions", please visit: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0304.asp.  The whole article was excellent, but thought this question and the answers were simple, yet significant.

"Why is it so important to society that marriage be preserved as the exclusive union of a man and a woman?

Across times, cultures, and very different religious beliefs, marriage is the foundation of the family. The family, in turn, is the basic unit of society. Thus, marriage is a personal relationship with public significance.

Marriage is the fundamental pattern for male-female relationships. It contributes to society because it models the way in which women and men live interdependently and commit, for the whole of life, to seek the good of each other.

The marital union also provides the best conditions for raising children: namely, the stable, loving relationship of a mother and father present only in marriage. The state rightly recognizes this relationship as a public institution in its laws because the relationship makes a unique and essential contribution to the common good.

Laws play an educational role insofar as they shape patterns of thought and behavior, particularly about what is socially permissible and acceptable. In effect, giving same-sex unions the legal status of marriage would grant official public approval to homosexual activity and would treat it as if it were morally neutral.

When marriage is redefined so as to make other relationships equivalent to it, the institution of marriage is devalued and further weakened. The weakening of this basic institution at all levels and by various forces has already exacted too high a social cost."

In the beginning...

This blog is my little attempt to stand up for something I feel very strongly about - that marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman.  The idea for this blog came after having strong impressions that I need to make a stand on this very important issue.  Marriage is truly under attack in our world.  I want to help save our world, one marriage at a time.  So I thought and prayed about ways I could do just that and brainstormed some methods I could use to share with the world why traditional marriage is important.  I thought I could get a bumper sticker that says "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" to slap on my SUV, but that didn't seem to feel right.  I thought about helping out with a non-profit company that supports traditional marriage, but many just wanted monetary donations.  I thought about lobbying in my state, but it seems that that's past the point of effectiveness since gay marriage has been legalized recently.  So then I thought about what I like to do and writing came to mind, being one of the things I can sit down and do for fun.  I'm not very good at it, but it's something I enjoy.  Since I've already done a little blogging to document the lifes and times of my little family, I thought I could attempt to make my voice be heard through a blog. 
The content of this blog is not an attempt to put down or offend those from the GLTG (Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Transgender) community or those who support them.  In fact, I have several dear friends and a family member who fits into that category whom I love.  My goal here is to share my ideas, as well as the ideas of others, studies, quotes, hopefully guest bloggers, and other material to express why marriage the way God intended it is so crucial, especially in today's world. 
This blog is not endorsed by or affiliated with any religion, group, or any one person in particular (except me, of course!), and views there in may reflect some of the ideas and doctrines of certain groups but is non-denominational and non-partisan. 
I am Christian and know that in the beginning, God created the world.  He created all of the marvelous things that are in and on and around the earth: the light and darkness, the water, vegetation, animals, but he wasn't done yet.  He saved his most marvelous creation for last - man and woman.  But they weren't meant to be alone - they were meant to be together.
In the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, Genesis 1 reads:
"18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him...
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

And that's just the way it is.  It was then.  It is now.  No excuses, no exceptions.  The only kind of true marriage was set up from the foundation of the world by God himself, the ultimate Authority, and remains that way - man and woman as one. 

If you have comments or would like to contact me, I'd love to hear from you!  I can't wait to post more...so do you say "I do" to traditional marriage too?