Dr. Jack Rogers. The January 9, 2. Newsweek contains an editorial by Theodore Olsen titled, The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage. I will leave it to others to argue whether the timing and strategy of the federal anti Prop 8 court case brought by Olsen and co counsel David Boies is the best course of action. But the argument Olsen makes in favor of gay marriage is really quite compelling Why same sex marriage is an American value. By Theodore B. Olson NEWSWEEK Published Jan 9, 2. From the magazine issue dated Jan 1. Together with my good friend and occasional courtroom adversary David Boies, I am attempting to persuade a federal court to invalidate Californias Proposition 8the voter approved measure that overturned Californias constitutional right to marry a person of the same sex. My involvement in this case has generated a certain degree of consternation among conservatives. Bible Download In Plain Text Editor' title='Bible Download In Plain Text Editor' />How could a politically active, lifelong Republican, a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, challenge the traditional definition of marriage and press for an activist interpretation of the Constitution to create another new constitutional right My answer to this seeming conundrum rests on a lifetime of exposure to persons of different backgrounds, histories, viewpoints, and intrinsic characteristics, and on my rejection of what I see as superficially appealing but ultimately false perceptions about our Constitution and its protection of equality and fundamental rights. Many of my fellow conservatives have an almost knee jerk hostility toward gay marriage. This does not make sense, because same sex unions promote the values conservatives prize. Marriage is one of the basic building blocks of our neighborhoods and our nation. At its best, it is a stable bond between two individuals who work to create a loving household and a social and economic partnership. We encourage couples to marry because the commitments they make to one another provide benefits not only to themselves but also to their families and communities. Marriage requires thinking beyond ones own needs. It transforms two individuals into a union based on shared aspirations, and in doing so establishes a formal investment in the well being of society. Youve got problems, Ive got advice. This advice isnt sugarcoatedin fact, its sugarfree, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love. Contents. The New Jerusalem Bible includes the deuterocanonical books and sections. The text of these is included where they occur in the context of the complete. Plain Chant. Help support New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa. A large collection of annotated links to Bible versions online and articles about the different translations. The fact that individuals who happen to be gay want to share in this vital social institution is evidence that conservative ideals enjoy widespread acceptance. Conservatives should celebrate this, rather than lament it. Legalizing same sex marriage would also be a recognition of basic American principles, and would represent the culmination of our nations commitment to equal rights. It is, some have said, the last major civil rights milestone yet to be surpassed in our two century struggle to attain the goals we set for this nation at its formation. This bedrock American principle of equality is central to the political and legal convictions of Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives alike. The dream that became America began with the revolutionary concept expressed in the Declaration of Independence in words that are among the most noble and elegant ever written We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Sadly, our nation has taken a long time to live up to the promise of equality. In 1. 85. 7, the Supreme Court held that an African American could not be a citizen. During the ensuing Civil War, Abraham Lincoln eloquently reminded the nation of its found ing principle our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. At the end of the Civil War, to make the elusive promise of equality a reality, the 1. Amendment to the Constitution added the command that no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law nor deny to any person the equal protection of the laws. Subsequent laws and court decisions have made clear that equality under the law extends to persons of all races, religions, and places of origin. What better way to make this national aspiration complete than to apply the same protection to men and women who differ from others only on the basis of their sexual orientation I cannot think of a single reasonand have not heard one since I undertook this venturefor continued discrimination against decent, hardworking members of our society on that basis. Sex with Children by Talmud Rules There are changes in the wind. Some people may be happy, some may be unhappy. Lets go directly to the Talmud to see its laws on. Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality Explode the Myths, Heal the Church, Jack Rogers. Various federal and state laws have accorded certain rights and privileges to gay and lesbian couples, but these protections vary dramatically at the state level, and nearly universally deny true equality to gays and lesbians who wish to marry. The very idea of marriage is basic to recognition as equals in our society any status short of that is inferior, unjust, and unconstitutional. The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution. It is an expression of our desire to create a social partnership, to live and share lifes joys and burdens with the person we love, and to form a lasting bond and a social identity. The Supreme Court has said that marriage is a part of the Constitutions protections of liberty, privacy, freedom of association, and spiritual identification. In short, the right to marry helps us to define ourselves and our place in a community. Without it, there can be no true equality under the law. YxrDvCoRnj9188nggX5hqucVbdNvEXOH0AETI3ZoSuWg5owCv63Z8KUd3ofWNpnzg=h310' alt='Bible Download In Plain Text Editor' title='Bible Download In Plain Text Editor' />It is true that marriage in this nation traditionally has been regarded as a relationship exclusively between a man and a woman, and many of our nations multiple religions define marriage in precisely those terms. But while the Supreme Court has always previously considered marriage in that context, the underlying rights and liberties that marriage embodies are not in any way confined to heterosexuals. Marriage is a civil bond in this country as well as, in some but hardly all cases, a religious sacrament. It is a relationship recognized by governments as providing a privileged and respected status, entitled to the states support and benefits. The California Supreme Court described marriage as a union unreservedly approved and favored by the community. Where the state has accorded official sanction to a relationship and provided special benefits to those who enter into that relationship, our courts have insisted that withholding that status requires powerful justifications and may not be arbitrarily denied. U Value Calculator Software. What, then, are the justifications for Californias decision in Proposition 8 to withdraw access to the institution of marriage for some of its citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation The reasons I have heard are not very persuasive. The explanation mentioned most often is tradition. But simply because something has always been done a certain way does not mean that it must always remain that way. Otherwise we would still have segregated schools and debtors prisons. Gays and lesbians have always been among us, forming a part of our society, and they have lived as couples in our neighborhoods and communities. For a long time, they have experienced discrimination and even persecution but we, as a society, are starting to become more tolerant, accepting, and understanding.