Posted on 05/22/2006 10:25:13 PM PDT by Coleus
In June, the U.S. Senate will vote on the marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which will define marriage as between a man and a woman. The U.S. bishops are asking as many Catholics as possible to participate in the Knights of Columbus’ drive to contact their U.S. senators. To participate, print out the Knights’ response form at KofC.org or write your own letter using the information here. Find their names and addresses by typing in your Zip code at Vote-Smart.org.
Why homosexual “marriage” is wrong, and not just for Catholics.
World cultural and legal history has never thought of marriage as anything but one thing: the union of a man and a woman. But just as most abortion proponents want to skip the debate about when life begins and argue about “choice” instead, most homosexual activists want to skip the argument about what marriage is. Instead, they argue about rights or about discrimination. But the fact is, the very nature of marriage is such that the law severely restricts who can and can’t marry. Marriage is restricted by age, by previous marriage status and by kinship, for starters. It excludes other pairings: roommates, brothers and sisters, and best friends.
Why does society have to restrict marriage so severely? Because marriage performs a crucial function for society. Its purpose is the propagation and protection of children, and to conform sexual relationships to morality for the public good. Homosexual “marriage” would do none of these things. Think of it this way: If either of your own parents chose a homosexual “marriage,” you wouldn’t be here. And if you were raised by homosexuals, your childhood would likely have been very different from what it was.
If you were raised by homosexual men, statistics say your guardians would have had to be hospitalized far more frequently than they were. Doctors advertise heavily in homosexual publications, because homosexual sex injures its participants. No matter whether they were men or women, your guardians would have been more likely to have severe emotional problems. Even in countries where homosexuality is accepted, homosexuals suffer higher rates of depression and suicide than the general public.
And, as the children of homosexual parents have told the Register, kids are bound to suffer if their parents are part of the homosexual scene. Homosexual parades are never shown uncensored on television, because exhibitionism is so common in the homosexual community. From the Village People song “YMCA” to the Showtime television show “Queer as Folk,” homosexual culture has long celebrated sex with teens. One of the most often searched-for pornography terms on the Internet is a homosexual slang for teens. In The Gay Report, by homosexual researchers Karla Jay and Allen Young, the authors report data showing that 73% of homosexuals surveyed had at some time had sex with boys 16 to 19 years of age or younger.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that legalized homosexual “marriage” would simply mean keeping things the way they are, only with health benefits for homosexual couples. In fact, the changes will be dramatic. Public schools will include texts and materials treating the two types of marriages identically. Homosexual couples would be spotlighted whenever romance is spotlighted: on Valentine’s Day at the public library, in Christmas specials on television, radio and billboard advertisements.
If you die leaving children, there will be no guarantee that a heterosexual couple rather than a homosexual couple will adopt them — to prefer one over the other would be illegal prejudice. More Catholic adoption agencies will have to close over the adoption issue.
What can we do?
Write to your representatives in state and federal government and your local newspapers, using the information above.
Pray. In his apostolic letter on the Rosary, Pope John Paul II called for Catholics to pray the Rosary daily for the family. He said attacks on the family were “menacing … so as to make us fear for the future of this fundamental and indispensable institution and, with it, for the future of society as a whole.”
Evangelize. Spread the word about marriage — and strengthen the Christian backbone of our society. Promote Sunday Mass, confession, prayer and community service by printing out and distributing the “How to Be Catholic” guides from NCRegister.com.
I don't believe the Church supports illegal immigration. The Bishops want some sort of balance to maintin family integrity; not forcing families apart. They want a policy built on compassion, not punishment. They think that blanket deportation is wrong. Knee jerk policies always are. It has taken decades for this problem to develop; it won't be solved overnight, or even in a year. GOOD immigration policies need to be developed, and this is what the Bishops and many Catholics are looking for.
Why homosexual “marriage” is wrong
FYI: Looks like some good info in the article.
I completely agree. It is a shame. I am more in agreement with Rome than I am with Boston, Los Angeles, New York or Chicago.
"Good" immigration policies are what we did in 1986. This debate isn't about good anymore, its about whether or not there ARE laws in the country and whether or not we have the right or ability to enforce them. The protesters in the street say NO and unfortunately they have some Cardinals, Bishops and priests standing with them (oh, and the politicians who are doing all the photo ops with these Church leaders are also pro-abortion, pro-gay agenda and pro-socialism).
A total blanket immigration with no string attached and a removal of all border patrol except for the ones who will be bringing water and food to new trespassers would be just as well received by those who are marching for 'comprehensive' reforms.
I'd be more likely to participate in a postcard campaign if they addressed illegal immigration or the cult they call Islam.
bump
Yeah, well, unfortunately you have Cardinals, Bishops and priests who are enamored of the 'preferential option for the poor', and liberation theology.
I have two postcards right here by my computer -- waiting to send them off.
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Cardinal Mahoney doesn't speak for the whole Church. Our monsigneur said that while one must be compassionate, laws must also be followed.
And right now he is leading a campaign along with the labor unions, ANSWER LA, MALDEF, the Mexican Consulate and the Democratic Party to unseat GOP Congressman and Senators. And not a single one of these groups who are working hand in hand with the Diocese in LA are pro-life or pro-marriage.
Mahoney wants government enforced compassion and to ignore the laws that he doesn't think are compassionate enough. I'd rather send Mahoney down to Mexico City or San Salvador to care for the people he seems to be most concerned about so they don't have to risk their lives coming to LA to benefit from his compassion.
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