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The Elephant in the Room: A wake-up call on gay marriage after '03 alarm went unheeded
The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 5/22/08 | Rick Santorum

Posted on 05/24/2008 1:11:10 PM PDT by Dawnsblood

Let me go out on another limb here and make another crazy prediction. Within 10 years, clergy will be sued or indicted for preaching on certain Bible passages dealing with homosexuality and churches, and church-related organizations will lose government contracts and even their tax-exempt status.

The California judges also ruled, for the first time in American legal history, that sexual orientation is just like race.

The California court just declared that those of us who see marriage as the union of husband and wife are the legal equivalent of racists. And openly racist groups and individuals can be denied government benefits because of their views, including professional licenses (attorney, physicians, psychiatrists, marriage counselors), accredited schools, and tax-exempt status for charities.

In Massachusetts, the first same-sex-marriage state, Catholic Charities, one of the state's largest adoption agencies, was forced out of business because it refused to arrange adoptions for same-sex couples. In New Jersey, a Methodist group lost part of its state real estate tax exemption because it refused to permit civil-union ceremonies on church-owned property.

Fortunately California voters will have a chance to overturn this radical decision by voting for a state marriage amendment in November. Shouldn't voters in Pennsylvania have the same right?

According to a recent Precision Marketing survey, two-thirds of Pennsylvanians support a constitutional marriage amendment, and three-fifths say they would be more likely to reelect their legislator if he or she voted for the marriage amendment.

California has just given Pennsylvania legislators a wake-up call. If legislators say they are for marriage and don't vote to protect it, they will contribute to the end of marriage, a decline of the family, more children being raised without dads, and a deep erosion of our freedom of religion. Hey, at least they won't be called bigots.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: california; gaymarriage; homosexualagenda; samesexmarriage; santorum

1 posted on 05/24/2008 1:11:10 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
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To: Dawnsblood

Rick Santorum is a fine man. The Senate was diminished when he left.


2 posted on 05/24/2008 1:31:38 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (Just say NObama!)
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To: Dawnsblood

Sour grapes here from Santorum - divorce made too easy, the “me” society, societal acceptance of divorce - this has all caused incalculable harm to marriage as an institution already. I know - I’m the product of a broken home (sob).

How conservatives strain the gnat of homosexual marriage while swallowing the camel of heterosexual divorce smacks of double standards.


3 posted on 05/24/2008 1:33:08 PM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: Dawnsblood
Let me go out on another limb here and make another crazy prediction. Within 10 years, clergy will be sued or indicted for preaching on certain Bible passages dealing with homosexuality and churches, and church-related organizations will lose government contracts and even their tax-exempt status.

Not much of a limb there. Hate crimes and hate speech are already against the law in many places.

Day by day, minute by minute, law by law, we are gradually losing all of our rights and freedoms. What really saddens me is that I see many here on Free Republic willingly giving up those rights and Freedoms because the law is going after a group, sin or crime that they personally don't like.

4 posted on 05/24/2008 1:33:19 PM PDT by LeGrande
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To: fuzzy dunlop
Perhaps, but the reality of the legal definitions here is what is important, not the practice of divorce. And the reality of your "gnat" is that LEGALLY once homosexual marriage is permitted as a matter of destroying the definition of marriage, polygamy is next. This has already been stated by the pro-polygamy groups. Next up is beastiality and necrophilia; and next up after that will be the NAMBLA people and their pedophilia.

Smart people get this.

5 posted on 05/24/2008 1:44:59 PM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of News)
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To: fuzzy dunlop

You’re right in the fact that the institution of marriage has been trivialized by no-fault divorce.


6 posted on 05/24/2008 1:45:52 PM PDT by Baladas (M)
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To: LS

Polygamy, bestiality, necrophilia, paedophilia ?

Wow - we have civil unions for homosexual couples in Britain (and have had for a few years), but there’s been no attempt to legislate these 4 deviancies.

Is America really that different ?

Are you sure about your sources - can you link to any ? This concerns me greatly, if what you say is true. Might mean it’s possible in Britain as we have same-sex marriage already.

Yuk !!


7 posted on 05/24/2008 1:50:39 PM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: fuzzy dunlop
"Wow - we have civil unions for homosexual couples in Britain (and have had for a few years), but there’s been no attempt to legislate these 4 deviancies."

It took the hard realities of the social effects of no fault divorce a couple decades to really manifest themselves. Get back with me then and tell me how the gay marriage thing is working out for you. If you are allowed to discuss it, that is.

8 posted on 05/24/2008 2:11:22 PM PDT by joebuck (Finitum non capax infinitum!)
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To: Dawnsblood

anything we vote for in California is of no consequence if it is of a conservative ilk. it will only be overturned by some judge.
California is going the way of Canada..just a matter of time before clergy speaking out against homosexuality is considered a hate crime.


9 posted on 05/24/2008 2:19:16 PM PDT by Awestruck (All the usual suspects)
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To: joebuck

Oh, I’m allowed to discuss gay marriage - it’s a source of pride in many parts of Britain, believe it or not.

I’ll keep an eye open for those other 4 deviancies you mention - can’t be too careful.


10 posted on 05/24/2008 2:19:46 PM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: Dawnsblood
Ya know, I'm all in favor of a marriage admendment and all that jazz, but adultry seems to run rampant in hetrosexual marriage, and nobody says anything about it's effects? Why is the divorce rate amoung Christians as high as the rate of any other marriages?

Things that need to be addressed along with this gay marriage issue because it's my belief it's all tied into the same evil vein.

11 posted on 05/24/2008 2:40:59 PM PDT by sirchtruth (Yes, Chef!)
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To: fuzzy dunlop
How conservatives strain the gnat of homosexual marriage while swallowing the camel of heterosexual divorce smacks of double standards.

Well said and so true. Divorce wreaks far more havoc on kids' lives than the homosexual "agenda".

12 posted on 05/24/2008 2:47:37 PM PDT by LiberConservative ("Typical" White Guy)
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To: fuzzy dunlop
Your post is completely irrelevant from the topic.

This is about homosexuals "marrying," not heterosexual marriages ending in divorce.

13 posted on 05/24/2008 2:50:52 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Bipartisanship: Two wolves and the American people deciding what's for dinner)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I see the link - especially when pundits roll out the “damage to marriage” card.

Appears a few other FReepers on this thread agree with me


14 posted on 05/24/2008 3:00:00 PM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: sirchtruth

“Things that need to be addressed along with this gay marriage issue because it’s my belief it’s all tied into the same evil vein.”

Of course it is. Unfortunately, adultery and fornication have become the norm in American culture and it is going to take a miracle to change that line of thinking. Currently therr are more couples cohabiting than married in America.

On the other hand, the homosexuality issue has not entirely gotten control of American thinking yet. It is still possible at this time to change constitutional law to avoid “legal” recognition of this perversion. Once courts rule, people become complient quickly. If legislative or constitutional change is going to be done to correct Judicial error, it has to be done now before folks get too used to homosexuals being “married.”


15 posted on 05/24/2008 3:02:33 PM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: fuzzy dunlop

lotsa Moslems and no push for polygamy? You’re not paying attention.


16 posted on 05/24/2008 5:15:56 PM PDT by gusopol3
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To: Dawnsblood

Heck, if there was an elephant in my room I’d probably marry it.


17 posted on 05/24/2008 5:16:41 PM PDT by BlueStateBlues (Blue State for business, Red State at heart..)
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To: Dawnsblood

Then divorce it.


18 posted on 05/24/2008 5:17:31 PM PDT by BlueStateBlues (Blue State for business, Red State at heart..)
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To: fuzzy dunlop

Yes, well, the problem you mention is formidable.

No one except the conservatives saw the disaster of “easy divorce” when it became acceptable in the late 60s onward. Instead, they got trampled.

And now I see lots of kids left without fathers, and it is a tragedy.

I think what we’re seeing now is conservatism saying “STOP!”, like Bill Buckley, and refusing to give on this issue. Or else in a generation we’ll see more familial disaster.

If you are from a broken home, I’m sorry: I’ll pray for you. I know it isn’t hard, since I see children from a broken home all the time. And even if you’re an adult it still is a struggle, in relationships, dealing with kids, etc.

Please don’t think a stand against this travesty means we merely wink at another.


19 posted on 05/24/2008 5:40:47 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (Just say NObama!)
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To: Dawnsblood

Thanks for posting this.


20 posted on 05/24/2008 6:00:33 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee
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To: fuzzy dunlop
Eng. doesn't have the same constitutional setup we do. But if you read the arguments for spreading slavery into the territories in the Civil War, it was EXACTLY the same legal argument, relying on the process of comity. Yes, Mormon groups have already started polygamy suits for when/if this becomes a "national" law.

Heck, do you follow developments in Utah and Arizona much? There are huge pockets of polygamy out there that the states won't touch. The press ignores them . . . specifically because the media knows that this would turn off most Americans if they see marriage re-defined.

21 posted on 05/24/2008 7:50:53 PM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of News)
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To: fuzzy dunlop
How conservatives strain the gnat of homosexual marriage while swallowing the camel of heterosexual divorce smacks of double standards.

The issue is freedom and the right of the people to determine what marriage is rather than dictatorial judges. Santorum also touches upon how the homosexual agenda is stripping free speech rights, freedom of religion and freedom of association.

Why don't you wander over to a liberal website if you can't understand all that.

22 posted on 05/24/2008 9:24:05 PM PDT by Ol' Sparky (Liberal Republicans are the greater of two evils)
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To: Recovering_Democrat

As a product of a broken home - I see the damage of easy divorce.

I think instead of railing against homosexual marriage - we conservatives should be working on tightening up divorce laws. Wasn’t a sacred bond entered into ? Doesn’t God forbid it ?

THAT would have a far bigger impact on strengthening the family.

thank’s for your prayers - I need them !!


23 posted on 05/25/2008 2:38:52 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: LS

Not sure I followed your slavery point, but yes, I have followed the YfZ case very closely, and have recently read a book on the history of Mormonism - it doesn’t make pretty reading.

As I said on another post, the problem with YfZ is that it is up to the authorities to prove abuse - that’s how due process works. They’re doing a lamentable job to date.

Are polygamists really working on legislation to legalise it - I did not know that?

After that, is it your view that necrophilia, paedophilia and bestiality are coming next to a law book near you ?


24 posted on 05/25/2008 2:44:26 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: Ol' Sparky

Your last comment was completely uncalled for - as you’d know if you’d read my posting history.

I note you ignore my point completely and make an unrelated comment about an overreaching judiciary and the homosexual agenda.

Easy divorce has done incalculable damage to families (I know from personal experience - my parents divorced when I was 8 and my sister was 5). Double standards. As conservatives, I wish we’d focus on the area where most damage is being done RIGHT NOW.


25 posted on 05/25/2008 2:49:33 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: fuzzy dunlop
Not only coming, but inevitable. The slavery issue was the same thing, and Lincoln knew it: it is all about definitions. If property is to be defined as a person, then slavery could not be excluded from any state, regardless of state law. The constitutional protection of property rights overrode all state law. So the argument was about definitions.

If marriage is defined as something other than a union between a man and a women, there is nothing that can ever prevent it from being defined as ANYTHING other than a union between a man and a woman. In short, the only definition of marriage (in a sexual sense) that has legitimacy is a man and woman, and once that is broken down, all other definitions will be inevitable.

26 posted on 05/25/2008 4:26:34 AM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of News)
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To: LS

Inevitable!!!

But we already have same sex unions in Britain - I truly fear for my children who will likely grow up in a country where bestiality and paedophilia are legal, if what you say is true.


27 posted on 05/25/2008 4:52:14 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: fuzzy dunlop
I don't think it's that far off. Lessee, Holland is now experiencing doctors killing off patients thanks to the new "assisted suicide" laws. Defenders of that said it would not happen.

As for pedophilia, keep in mind that in FL in the 1990s, a precedent was already set when a kid "divorced" his parents because they wouldn't give him a Nintendo. So here, the precedent is already laid for claiming that 14, 13, 12-year-olds (and who knows how much younger) are "adults" and "can make their own decisions" (i.e., to sleep with adult men). The fact that something hasn't happened in England, with a much different approach to law, doesn't mean it won't happen here. I think it's in the works. Of course, it can be easily squelched by a simple constitutional amendment defining marriage, which is where all this is headed.

28 posted on 05/25/2008 5:00:42 AM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of News)
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To: fuzzy dunlop

You make an excellent point, like I said before.

I hope you understand what we see happening with the gay marriage issue, too...the equivalence/ease with which “marriage” can be defined will result in a dissolution of its meaningfulness. Much like the ease with which divorce came into vogue.

God bless you, fuzz.


29 posted on 05/25/2008 5:05:28 AM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (Just say NObama!)
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To: Recovering_Democrat

I do - we gotta take a stand somewhere.

Divorce is just such a touchy issue for me.

Thanks again for your prayers.


30 posted on 05/25/2008 5:46:45 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: fuzzy dunlop

The only unrelated point was YOUR point about divorce, which had nothing to do with the topic addressed by Santorum. Your tactic is commonly used by homosexual agenda apologists and leftists to deflect attention away from their activities.


31 posted on 05/25/2008 9:57:58 AM PDT by Ol' Sparky (Liberal Republicans are the greater of two evils)
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To: Ol' Sparky

Really - well I’m sorry about that - perhaps my background makes me more sensitive to the real damage being done to marriage NOW by heterosexual divorce.

Santorum brought “damage to marriage” up in the article, not me.

Are you ok with liberal divorce laws ?


32 posted on 05/25/2008 10:06:01 AM PDT by fuzzy dunlop
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To: fuzzy dunlop
I think allowing no-fault divorce was a huge mistake. But, that doesn't compare to the government putting stamp of approval on perverted sexual behavior, attempting to undermine the concept of what marriage is -- one that has existed for 6000 years or so -- and directly contradicting the Judeo-Christian morality this nation and the Western world was based on.
33 posted on 05/25/2008 10:52:52 AM PDT by Ol' Sparky (Liberal Republicans are the greater of two evils)
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To: LS

You’re right. Necrophilia is the new gay.


34 posted on 05/25/2008 11:24:39 AM PDT by marymaryquitecontrary
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