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Domestic Partnerships: Another Step or A Call To Action?
As Wa. Lawmakers passed the domestic partnership bill late yesterday afternoon, the action was viewed differently--- depending on which side of the issue you stand. And the sides are worlds apart.
Chris Mcgann, of the Seattle P.I., wrote this morning, "Gays and lesbians can't legally wed, but the Legislature took another step toward that..."
Repersentative Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, said, "It's a really important first step..."
Senator Ed Murray,D-Seattle, called the Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed by the Legislature in 1998, a" shameful act of discrimination". " Today", he said, "with the passage of the domestic partnership bill, we begin to undo that shameful act..." He also told the P.I., "I think we are closer to [gay] marriage than people realize".
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK? That can be more important than what he thinks.
Lynn Schindler, R-Spokane, said, " The next step is to solidify the domestic partner relationship in a marriage contract, and that is why I am voting no on this bill... because the institution of marriage is how this civilization has been organized for thousands of years"
Rep. Jay Rodne, R-North Bend, said the bill infringes on rights that should be reserved for marriage. He said, "It really undermines the incentive for individuals to get married. It further erodes and weakens an already beleaguered institution to our detriment".
In fact, Rep. Rodne said he thinks the Legislature should simply face the reality that, "The incentive for this bill is a desire to have a debate about marriage". He said, "I think this body ought to have that debate. Let's bring forth a marriage bill, have that debate, make those votes and vote our conscience."
That would be troublesome for a number of lawmakers, because they are very uncomfortable personally, with they way they feel they must vote, for political reasons, not reasons of conscience, on this whole issue of gay marriage.
BUT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
You elect the Senators. And the Representatives. And the Governor.
Andrew Garber, of the Seattle Times, called me last night and asked if we were going to run a referendum to try to kill the domestic partnership law. I told him no, we have already launched a referendum on the lawmakers. We plan to "Change The State, in '08' "
I am fully aware that we as an organization can not accomplish that, but I am equally aware that if people of faith and conservatives across this state will simply take back their communities at the ballot box things will dramatically change.
You, not gay and secularist lawmakers from Seattle and elsewhere, can decide what Washington State will look like for your children and grand children.
So, is domestic partnerships another step toward redefining marriage and society or is it a call to action?
It's all up to you.
____________________
Gary Randall
President
Faith and Freedom
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27 Comments:
Once again I post the following for the edification of all. As of yet, there has been no specific statement addressing Jesus' straightforward, clear-cut teaching and, therefore, it stands as the Word of God, as the genuine reflection of Judeo-Christian values.
A genuine, Biblical marriage is "that which God has joined together" (Mk 10). Jesus teaching regarding a genuine, godly marriage excludes any reference to the state. Therefore, the effort by Evangelicals to make state sanctioned rights (call them what you will) as synonymous with marriage results in the degradation of true, Godly marriage to nothing but a mere artificial creation of the state with state (vs. God) provided rights/responsibilities.
I find this, at best, distasteful and uniquely disparaging to both the institution of God as well as the humanity involved in the arrangement. To degrade marriage in the manner that it appears that FNF and Evangelical/Roman Catholics have done is really a slap in the face to God and the arrangement He created.
Therefore, the real issue is whether disciples of Jesus Christ will work to maintain the high view of marriage as put forth by Jesus Christ or the degraded view of marriage as proposed by Evangelicals and Roman Catholics. Genuine disciples will reject the states involvement in their marriages since their "yes must be yes" and their "nos must be no". Our integrity and honesty before man and God will be the glue of that holds us together.
I welcome Biblically based comment on what I believe is the key issue rather than the on-going meddling in the affairs of the world (and the related dissimulation which is constantly manifest in and by those doing so) which God has specifically relegated to Himself alone (ICor5:12,13; "my kingdom is NOT of this world" - Jesus Christ; "Our battle is NOT against flesh and blood but principalities and powers" - Paul).
Sincerely,
In Christ,
Human
So once again Randall proves the obvious, that domestic partnerships are a step towards full marriage equality.
But he characterizes is as a conspiracy, as if the gay rights activist are doing it secretly.
Utter bunk.
The bill Gary, the domestic partnership bill, is about providing civil and legal rights to those of us denied what rights "legally" married people take for granted. Thanks to the state legislature for moving forward to strengthen what we like to think is a civil society.
I think we should have a public referendum regarding this stealth legislation, AND take back the state by booting out the folks in the legislature and in the courts who are intent upon turning Washington State into another Sodom and Gomorrah.
And for the poster who suggests that Christians ought not vote to uphold God's moral mandates, keep it up long enough and God will remove your right to vote. To whom much is given, much is required, and if we bury our talent in the ground, we will be held accountable as wicked servants.
Pam,
a. No one is suggesting that we remove God's moral mandates. God in His Son requires that they be situated in the appropriate place - the Church of Jesus Christ.
b. You comment indicates a very low level of thinking and is simply an irrational knee-jerk. Not exactly reflecting the Lord of Glory - glad not too many people like you are in power!
I doubt you can hear this - but the reality is that NOTHING WILL CHANGE IF GAY'S OBTAIN THE CIVIL RIGHT TO "MARRY". The same gays that are engaged in sodomy now will be engaged in it after they have the civil right to "marry". So your comment is totally irrational.
I hope you will bring this before the Lord in humility.
Sincerely,
In Him who is gentle and humble,
Human
Well put Pam
And Pam - your comment re: "stealth" legislastion is equally irrantional and silly.
The homosexual legislators are very open about their goal. Decent, moral, God fearing people support their efforts at full civil rights as we do for any oppressed civil class WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CALLING THE INDIVIDUALS TO CHRIST WHERE THEY MIGHT FIND SALVATION AND HEALING.
Pretty simple really....
I agree with Pam. When the law against sodomy was removed, they came out of the closet and have been perverse, bragging, insolent, and intent on evil, just as Paul states in Romans 1. We need to make homosexuality PRACTICE illegal once again. Then those comtemplaiting that lifestyle will shun it or get help, or remain celibate.
I think we should start feeding Evangelicals to the lions.
Then they might shut up and stop destroying America.
The following portion of an article w/link shows that Mormons have more integrity than the Evangelical Religious Right (ERR). You have never heard FNF utter a word concerning the evil from Dick Cheney - but Bringham Young students are standing up for righteousness. I wonder who is really from God???
Sincerely,
Human
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/us/11byu.html?ex=1333944000&en=7457df67acda1dbb&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
PROVO, Utah, April 10 — The invitation extended to Vice President Dick Cheney to be the commencement speaker at Brigham Young University has set off a rare, continuing protest at the Mormon university, one of the nation’s most conservative.
Some of the faculty and the 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, who are overwhelmingly Republican, have expressed concern about the Bush administration’s support for the war in Iraq and other policies, but most of the current protest has focused on Mr. Cheney’s integrity, character and behavior. Several students said, for example, that they were appalled at Mr. Cheney’s use of an expletive on the Senate floor in a June 2004 exchange with Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont.
“The problem is this is a morally dubious man,” said Andrew Christensen, a 22-year-old Republican from Salt Lake City. “It’s challenging the morality and integrity of this institution.”
Students and faculty at Brigham Young — a private university sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — are expected to adhere to an honor code, which emphasizes “being honest, living a chaste and virtuous life, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, using clean language” and following church doctrines. They are also required to follow strict modesty guidelines for grooming and attire.
In the two weeks since the university announced that Mr. Cheney would be the speaker at the commencement on April 26, hundreds of students have attended respectful and quiet campus demonstrations about his presence, and some 3,600 students and alumni had signed petitions by Tuesday afternoon seeking a “more appropriate” replacement speaker.
Warner P. Woodworth, 65, an independent and a professor at the university’s Marriott School of Management, questioned Mr. Cheney’s assertions about Al Qaeda’s ties to the government of Saddam Hussein and his involvement in disclosing the identity of Valerie Wilson, a covert officer in the Central Intelligence Agency, which led to the conviction of I. Lewis Libby Jr., Mr. Cheney’s former chief of staff.
I agree with PAM
I think we should have public referendum on Pam's right to marry. I would certainly vote against anything that encourages a bigotted idiot like her to procreate!
Seems to me there is a lot of hate filled persons wanting to change our nation from "Under God" to "I am and there is none other." This has happened before in history. Does anyone know their history enough to know the outcome of that little incident?
I think you should have a week-long summit meeting to discuss why God didn't answer your prayers.
A> Did you not pray strongly enough?
B> Is God just testing you by making you squirm?
C> Your prayers weren't consistent with God's will?
How come there is no reflection on your position? Is your pride blinding you?
If these aren't valid questions, why aren't they?
Andrew. Randall is not suggesting that there is any secret to the agenda of the gay rights activists.
A year ago they were saying no,no, we just want our rights and bennies. Now they are saying Of course this about marriage. The point is that they have once again come out of the closet. One of your brethern posting above is running about a year behind. They are still saying it's about benefits. The shell game is on the gay rights side. Randall is simply quoting your leaders.
I'm still waiting for the sky to fall...
Anon 4:15
As I recall from my history, the "under God" was added in 1956. Can anyone coorborate this?
Further, this was the same claim the Roman Catholic inquisitors made that more than one religion would destroy society. Thus they felt their obligation to God to lynch, maim and oppress with with their ethics as do the Evangelical Relgious Right - same spirit.
Sincerely,
Human
It was added to our money in '56, they changed the pledge in '54... basically all within my lifetime, not a lot of historical significance compared to out national history as a whole...
Oh come on Human. Tim is sooooo you.
Anon 10:25
Sounds a little limp wristed - coming out of the closet??
Nope, I am my own, happy, breathing, atheist that knows that there is no God.
Oh, and I am often at least a little too sarcastic.
Well, if you are right, you gain nothing. If we are right, that there is a personal God who loves us and wants us to live with Him forever, and you are wrong, you lose eternity.
wow Tim that is quite a belief , or non belief I guess.
Ever questioned it , like even the possibility of something that was there before we all showed up .
Or Just questioned your own ability to possibly be correct and have a view that was not hindered somehow ..
I have not known too many people who claim to be complete athesist.
I hope you never have to go through a 12 step recovery class , you would be stuck in their forever . ;0)
"Anon 10:25
Sounds a little limp wristed - coming out of the closet?? "
Human that is a very strange thing to say. I think your man obesession has warped you. FYI--I am a woman.
Culture and Religion
America today is in a virtue deficit where our standards of right and wrong have become increasingly hazy. Out of this haze have arisen great problems within our society including: hostility towards organized religion, sexual exploitation, the homosexual agenda, the demise of the family, and the culture of death. Sadly, we now live in a country where children kill children, families are broken, mothers have been told that allowing an abortionist to take the life of an unborn baby is simply a matter of "choice," and where the public expression of our nation's religious heritage is considered a crime. These are disastrous trends for our country. If they aren't reversed, America – this great experiment in self-government – will be in jeopardy. Unfortunately, politicians have done much to make these problems worse by pursuing policies that shift power from families to the bureaucracy and by imposing Washington's values on the American people. This must stop. We need elected leaders who will care as much about the virtue deficit as they do about the budget deficit.
We realize that one of the main underlying causes of all of these problems is the secularization of our country. Recently, we have witnessed a substantial effort by secularist forces to prevent people of faith from continuing to acknowledge religion in the public square. At a time when Americans need to be reminded of our nation’s moral roots and the virtues that spring from those roots, secularists have worked tirelessly for such things as removing the words “under God” from our country’s most sacred oath, an education system that forbids any mention or recognition of faith, and the removal of Judge Roy Moore as Alabama’s Chief Justice because he refused to remove a 10 Commandments monument from the state’s Supreme Court building.
Not only have the public expression and acknowledgement of religion and traditional values been banned, but in its place emerges the liberal culture, which targets our children. Hollywood serves up a steady diet of irresponsible sex and violence. The pro-abortion crowd gives them condoms and birth control pills. And even worse, textbooks and liberal education bureaucrats are selling our children the liberal political agenda. We need to do more to equip America's youth. We need to do more to let their voices speak the powerful truths to their peers and school officials.
American Values isn’t shy about proclaiming the need for moral values in restoring our nation. We work for a country where reliable standards of right and wrong matter again; where character counts; where virtue isn't seen as something old-fashioned but as something to treasure and pass on from one generation to another. We want America to be a country where once again women who choose to be mothers are not looked down upon or seen as being behind the times and wives are appreciated for their valuable contribution to America. We support measures that protect religious expression, restore the freedom of states to allow the acknowledgement of God in public places, and allow the posting of the Ten Commandments in public buildings. We encourage and support the heroic work being done by churches, non-profit groups and people of faith and compassion to reach out to drug addicts, prisoners, at-risk children, and women facing crisis pregnancies and support public policies that give faith-based organizations equal opportunity to apply for federal funding for these purposes.
We are convinced that, if we do these things, we can start to reverse the terrible trends we have seen in recent years, and we can once again be "the shining city upon a hill" that our founders envisioned.
this is like what is happening in oregon
Strange that 35 people can move such evil to empower the whole state of Oregon regardless of the opposition. Sometimes our plans break down as in this case and our efforts fall short. When things happen that we can't control, we must "keep on travelin'" and remember where the real power for godly living and true praise comes from. When our efforts falter, we need to keep praising and lifting up Jesus. It's all about Him anyway. God is in control and His great power deserves our grateful praise.....His will be DONE!
Our next step in opposing these bills is a Referral to the people of Oregon. They have the right to approve or disapprove the actions of the legislature. And considering the clear disinterest of the democrat majority to honor the will of the people, that is what should be done.we still have this referral to the people of oregon
we have this going on in oregon so the people of oregon are going to be calling in a referral
this is what washington should do as well
Marriage
I believe that our society’s strength lies in its most fundamental building block, the family unit. Family begins with marriage. We must defend the institution of marriage by defending the definition of marriage. The right to marry is not the right to redefine marriage. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
How we define marriage is vitally important because of the message it sends to the culture—to the young, and to the next generation of citizens. Make no mistake, a society that undermines marriage and the family is undermining itself, and a government that attempts to supplant rather than to support the family and marriage is bent on its own destruction.
We must recognize that it is our families, built upon the institution of marriage, that are the fundamental and essential centers of commitment and care that have the real power to transform our society.
Human Rights
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