BELIEVERS ARE TO BLAME!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

BELIEVERS ARE TO BLAME!

by Steve Fair

    On Friday, the SCOTUS ruled 5-4 that same-sex couples in the United States have an equal right to marriage.  Because of their ruling the only way this can be undone is by a formal amendment to the Constitution or a future court overturning the ruling.  Neither is likely to happen.  President Obama called the Supreme Court decision requiring states to recognize same-sex marriage "a victory for America."  "Our nation was founded on a bedrock principle that we are all created equal. The project of each generation is to bridge the meaning of those founding words with the realities of changing times.  Progress on this journey often comes in small increments, sometimes two steps forward, one step back, propelled by the persistent effort of dedicated citizens," he continued. "And then sometimes, there are days like this when that slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."

     The decision on Friday opened same-sex marriage legally in the remaining fourteen states that did not recognized gay marriage, and will give new legal protection for those who got married in other states.  The court ruling said the prohibitions violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of due process and equal protection. 

     Former Arkansas Governor and 2016 GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee slammed the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on same-sex marriage, suggesting Christians will have no choice but resort to civil disobedience in order to follow their faith.

     “This case wasn’t so much about a matter of marriage equality, it was marriage redefinition,” Huckabee said on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” Sunday. “And I think people have to say, ‘If you’re going to have a new celebration that we’re not going to discriminate, may I ask, are we going to now discriminate against people of conscience, people of faith who may disagree with this ruling?”  That is a great question.  Does tolerance extend to those who believe the Bible condemns homosexuality? 

     President Obama seemed to imply that if you have a differing view from the court that you were not in any danger of being in trouble with the government.  He said, “I know that Americans of good will continue to hold a wide range of views on this issue. Opposition, in some cases, has been based on sincere and deeply held beliefs. All of us who welcome today’s news should be mindful of that fact and recognize different viewpoints, revere our deep commitment to religious freedom.”  John Nolte on breitbart.com described the comments as, “if you like your religion, you can keep your religion.”  I agree.  The President seems to be understanding, but his track record on keeping his word and predicting how he will govern in the future has been less than stellar.  He may recall he said, ‘those who wanted to keep their doctor could keep their doctor,’ repeating the phase 37 times according to Politico during the time he was trying to sell the Affordable Care Act to the public, but that has not been the case with the ACA.  Will it be the same on same-sex marriage?  Time will tell. 

     Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia, writing the minority opinion on Friday’s ruling said the SCOTUS now represents ‘a threat to American democracy.’  His point is when the vast majority of Americans voted to ban same-sex marriage and the court simply ignores the will of the people, it is a true threat to self-governance.  In his most condemning statement Scalia said, “The five Justices who compose today’s majority are entirely comfortable concluding that every State violated the Constitution for all of the 135 years between the Fourteenth Amendment’s ratification and Massachusetts’ permitting of same-sex marriages in 2003. They have discovered in the Fourteenth Amendment a ‘fundamental right’ overlooked by every person alive at the time of ratification, and almost everyone else in the time since.”

     The definition of marriage didn’t change on Friday just because five black robed judges ruled that it did and God didn’t lose control on Friday.  He is still sovereign.  Their ruling does reveal America is under the severe judgment of God.  That judgment is not because of the gay agenda or the libertarians or the self righteous.  It is because His people (true believes) have not been faithful to spread the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  Professing believers have been more concerned with filling buildings than talking about the depravity of man and his need of redemption.  Until believers in our country start doing their job and proclaiming the good news, we can expect more of the same.  God have mercy on America!

Two websites that have interesting information on the ruling:

The first is the SCOTUS blog.  There are several columns- both pro and con- on the ruling:  You can access it via this link:  http://www.scotusblog.com/category/special-features/same-sex-marriage/

The second is an article by Pastor John McArthur.  You can acccess that via this link:  https://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A170/Gods-Plan-for-the-Gay-Agenda