Marriage in America - 2015

2. Marriage in America - 2015 • Assassination of John F. Kennedy - Nov. 1963 • Resignation of Richard Nixon August, 1974 • Supreme Ct. Decision: Roe v. Wade – liberalized abortion laws Jan. 1973 • Supreme Ct. Decision: June 26, 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges

3. Marriage in America - 2015 • Chief Justice John Roberts: "If you are among the many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today's decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. …Celebrate the availability of new benefits," he wrote. "But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it."

4. Marriage in America - 2015 • Justice Antonin Scalia: "When the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868, every State limited marriage to one man and one woman, and no one doubted the constitutionality of doing so. That resolves these cases."

5. Marriage in America - 2015 • Justice Anthony Kennedy "The generations that wrote and ratified the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment did not presume to know the extent of freedom in all of its dimensions, and so they entrusted to future generations a character protecting the right of all persons to enjoy liberty as we learn its meaning."

6. Marriage in America - 2015 • The tide has turned against Marriage as God prescribes. • In 2001, 57 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage. Today, 57 percent support it, according to the Pew Research Center.

7. Marriage in America - 2015 • Antonin Scalia wrote in 2013 (Windsor) in the minority dissent: "By formally declaring anyone opposed to same-sex marriage an enemy of human decency, the majority arms well every challenger to a state law restricting marriage to its traditional definition."

8. Marriage in America - 2015 • Robert George, May 2014 Prayer Breakfast americanprinciplesproject.org/social-issues/robert-p-george • “The days of socially acceptable Christianity are over… It is no longer easy to be a faithful Christian,… an authentic witness to the truths of the Gospel. A price is demanded and must be paid. There are costs of discipleship—heavy costs, costs that are burdensome and painful to bear.”

9. Marriage in America - 2015 • “Do you believe, as I believe, that every member of the human family, irrespective of age or size or stage of development or condition of dependency, is the bearer of inherent dignity and an equal right to life? Do you hold that the precious child in the womb, as a creature made in the very image and likeness of God, deserves respect and protection? Then, powerful people and institutions say, you are a misogynist—a hater of women, someone who poses a threat to people’s privacy, an enemy of women’s “reproductive freedom.” You ought to be ashamed!”

10. Marriage in America - 2015 • “Do you believe, as I believe, that the core social function of marriage is to unite a man and woman as husband and wife to be mother and father to children born of their union? Do you hold, as I hold, that the norms that shape marriage as a truly conjugal partnership are grounded in its procreative nature—its singular aptness for the project of child-rearing? “

11. Marriage in America - 2015 • Do you understand marriage as the uniquely comprehensive type of bond—comprehensive in that it unites spouses in a bodily way and not merely at the level of hearts and minds—that is oriented to and would naturally be fulfilled by their conceiving and rearing children together? Then these same forces say you are a homophobe, a bigot, someone who doesn’t believe in equality. You even represent a threat to people’s safety.” • americanprinciplesproject.org/social-issues/robert-p-george

12. Judicial Courts and Marriage • Enacting same – sex civil marriage would therefore not be an expansion of the institution of marriage, but a redefinition. • This action begun by the “no – fault” divorce concepts would finally replace the conjugal view of marriage in our society.

13. Two Views of Marriage Societal and Biblical

14. Marriage Is Radical Marriage is a radical act that expresses complete trust and confidence in the fidelity and faithfulness of one person, your spouse. • “Getting married is the boldest and most idealistic thing that most of us will ever do.” The Case for Marriage. (Maggie Gallagher and Linda Waite, 2001)

15. Marriage Is Radical (Genesis 2:24) (Mark 10:6 – 8) "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 'and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.” • “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

16. Jesus on Marriage: Marriage is for a man and a woman. Marriage is for one man and one woman. Sexual Relationship is approved in marriage and only in marriage.

17. Sexual Relations in Marriage 16 “Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." …18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” (1 Cor. 6:16, 18) • “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed (Gk. koite) undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Heb. 13:4)

18. Jesus on Marriage: Marriage is for a man and a woman. Marriage is for one man and one woman. Sexual Relationship is approved in marriage and only in marriage. "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.” (Mark 10:8) “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.“ (Mark 10:9)

19. Marriage: A Covenant with God • (Proverbs 2:17) “Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God.”

20. Marriage: A Covenant with God • Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant...” • "For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.“ (Mal.2:14,16)

21. Marriage: For Good • “Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun,” (Eccl. 9:9).