Was March 26, 2013, Just Another Day? Or Something Else?

March 30, 2013 By

Supreme Court marriageMarch, 26, 2013, began much like any other day.  The sun came up.  It was a morning of dreary rain/snow and clouds in Parkersburg, but was that all there would be at the end of the day?  Certainty cannot say for a few more months.

Why do we not know today, Saturday, what happened last Tuesday?  Seems strange, but then, many things that are happening lately seem very strange to me.

OK.  Enough of the mystery.  Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding two extremely important issues.  These cases will have far-reaching implications for our country and potentially the entire world as we know it.  Their decision will not be known for another two months.

I am, of course, referring to the case of Proposition 8 from California which presented the question of defining marriage to the voters with a very positive result that, even in California – the left coast, the voters strongly spoke to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  Not so fast, you say?  Yes, an openly homosexual federal judge overturned the decision of the people and set the course for Tuesday’s ultimate test of just who runs America – the courts or the people. [Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SCOTUS Recap: frequently Asked Questions Concerning Marriage Cases

March 29, 2013 By

As the Supreme Court considers their ruling on two historic marriage cases, a number of questions continue to be asked about these cases and their outcomes. A recent article answers at least seven frequently asked questions that people seem most concerned about. Below are the seven questions, and you can click here to see their answers.

What issues were the justices deciding?

What are the possible outcomes of the cases?

If the court avoids ruling directly on Prop 8, what happens to the issue nationwide?

Where did the justices fall on the broader question of gay marriage legalization?

Which side won oral arguments — liberal or conservative groups?

When will the court issue its decisions?

Where is public opinion on the issue?

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Peter Sprigg: Six Part Blog Post Anticipates Supreme Court Cases on Marriage

March 29, 2013 By

Prop 8 Supreme CourtAs arguments begin before the Supreme Court in two cases involving marriage and its definition, many watch in anticipation of what how the court will rule in Hollingsworth V. Perry and Windsor V. United States. Will the court uphold the will of the people in California’s Prop 8 case and allow the ballot measure to stand? Or will the court intervene and ignore the voice of the people? These cases are important not just for the issue of marriage, but in how the future of our country will unfold as it relates to citizens’ rights and ballot measures. There’s no doubt that many are watching and waiting to see how these cases turn out.

In anticipation of the arguments that are set to ensue this week, Peter Sprigg, a senior fellow for policy studies with the Family Research Council has written a six-part blog post addressing major questions that should be discussed in light of these cases. Many of the questions and thoughts Sprigg covers are largely ignored by the media, or covered in a liberal, left-leaning sort of way. The thoughts and answers provided by Sprigg are from a conservative point of view.

I’ve listed the title and a particular quote from each section of Sprigg’s six-part series. I would encourage you to read it for perspective and to understand where conservatives and evangelicals are coming from on this issue.

Defining Marriage: What Marriage Is Not

Before you can begin this discussion you must first understand what marriage is and what it is not. Obviously that is at the heart of the battle to redefine marriage. Some believe it is a moral issue that predates the law, others believe it is just a function of the law and whatever society defines it as. Sprigg says: [Read more...]

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Defend Marriage? – Eric Teetsal on Engaging the Issues

March 26, 2013 By

Teetsal Slide.001

As the Supreme Court of the United States hears arguments about the future definition of marriage, Eric Teetsal of the Manhattan Declaration discusses how we must continue to defend marriage between one man and one woman – regardless of how the court rules.

Click here to listen to Engaging the Issues. . .

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

Filed Under: Engaging the Issues, Marriage, Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why Not Let Homosexual Couples Have Their “Civil Unions?” (Part 1)

March 20, 2013 By

civil unionsThe battle rages on between those who wish to protect traditional man-woman marriage against any attempt to re-define it as something else.

Among the arguments being used in the court case that overturned the free will of California’s citizens and may well signal the final victory for one side or the other, is the argument that it is discriminatory to deny the recognition of same-sex “marriage” while recognizing marriages between heterosexual couples.

The judge who first decided that the Proposition 8 referendum was unconstitutional – an admittedly homosexual male who, by every reasonable standard, should have disqualified himself from hearing the case – used the equal protection clauses of both the California and the U.S. Constitution to justify his decision.

More recently, as the case is about to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court later this month, the Obama administration has come forward with an amicus brief to the court supporting same-sex marriage on the same 14th Amendment ground.

First of all, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was the amendment passed following the civil war that ensured equal protection of the law to an entire class of citizens who had no choice about the color of their skin when they were born and were not the slightest bit free to alter their appearance or heritage.  Additionally, those individuals were undergoing tremendously severe physical and mental cruelty simply because of those physical attributes that made them different and readily identifiable as “different.”  They could not conceal who they were or what they were.

[Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Will SCOTUS Make Same-Sex “Marriage” Legal?

December 11, 2012 By

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases relating to the issue of marriage. While supporters of marriage redefinition are hopeful that the court will strike down existing marriage laws and legalize same-sex “marriage” across the United States, legal minds are not so sure that will be the outcome. A recent article shares analysis of the upcoming cases before the high court, saying that because the country is still so sharply divided on the issue, the Supremes are unlikely to invalidate existing state laws:

“The Supreme Court agreed to hear Hollingsworth v. Perry, the California case, as well as U.S. v. Windsor, a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Both go to the core of one of the most divisive issues in American politics, the equivalent of interracial marriages in the 1950s. Very few people today would seriously support legal restrictions on a marriage between a white man and a black woman, but it wasn’t until the high court’s 1967 decision in Loving v. Virginia that such laws were declared unconstitutional nationwide. Eskridge, whose scholarship has focused on how the Supreme Court adapts to mass political movements, thinks the country hasn’t yet reached a similar consensus on gay marriage.” Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Engaging Weekend: SCOTUS to Hear Prop 8 and DOMA Cases, Planned Parenthood Shows Teens How to Cover Bruises, Hallmark Card Angers Customers

December 10, 2012 By

Engaging Weekend is a collection of articles from the weekend you might have missed. But we wanted to make sure you had a chance to read them.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Prop. 8, DOMA cases

This is big! The U.S. Supreme Court has finally agreed to hear cases on the constitutionality of Prop 8 and DOMA. Depending on how the court rules, all other state constitutional laws could either be safe or in serious jeopardy. One article comments: “The Supreme Court has made it very clear that the age-old definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is constitutional as a matter of public policy…The lower court decisions in the Proposition 8 case essentially rejected all relevant Supreme Court and appellate court precedent. We are hopeful and confident that the Supreme Court will uphold its precedent.” As these cases move forward all eyes will be on the court and its ruling. You can be sure that polygamists, polyamorists, and pedophiles alike are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the court’s decision. Click here for original article.

Is Planned Parenthood Showing Teens How to Hide a Beating With Makeup?

My favorite organization to loathe, Planned Parenthood, is at it again. This time they are showing young women how to cover up and “look your best” after being physically abused. According to a recent article: “Planned Parenthood’s Info for Teens Facebook page is at it again. This time it is with a video that shows how to cover up those nasty cuts and bruises that result from a beating. The lead-in to the video says, ‘A recent study showed that almost one in 10 high school students has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend of girlfriend in the last 12 months.’ The link to the video bears the headline: ‘How to look your best the morning after.’ It appears beside the picture of an obviously badly beaten young lady.” The idea that Planned Parenthood condones violence and abuse is nothing new. It is well known and recorded that Planned Parenthood has been complicit in aiding sex-traffickers, and statutory rapists cover up their crimes. Planned Parenthood will do just about anything to skirt the law and avoid calling police. But hey, they are really concerned for “women’s health.” Click here for original article.

Anger over birthday card for 13-year-old girls that refers to their ‘boobies’

Normally I might pass this article along to you in anger, asking you to consider buying cards other than Hallmark this Christmas. But this time, I am happy to report that though such a card exists, Hallmark seems to be taking appropriate steps and seeking to ensure it vanishes forever. The card in question, found in the UK, reads: “You’re 13 today! If you had a rich boyfriend, he’d give you diamonds and rubies. Well, maybe next year you will – when you’ve bigger boobies!” But this seems to be an accident that Hallmark is just as upset about. When outraged customers complained, Hallmark responded: “This card was printed over 15 years ago by Arnold Barton before Hallmark UK acquired that brand. This card has not been reproduced since and we are surprised that a copy was still available for purchase in a retail store. We agree the card is not appropriate; we apologize on behalf of Arnold Barton and will do our best to track down any copies remaining in circulation…The card has not been produced for over 15 years and would never pass our own strict guidelines of taste and appropriateness. We would like to assure all our customers that we will do everything in our power to track down remaining copies.” I can appreciate that that is a mistake. I also appreciate that Hallmark appears to be working to ensure a card like this is never again published. Click here for original article.

DO GAYS HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO MARRY? HERE’S WHY ACTIVISTS FEAR LOSING THEIR SUPREME COURT BATTLE

Same-sex “marriage” activists are questioning the timing of the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the cases involving Prop 8 and DOMA. They are concerned that the court will cause a setback in their movement by upholding state constitutional laws and the ability of states to govern themselves through the democratic process. One article comments: “Should the Supreme Court decide to overturn the marriage laws of 41 states, the ruling would become even more divisive than the court’s infamous Roe v. Wade decision…Marriage, unlike abortion laws in the 1970s, has been incorporated into the state constitutions of 30 states. Voters in these states will not accept an activist court redefining our most fundamental social institution.” Click here for original article.

Help Protect the Family Now!     Please click here to give through our secure online server

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Engaging Weekend Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Same-Sex Marriage May Be Decided by Supreme Court

November 27, 2012 By

This is a big week for marriage as the Supreme Court considers accepting cases involving DOMA and Prop 8. In particular, Section 3 of DOMA is being challenged. Section 3 effectively bars “legally married same-sex couples” from receiving federal benefits. According to a recent article : “The nine justices are scheduled to conference behind closed doors Friday and decide — or delay deciding — whether to hear any of the five challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act or California’s Proposition 8 case…The odds appear good they will accept at least one of the DOMA cases and the Prop 8 case…DOMA and Prop 8 all have taken a beating in the lower courts. The Supreme Court’s four-member conservative bloc — five if you include swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy — might be inclined to grant review to either save DOMA or Prop 8, or write an opinion that gives Congress and the states some guidance on same-sex marriage.” 

It is unclear if SCOTUS will invalidate state laws or return marriage to states to decide for themselves. If marriage is returned to states then Prop 8 will most likely be upheld. What is certain is that traditional marriage is still under attack and needs to be defended. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Case Against DOMA and SCOTUS

August 30, 2012 By

by Nathan A. Cherry, 08/30/2012

If you’ve been paying attention, you know that several cases are seeking a hearing before the Supreme Court all related to DOMA and the definition of marriage. Out of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals comes Gill v. Office of Personnel Management; where benefits are being sought for legally married same-sex couples. Then of course there is the Perry v. Brown case from the 9th Circuit, also known as Prop 8. Both of these cases ultimately seek to overturn or strike down DOMA in an effort to weaken marriage and open the door to marriage redefinition. Also at stake here is every state that has voted to legally define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Every state constitutional amendment that has been added by voters will be in jeopardy if SCOTUS overturns DOMA or rules it unconstitutional. Not simply because the SCOTUS ruling would invalidate those state amendments, but because it would open the door to challenges by activist groups and judges. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Is This the Prevailing Opinion on Same Sex “Marriage”?

July 10, 2012 By

by Nathan A. Cherry, 07/10/2012

Many believe that a new, prevailing opinion on same-sex “marriage” is sweeping across the America. The view states that while people don’t necessarily agree with homosexuality and same-sex “marriage,” that they should be legalized and affirmed in the spirit of fairness and equality. David Blankenhorn writes:  “I don’t believe that opposite-sex and same-sex relationships are the same, but I do believe, with growing numbers of Americans, that the time for denigrating or stigmatizing same-sex relationships is over.” Is this where most Americans now stand on the issue? Recent evidence from Prop 8 in California and Amendment 1 in North Carolina. This is a tactic used by homosexual advocates and liberals to try and persuade those with religious and moral convictions against same-sex “marriage” to forego their conviction sand “join the majority.” Truth is, those supporting traditional marriage are in a super majority. Click here to read the original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts