Point-of-View

Two days after President Bush called for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, Rosie O’Donnell announced her wedding plans on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Rosie said she finds the proposed amendment “immoral.” She added, “And you know, if civil disobedience is the way to go about change, then I think a lot of people will be going to San Francisco.” And that is exactly what Rosie did. She went to San Francisco where she “married” her girlfriend Kelli Carpenter, who Rosie refers to as her wife.

It is interesting that Rosie called President Bush’s proposed amendment “immoral.” Read what our President said and see if it sounds immoral to you: “I call for the Congress to promptly pass and send to the states for ratification an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of a man and woman, as husband and wife. The union of a man and a woman is the most enduring human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith.”

Which scenario is immoral—a woman attempting to “marry” another woman or a president affirming the traditional and moral definition of marriage as it has always been defined in America? I am not sure which standard Rosie goes by to declare that marriage defined as the union of a man and woman is immoral.

I know she was not using traditional American morals as her standard. The founding government of our nation passed a law forbidding the practice of homosexuality because they deemed such behavior as detrimental to our society. Until 1960, homosexual conduct was a crime in all fifty states. In Florida, a poll conducted March 3-4, 2004, found that 65 percent of voters oppose same-sex marriage. Opposition was most intense in the Tampa Bay area, where 72 percent are opposed (Associated Press, March 8, 2004). There is a good reason why same-sex “marriage” is illegal in every state—most people see it as wrong.

I am also sure Rosie was not using traditional biblical values as her standard. Most churches and the Pope condemn the practice of homosexuality and obviously, same-sex marriages. The Bible clearly prohibits the practice of homosexuality and therefore, prohibits the idea of same-sex “marriages.” The traditional biblical values that our nation was founded upon do not permit such a union.

Like it or not, the idea of marriage did not originate in San Francisco or Massachusetts, or even with our Founding Fathers. The idea of marriage came from the first book in the Bible. Genesis 2:24 says, “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” The Bible defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. From the beginning, God created marriage for Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

Here is what traditional moral Americans need to be aware of: the same poll that found 65 percent of the people in Florida opposing same-sex marriage, also found that 53 percent of those polled believed gays and lesbians should be allowed to form civil unions.

“What’s significant about these numbers,” said Rob Schroth, a Democratic pollster, “ is that Florida voters continue to be willing to compromise.”

Therein lies the problem. There is a gay agenda out there that wants to change America and her values.

If you think that is not true, consider the fact that forty years ago, the Ten Commandments were publicly displayed and indecent behavior was kept in the closet.

Today, indecent behavior is publicly displayed and the Ten Commandments are kept in a closet. From the beginning of our nation until the 1960s, homosexuality was not acceptable in America because we knew it was wrong. Our founding fathers knew that in order to protect the family, it was necessary to create a system that would not say “yes” to every desire and would say “no” to anything that could potentially harm the traditional family. If our children and grandchildren are ever going to know the America we have known and loved, we cannot afford to compromise on this issue. When there are those who would make a mockery of the sacred tradition of marriage in America, it is time to draw a line and send a clear message that there will be no same-sex marriages in America.

The only way this will happen is if you do your part to support legislation that will protect traditional marriage. You can do your part to protect the institution of marriage by e-mailing your congress at www.congress.org.

To sign a petition to support The Federal Marriage Amendment which says that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman go to www.nogaymarriage.com.

Same-sex “marriage” is not about “fairness,” equality,” or “imposing values on others,” it is about protecting marriage and the family in America. If we “compromise” here, as some are counting on, we will start down a slippery slope that can only lead to the dangerous erosion of all our other sacred traditions.

Waugh is senior pastor, Northcliffe Baptist Church, Spring Hill.