Sen. Ted Cruz has filed two bills in an attempt to protect state sovereignty. The first would establish a constitutional amendment shielding states that define marriage as between one man and one woman. The second would bar federal courts from further weighing in until such an amendment is adopted.
A recent poll said that 6 in 10 Americans support "same-sex marriage," and a similar share say individual states should not be allowed to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. The numbers indicate a reversal from a decade ago, when opponents outnumbered supporters 58 to 39 percent.
Attorney General Mark Brnovich is standing by his legal advice that the state of Arizona should not allow same-sex couples to jointly adopt children, because state law says only a husband and wife can jointly adopt. Brnovich is maintaining this position despite a directive by Gov. Doug Ducey to the contrary.
Karina Willes and Kami Young, a lesbian couple living in Wisconsin, are fighting for the right to both be listed as parents on the birth certificate of Young's daughter. After the couple's request to Wisconsin's vital records office went unanswered, the American Civil Liberties Union decided to take the matter to court.
Yesterday, The New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial urging the US Supreme Court to recognize "same-sex marriage." The journal claims that if the court were to rule against "same-sex marriage," the "injustice would damage the health and welfare of millions of Americans."
On Wednesday, Texas lawmakers approved a bill in committee that would bar state or local funds from being used to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. "We are a nation made up of sovereign states, and we retain that sovereignty," said Texas Rep. and bill sponsor Cecil Bell Jr.
A federal court in Michigan ruled Tuesday that it won’t allow state recognition of Bruce Morgan and Brian Merucci's out-of-state "gay marriage." The decision was based on legal precedent established by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld Michigan's ban on "same-sex marriage" in March of 2014.
Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, wrote an article today for the New York Times in which he criticizes the cowardice of Indiana and Arkansas on religious freedom and "same-sex marriage." Jindal also said that he plans "in this legislative session to fight for passage of the Marriage and Conscience Act."
Chase Culpepper, who is a male, has received an apology from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles because they forced him to remove his makeup for his driver's license photo last year. In addition, a promise has been made to write a new policy on the "proper" treatment of "transgendered" applicants.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has announced it's opposition to "same-sex marriage," upholding the Christian view of marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman. A national referendum on the issue will be held on May 22.
On Tuesday, Pastor David Gonnella of the Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore led the opening prayer for the Alabama Senate, asking God to "Forgive us for allowing sexual perversions to be considered as normal."
On Tuesday, the governing board of Arkansas’s capital city adopted an ordinance forbidding discrimination against gays and transgender people in municipal hiring, setting the stage for a legal confrontation with the state government which has banned such regulations.
Rick Phillips points out that while a license from the state isn't necessary to constitute a marriage, Christians should endeavor to have their marriages recognized by the state if possible.
On Friday, the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) awarded Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore the “Letter from Birmingham Jail Courage Award" for maintaining his stand on marriage between one man and one woman.
Several GOP candidates who claim to be opposed to "gay marriage" are beginning to waver in their views. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio believes sexual preference is decided at birth, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has attended a "gay wedding reception," and Ohio Gov. John Kasich plans to attend his friend's "gay wedding."
In this article, Russell Moore calls for the church to stand up and be the unpopular prophet when it comes to "same-sex marriage." The church can only accomplish this by preaching the true gospel.
On Sunday, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio told CBS News in an interview that “I believe that sexual preference is something that people are born with."
During a televised forum on Wednesday, Al Mohler argued that marriage doesn't come from human invention but from God’s creation order. Mohler said that his view is not merely a “snapshot” from American traditionalism, but represents "God’s intention in creation,” which hasn't changed.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is now a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said on Wednesday that he would be a participant in a "gay wedding" if it involved someone he loves. At the same time, he called "homosexuality" a choice and compared a "gay wedding" to a divorcee’s second marriage.
In a recent speech, Senator Ted Cruz accused the Democratic party of "extreme partisanship," and trying to "mandate gay marriage everywhere in this country." He also criticized the Fortune 500 for "running shamelessly to endorse the radical gay marriage agenda over religious liberty."
In this article, Denny Burk explains why he opposes reparative therapy, arguing that effective change for those that are "gay" or "transgender" needs to come through the work of the Holy Spirit and not through medical processes. He says, "For Christians, the goal of change is holiness not heterosexuality."
Joshua Feuerstein may face criminal charges for recording a phone conversation with bakery owner Sharon Haller, who refused to make him a sheet cake that said, "We do not support gay marriage."
On Wednesday, Guam's attorney general directed officials to immediately begin processing same-sex-marriage applications. However; the acting director of the Department of Public Health and Social Services refused to follow the order, declaring that officials won't accept applications "until further notice."
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a law on Monday that recognizes civil unions between same-sex couples. The new law, to take effect in six months, gives same-sex and unmarried couples many of the rights granted to married couples.
Retired neurosurgeon and potential presidential candidate Ben Carson told CNN on Thursday that he's not interested in the issue of homosexuality but views it as a "personal issue." When asked about his view on gay conversion therapy, Carson said, "That kind of thing should be left to therapists and to individuals."