Supreme Court Will Take Up
The Marriage Question This Year
Last October, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review an appeal of the same-sex marriage question. In a stunning turn of events late last week, the Supreme Court has reconsidered and has now agreed to take up the issue this term. The decision the Supreme Court will hand down by the end of June, 2015, will decide two questions:
- Whether the 14th Amendment requires all states to allow same-sex couples to marry; and
- Whether the 14th Amendment requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages that take place out-of-state.
Same-sex marriage is already legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In most of these states, the legality of same-sex marriage did NOT happen because the legislature--the people's representatives--voted to legalize it. It happened because judges overruled the will of the people by imposing their own ideas of what should constitute a legalized marriage. The Supreme Court could go one of several ways when it makes its decision. It could make a historic ruling that would "settle" the question either for or against natural marriage; it could decide to leave the same-sex marriage issue to the states; or, it could fall short of actually deciding the whole question, which seems unlikely since it has accepted this case.
Significant in this decision is the fact that 2 of the Supreme Court Justices--Ginsburg and Kagan--have both already presided over same-sex weddings, which certainly shows a public bias in that direction. Normally, this would require a Justice to recuse herself from a decision in which she has made such a public statement. So far, these Justices have not indicated that they will do so.
It is impossible to overstate the historical significance this decision may have on the fabric of America. This is quite possibly the most important moral question the Court has taken up since it "found" a constitutional right to privacy in the Constitution giving women a "right" to abortion. As with abortion, however, it is unlikely that all Americans will simply accept whatever decision the Court hands down this year.
In fact, later this week, on January 22nd, the annual pro-life March on Washington will take place for the 38th time. Pro-lifers may actually be winning this battle, despite the fact that the Supreme Court found a "right" to abortion back in 1973. If the Supreme Court "finds" a right to same-sex marriage in the Constitution, our hope and prayer is that Americans will not give up the fight to keep traditional marriage from being completely undermined.
We are calling upon all Americans to start praying now. Pray that America will continue to honor the God Who has given us freedom. Pray that our citizens will turn back to God and stop the moral decline that is now proceeding at an ever-increasing pace in America. Pray that our nation will continue to honor natural marriage as God has defined it--between a man and a woman.
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The National Center for Life and Liberty | P.O. Box 270548 | Flower Mound | TX | 75027
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