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California votes to ban homosexual marriage

By Scott Tibbs, November 7, 2008

Tuesday night was not a good night for Republicans, with Barack Obama winning 52% of the popular vote and winning the Electoral College in a landslide. This was not a surprise to me, after the Republicans nominated a moderate who has frequently clashed with the Republican base. And while some might want to argue that Sarah Palin hurt John McCain with moderate voters, the elections results in California serve as evidence to the contrary.

Obama obliterated McCain in California, 6,219,123 to 3,777,314. But Californians voted to ban homosexual marriage, 5,376,424 to 4,870,010, according to CNN's election website. That means a significant number of Obama supporters also voted to prevent government from recognizing homosexual marriage. Keep in mind that Barack Obama was opposed to the California ballot initiative. A ban on homosexual marriage also passed in Florida, 4,717,753 to 2,883,847. While a moderate Republican lost convincingly nationwide, socially conservative ballot initiatives did well.

The results in California are encouraging to those of us who have been working against efforts to radically redefine marriage to something other than the union of one man and one woman. Even in a very liberal state known for sending Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer to represent them in Washington, voters were not willing to see government recognize homosexual marriage. It is also significant that the vote invalidated any "marriages" that took place after the California Supreme Court ruled that a previous state law approved by the voters was unconstitutional. With the ban on homosexual marriage now part of California's constitution, that is no longer an option.

Many people are attributing the vote to "hate". As a Christian, I do not hate homosexuals, and I doubt that the 5 million people who voted to ban homosexual marriage in California "hate" homosexuals. However, I submit to the authority of Scripture when it states that homosexuality is an abomination to God. While many only want to share where God says "yes", it is not loving to only share part of the Truth. God's "no" is as important as His "yes", and it is an act of faith and love to proclaim Christian doctrine as presented in Scripture.

It is not an act of love to have government place a stamp of approval on a destructive sin and rebellion against what God has ordained for His creation. It is an act of hatred to endorse that sin. And this vote does not take any rights away. Right now, homosexuals in California can get married, should they find a church where the elders and pastors are in rebellion against God's word and are willing to perform a "marriage" ceremony. What they do not have is governmental recognition of their relationship through a state-certified marriage contract.

Following is an email I sent to Peggy Welch.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Homosexual marriage ban in California mandates action by Hoosier legislators
Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:50:26 -0500
From: Scott Tibbs <tibbs1973@yahoo.com>
To: H60@IN.gov

Representative Welch,

I am sure you saw that the amendment to California's constitution to ban homosexual marriage was approved by California voters, despite the fact that President-elect Barack Obama completely obliterated moderate Republican John McCain in the state.

I want to thank you for your efforts to pass an amendment to Indiana's constitution to prohibit government from recognizing homosexual marriage. You have consistently supported efforts to bring a constitutional amendment to Hoosier voters, standing up to your own party and enduring some pretty harsh criticism from your own party in the process. I applaud your commitment to traditional marriage and your willingness to reach across party lines to protect marriage.

However, House Speaker Pat Bauer has broken his promise to allow a vote by the full House on the amendment. The fact that a liberal state that voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic nominee for President voted to preserve traditional marriage should serve as a mandate to the Indiana House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Bauer's broken promise has caused the "clock" to be reset, and the earliest Hoosiers can see a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage is 2012.

Speaker Bauer should immediately allow a vote of the full House when the legislative session opens in January. I encourage you to join me and other advocates of traditional marriage to demand that Bauer keep his promise and allow this vote. Hoosier voters will pass a constitutional ban on homosexual marriage if it is put before us, and we want that opportunity so that the Indiana Supreme Court cannot invalidate state law the way the California Supreme Court did earlier this year.

Thank you again for all of your efforts to protect marriage.

Scott Tibbs