Tallahassee Democrat
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810150309
MY VIEW
 
Amendment Conflicts With Values Of Faith
By Brant S. Copeland
October 15, 2008

As a Christian pastor, I'm in favor of marriage and opposed to Amendment 2.

I take the vows of Christian marriage very seriously. Along with my colleagues in various faith traditions, I'm committed to building strong marriages.

However, Amendment 2 does nothing to make marriage stronger. Proponents maintain that marriage needs protection, arguing that, without Amendment 2, "same-sex marriage" could become legal in Florida. In fact, traditional marriage is already ensconced in four Florida statutes:

  • 741.212 (1): "Marriages between persons of the same sex entered into in any jurisdiction ... domestic or foreign ... or relationships between persons of the same sex, which are treated as marriages in any jurisdiction, whether within or outside the State of Florida, the United States, or any other jurisdiction ... or any other place or location, are not recognized for any purpose in this state."

  • 741.212 (2): "The state, its agencies, and its political subdivisions may not give effect to any public act, record or judicial proceeding of any state, territory, possession, or tribe of the United States or of any other jurisdiction ... domestic or foreign, or any other place or location respecting either a marriage or relationship not recognized under subsection (1) or a claim arising from such a marriage or relationship."

  • 741.212 (3): "For purposes of interpreting any state statute or rule, the term 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the term 'spouse' applies only to a member of such a union."

  • 741.04 (1): prohibits any judge or clerk of the court from issuing a marriage license "unless one party is a male and the other party is a female."

    While this amendment is not needed to "protect" marriage, it is far from innocuous. It could harm couples who are not married, but currently enjoy certain rights and benefits. This includes seniors who feel they can't afford to get married because one partner would lose pension benefits. It also includes couples who are currently on domestic partnership registries in several Florida communities.

    Some employers extend health and pension benefits to domestic partners. If this amendment passes, those benefits could disappear. Similar amendments in Michigan and Kentucky have threatened benefits and wreaked havoc on the courts.

    This amendment conflicts with my Christian faith. Marriage should "be held in honor by all" (Hebrews 13:4), and God commands me to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:39).

    I can't see how depriving adults of health care or taking away their pensions expresses love for them. Nor can I imagine that Jesus, who made a special effort to welcome children, would want today's children to go without health insurance, even if their parents aren't married to each other.

    And then there's the hypocrisy factor. Jesus asked, "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:30). According to Marriage Partnership Magazine , researcher George Barna has found that "the divorce rate among born-again Christians (27 percent) and fundamentalist Christians (30 percent) is actually higher than the rate for non-Christians (23 percent)" We Christians need to put our own marital house in order. This amendment doesn't pass the log-in-your-own-eye test.

    Colleagues have told me that supporting Amendment 2 is my duty as a Christian pastor. With respect for my brothers and sisters in Christ, I think my duty lies elsewhere. I oppose this amendment out of love for God and neighbor.

  • Brant S. Copeland is pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Contact him at brant@oldfirstchurch.org.
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