By Marissa Farrell
Christian Action League
January 24, 2013
Although North Carolina voters made it clear last spring that marriage here remains a relationship between one man and one woman, homosexual activists continue to have same-sex couples apply for marriage licenses to bring media attention to their efforts to redefine the institution via court rulings or federal laws.
The Campaign for Southern Equality, which launched its We Do Campaign in 2011, is now targeting seven southern states, ending in Washington D.C. North Carolina stops include Asheville, Wilson and Winston-Salem, where Mark Maxwell and Tim Young requested a marriage license Jan. 14 from the Forsyth County registrar’s office—a request they had made before and knew would be denied. They planned to travel to Washington, D.C. days later to acquire a license and “marry” in front of family and friends.
The marriage will not be recognized in North Carolina since Tar Heel voters decided 61 to 38 percent in May 2012 to amend the state constitution to protect the traditional definition of marriage, adding a section which reads:
“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”
Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of The Christian Action League, said while the reports of same-sex couples like Maxwell and Young being denied marriage licenses and resulting videos of the rejections posted online may drum up some sympathy, they shed no true light on the crux of the issue, which is the host of negative societal changes that would result from redefining marriage.
“Contrary to the understanding of many, same-sex marriage is not something that would simply exist alongside of traditional marriage; as if it were just a different expression of the same institution. No, instead there would be a completely new legal paradigm, redefining the institution for everyone in the state. The legal understanding of marriage would no longer be one man and one woman, but the union of two adults, regardless of their gender,” he said.
“This redefined version of marriage as a genderless institution would be the only legally recognized definition, one that would produce a myriad of societal conflicts that the government would have to resolve. In other words, citizens, businesses or religious organizations unwilling to comply with this new legal orthodoxy on marriage would find themselves outside of the law and vulnerable to the powers of the government to bring them into compliance.”
Dr. Creech cited examples from Massachusetts, where Catholic Adoption Agencies were forced to close because they could not comply in good conscience with the new state law allowing homosexual couples to adopt a child. Courts in Massachusetts have also ruled that parents have no right to prior notice or opting their child out of a second-grade class that teaches the acceptance of homosexual “marriage” since it is now the law of the land in that state.
Although the Marriage Amendment gave the people of North Carolina the opportunity to elevate current marriage statutes to constitutional status so that marriage would be protected from the whims of activist judges or the legislature, the issue remains volatile with the U.S. Supreme Court set to rule on two related cases this term.
Dr. Creech urged Christians to continue to pray for our nation’s leaders and Supreme Court justices to seek God’s wisdom as they address this institution on which the foundation of civilization is built.
Not only is traditional marriage vital to the family unit, he said, but it is also fundamental for society and has been since the dawn of time, across cultures and religions.
“There is no simple way to tack on homosexual marriage to our current society and believe nothing will really change. On the contrary, everything will change,” he added.
