(May 11, 2006) The title of today’s Focus on the Family broadcast was “National Day of Prayer 2006: America, Honor God (Part 2 of 2).” I couldn’t help but notice the number of times prayer and the political issue of marriage equality repeatedly occurred in the same sentence.
DOBSON: [I invited] Alan Sears my good friend and president of the Alliance Defense Fund up to the microphone, he wasn’t on the program but I knew that something had happened last Thursday that the crowd would want to know about.
[snip]
SEARS: This morning the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts heard oral arguments with Jordan Lawrence of our legal team on the issue of wether or not the people will be allowed by referendum to decide how marriage will be defined in that state.
[snip]
SEARS: We’re praying for victory and success in that case so that people can redefine order in the commonwealth and we’d ask and covet your prayers, and Dr. Dobson what an interesting coincidence for that case to be on the National Day of Prayer.
[snip]
DOBSON: Everything depends on the institution of the family and it’s under attack, and that attack really started or at least got its impetus in Massachusetts so we really do need to be in prayer.
[snip]
MAIER: The Senate is poised to vote on the Marriage “Protection” Amendment very shortly.
DOBSON: Oh Bill that is so very very important, that’s something we aught to be praying about.
[snip]
MAIER: You know one of our other distinguished speakers at the Cannon House Office Building was Senator Rick Santorum.
[snip]
SANTORUM: Pray for the family, and yes I mean the family that has made America a great and honorable country. The family that says we need marriage to be what it always has been and needs to continue to be, the union of one man and one woman in our society, please pray
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At least Sears is admitting that they are asking the people to “redefine order” to fit into their own agenda. Bet he didn’t mean for that to slip out.
‘Marriage to be what it’s always been’?!
Marriage has always changed and evolved and become more inclusive and egalitarian.
Most of the people arguing for the FMA are married MEN.
Some married WOMEN.
If they have been lucky enough to have that status and never been divorced, betrayed or abandoned or abused by a spouse, they have only been lucky.
Not skilled, where marriage is concerned.
If incarcerated murderers can be considered redeemed, helped and matured and healthier through benefit of marriage, a free, contributing and functioning gay couple can be even more so.
I still wouldn’t call gay couples marrying redefining marriage.
But they are redefining what a ungendered, non related couple is.
There’s a serious difference.
And perhaps that’s where the definition of marriage is most accurate.
Relationships developing into a positive and productive union among gay people isn’t a theory.
It’s a serious reality.
I’m done with the Santorums and other self righteous people like him continuing to be in support on the one hand about marriage and it’s benefits, and on the other, oh so willing to say it’s not for ordinary human beings who happen to be gay, and good at it, or at least have the potential to be.
It shows the degree to which the once non-sectarian, a-political Day of Prayer has been hijacked by Shirley (under control of James) Dobson into a highly partisan FotF pep rally.
“we need marriage to be what it always has been”
Good.
Well, then I’ll take your doughter to be my third wife (subservient to the other two). And in exchange for me agreeing to provide and care for her, you will give me one camel, seven goats, and your smaller olive orchard.
Should she prove to be unfertile and not bear me heirs, I will either exchange her for a younger daughter or I will return her dowry.
For a really interesting parallel, do a search on Google Trends for “Gay marriage” and “Terrorism.” I’m still scratching my head about whether their parallel spikes/dips are an artifict of something technological, or have to do with something else.