Understanding Definition of Marriage

Professor co-authors book on what the implications of redefining marriage could be on families, society

By Brandon Vogt - OSV Newsweekly, 1/13/2013

Robert P. George is a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University. He is an expert on marital law and a strong advocate of traditional marriage.  

George

Along with Sherif Girgis, a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, and Ryan T. Anderson, a Heritage Foundation fellow, George is the co-author of a new book titled, “What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense”(Encounter Books, $15.99). It’s based on their renowned academic paper on the same topic that appeared in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. 

George recently spoke with Our Sunday Visitor about the book, his work and the main arguments surrounding same-sex marriage. 

Our Sunday Visitor: In the book, you say the entire marriage debate hinges on one question: What is marriage? Why is that question so important? 

Robert P. George: Advocates of redefining marriage to include same-sex relationships appeal to the principle of equality. We cannot, however, understand what equality does and does not require without first determining what marriage is. 

Read the full interview at Our Sunday Visitor.

• Read 'Openers: Finding good answers in the same-sex marriage debate' here.
• Read  'Rebuttals to arguments for same-sex marriage' here.

Brandon Vogt is a Catholic writer and speaker who blogs at BrandonVogt.com. He is also the author of “The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet” (OSV, $13.95), which you can find at www.churchandnewmedia.com. He writes from Casselberry, Fla.

Sex, Love, and God: A Commentary by Fr. Barron

Vive la famille! The French rally against gay marriage

November 18, 2012
Robert Oscar Lopez

American conservatives must take a close look at themselves and consider the sad state of our traditional mores: The French are doing a better job making the case for traditional marriage than is the American right. This piece from Libération tells it all.

With three simple letters - PME, or "père, mère, enfant" - the protestors stated the no-nonsense, no-beating-around-the-bush reason not to legalize same-sex marriage. "Father, mother, child."

Here's a snippet with my admittedly amateurish translation (send complaints to my old high school teachers from Williamsville South High School, circa 1985):

A huge wave. Of Catholics? "No, citizens!" a man answers. Tens of thousands of people (70,000 according to the mayor's office) were arrayed this afternoon in Paris to protest against the planned law by which the government shall legalize homosexual marriage. Among them, many rightist voters, some are experiencing their first protest.
Pink balloons, spelling out: "No to gay marriage," a family touts the slogan: "A child is the result of the union of man and woman." Frigide Barjot, the one who organized the association "for sustainable humanity," as well as the call to protest, arrives in a pink mini scooter and waves the civil code, while crying out, "We represent the PME family (father, mother, child!) We are at the beginning of a movement!"

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/11/vive_la_famille_the_french_rally_against_gay_marriage.html#ixzz2HK5YjUaG

Pregnancy Centers Gain Influence in Anti-Abortion Arena

By PAM BELLUCK

WACO, Tex. — With free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, along with diapers, parenting classes and even temporary housing, pregnancy centers are playing an increasingly influential role in the anti-abortion movement. While most attention has focused on scores of new state laws restricting abortion, the centers have been growing in numbers and gaining state financing and support.

Largely run by conservative Christians, the centers say they offer what Roland Warren, head of Care Net, one of the largest pregnancy center organizations, described as “a compassionate approach to this issue.”

As they expand, they are adding on-call or on-site medical personnel and employing sophisticated strategies to attract women, including Internet search optimization and mobile units near Planned Parenthood clinics.

Read More at the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/health/pregnancy-centers-gain-influence-in-anti-abortion-fight.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

Renting Wombs in India Exploits the Powerless By Wesley J. Smith December 29, 2012 4:56 P.M. Comments 15 Print Text    Colonialism used to be about the rich exploiting the resources of other lands. Now, biological colonialism (as I call it) finds well off (mostly) Westerners exploiting destitute people in developing countries for their body parts and functions, essentially using people as natural resources. Renting uteruses of destitute Indian women for their gestational capacities–just one form of BC–is apparently on the rise. From a story in the Independent: Read More at the National Review.

Sexual standards

By AUDREY POLLNOW AND BEN KOONS
GUEST CONTRIBUTORS

  

Published: Friday, December 7th, 2012

Princeton should have sexual standards that allow people to live the good life. Recent ‘Prince’ op-eds have rightly criticized Princeton’s present sexual standard insofar as it promotes hookups as right for everybody. But we should go farther. In seeking a good sexual culture, a culture that offers the proper freedom and support, we cannot bracket the question of whether hookups are bad. Our actions forge a culture that affects our community, our relationships, our actions and even our preferences.

Read more at the Daily Princeton: http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2012/12/07/32104/

Ten People Punished for Believing in Traditional Marriage

THURSDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2012

Ten People Punished for Believing in Traditional Marriage

Freedom to disagree and the right to private conscience are fundamental liberties in any truly open society. Yet, the Government has utterly failed to consider the impact on civil liberty of its plans to redefine marriage (See their proposals here).

I have already given ten ways in which these new proposals will undermine civil liberties.

The Coalition for Marriage has just released a new leaflet outlining ten case histories of people who have already been punished in various ways for standing for traditional marriage.

In it they argue that redefining marriage is sold as a permissive measure, but it will quickly become coercive. In fact, they say, it already has. Too many people have already been punished for expressing their sincere beliefs about marriage. If marriage is redefined, it will get much worse. The ten examples they quote are as follows. In each case I have added links to the relevant news coverage.

1. Adrian Smith (pictured) was demoted and had his salary cut by 40 per cent, all because he said gay weddings in churches would be ‘an equality too far’. He wrote those four words outside work time on his personal Facebook page which was not visible to the general public.

2. Peter and Hazelmary Bull were ordered to pay £3,600 in damages because their B&B had a policy of only allowing married couples to share a double bed.

3. David Burrowes MP received a death threat after he said redefining marriage is unnecessary because civil partnerships already give same-sex couples legal equality with married couples.

Read more at PJ Saunders Blog: http://pjsaunders.blogspot.ca/2012/12/ten-people-punished-for-believing-in.html