On Nov. 18, 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision committed an act of raw judicial tyranny. Read the decision and the dissents and it will be clear that there is absolutely no justification in the Constitution of the state of Massachusetts for this unjust usurpation of legislative authority.
Tyrants Hiding Behind the Rule of Law
Many people in the U.S. and around the world don't understand how this decision will impact them and their freedom. They may not realize that Judge Greaney's concurring opinion contains a veiled threat against their religious freedom. The following is a quote from that opinion “I am hopeful that our decision will be accepted by those thoughtful citizens who believe that same-sex unions should not be approved by the State. I am not referring here to acceptance in the sense of grudging acknowledgment of the court's authority to adjudicate the matter. My hope is more liberating. The plaintiffs are members of our community…. We share a common humanity and participate together in the social contract that is the foundation of our Commonwealth. Simple principles of decency dictate that we extend to the plaintiffs, and to their new status, full acceptance, tolerance, and respect. We should do so because it is the right thing to do.”
The four Massachusetts justices hide behind the rule of law. They call on us to honor the social contract which they, by usurping legislative prerogatives, have disregarded. Dismissing “the mantra of tradition” and “individual conviction” Judge Greaney gives us a lecture on morality. According to Greaney, those who believe same-sex unions should not be approved are nevertheless obliged to accept the court's authority to adjudicate the matter. That is precisely what we don't accept, because the social contract does not oblige us to accept tyranny.
Yes, we share a common humanity with persons experiencing same-sex attraction. Yes, they deserve full respect as human persons, but Judge Greaney demands more. He demands that we accept and respect “same-sex marriage.” This we cannot do, because two persons of the same-sex cannot marry, they can only pretend to marry. The cannot engage in an act of marital union which consummates a marriage.
Those pushing “same-sex marriage” want us to lie and call something a marriage when it isn't, just as they demand that when a man has his genitals amputated, is pumped full of hormones, given breast implants, and cosmetic surgery, we call him a woman. The mental condition that leads men to desire this mutilation is tragic and difficult to treat, but pretending that man is a woman doesn't cure the condition and is an insult to every real woman.
The psychological development disorder which leads to same-sex attraction causes great suffering, but it can be treated and recovery is possible. Those who struggle with this problem need our love, prayers and support, but they will not be helped by our lies.
Every person of faith every person who believes that God has revealed an unchangeable moral law needs to understand what those pushing same-sex marriage are really after. What they and Judge Greaney are demanding is nothing less than that we deny our faith.
It is a small thing, they say. It won't hurt us. According to them, it is simple “decency” “tolerance.” But there is nothing simple or decent about calling God a liar and His law unjust “discrimination.” Homosexual acts are always and will always be contrary to God's law. Nothing can change that. And we have a choice: we can either accept God's law or give in to the spirit of this age and stand condemned by future generation as cowards.
Why Our Religious Rights Need Protection
Have no doubt about it, Judge Greaney's decision carries a veiled threat. The state has mighty weapons to use against those who are not “tolerant.” If the promoters of same-sex marriage achieve their objectives, we will be judged guilty of “discriminating” on the basis of sexual preference and we will face sanctions. Our rights are at stake.
The homosexual activists have claimed that all they want is tolerance and the right to live as they choose. This is a great deception. What they have wanted from the beginning is to silence every voice that says homosexuality is wrong. They want to silence all those presenting the irrefutable evidence that same-sex attraction is a preventable and treatable developmental disorder. They have accepted a lie and they want to legally ban the truth.
Homosexual activists have a plan for achieving their objectives: Label any spoken or written challenge to their ideology as “bigotry,” “hate,” “discrimination,” “prejudice, “or “intolerance.” Listen to the spokespersons for homosexual “rights” and count the number of times they use these words. This is not by chance. It is a calculated strategy. Their goal is to make every person who refuses to accept their ideology whether because of religious conviction or in light of the scientific evidence a second-class citizen.
According to the homosexual activists such bigotry, hate, discrimination, prejudice, and intolerance spring from “homophobia” or “heterosexism.” Homophobia is defined an irrational fear of homosexuals. In other words we are crazy if we don't accept their ideology. Heterosexism is the belief that the relations between a man and a woman are superior to those between two persons of the same sex. Their ultimate goal is to make “heterosexism” the equivalent of racism the belief that one race is superior to the other. Racism is a terrible evil and racists deserve to be publicly censured. The homosexual activists are determined to convince people that “heterosexism” is every bit as evil as racism and therefore all “heterosexists” need to be punished by denying them the right to participate as equals in the political and social life of their communities.This is the threat behind Judge Greaney's demand that we give “full acceptance, tolerance, and respect” to same-sex marriage.
Passing an amendment to the constitution is the only way to protect our right to full freedom of religion. We must have a constitutionally guaranteed right to defend the God-given moral law in the political arena as well as in our churches, to teach it to our children at home and in school, and to promote it in the media without fear of discrimination or exclusion. Only a constitutional amendment will guarantee our right.
As we fight for this constitutional amendment we need to pray for the people experiencing same-sex attraction. They did not choose this temptation. Most struggled against it and only reluctantly “came out.” Our message is painful to them, because somewhere deep inside they know the truth. They know that they are real men and real women, called to true spousal love. They may sincerely believe that by silencing us they can silence the truth within themselves. We must love them enough to keep speaking the truth no matter what.
A Prayer Campaign and a Feast of Light
Passing a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman will require a massive coordinated political campaign, but something more is needed a massive prayer campaign. We need to pray for God's help in this battle.
As spiritual patrons for this campaign, the Maccabees seem a logical choice. The story of their battle for religious freedom has many similarities to our current struggle.
In 175 BC Antiochus Epiphanes succeeded to the throne of the Seleucid Empire which ruled the land of Israel. Antiochus was enamored of all things Greek. He believed that all the local religions with their gods and goddess were really forms of the basic Greek religion. He mandated religious uniformity in his kingdom. The Greeks considered circumcision a barbaric practice. Since Greek men participated in athletics in the nude and went to public baths whether or not a man had been circumcised would be evident. It should be pointed out that such entertainments were not morally innocent the Greeks also indulged in homosexual acts. Antiochus ordered that circumcision be banned and mothers who had their babies circumcised were brutally executed along with their babies.
At first Antiochus merely encouraged Greek practices, but soon he demanded that all his subjects conform to Greek ways. Antiochus desecrated the holy temple in Jerusalem. Jews who refused to eat pork were executed. It may seem like a small thing to eat apiece of pork, but faithful Jews understood that it was not a small thing, not mere tolerance of the modern ways, but an denial of their covenant with God. No story is more moving than that of the mother and her seven sons who, under the tyranny of Antiochus, accepted torture and death rather than deny God's law.
Mattathias and his sons rose up against this tyranny and gathering a small army waged war against Antiochus and his might empire. The sons of Mattathias took the name Maccabees which means “the hammer.” In spite of the odds, the Maccabees succeeded and reconquered Jerusalem.
The feast of Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the temple after its defilement by the forces of Antiochus. When the triumphant Jews went to light the lamps for the rededication they found only enough oil for one night, but miraculously the lamps burnt for 8 days. Each year Jews around the world celebrate this miracle by celebrating the feast of Hanukkah, lighting a candle the first night and adding one more each night until all 8 are lit. This year Hanukkah begins at sunset on December 19 and ends on December 26.
As we prepare for the battle, by lighting the eight candles and commemorating the feast of Hanukkah we could honor those ancient heroes of faith and pray that inspired by their courage we can face down the modern tyrants.
Mrs. Dale O'Leary is an internationally known speaker and freelance writer, editor of Heartbeat News, author of The Gender Agenda: Redefining Equality and The Art of Raphael: Coloring Book. Her conversion story appears in Spiritual Journeys. She is currently working on a book on forgiveness.