Senate panel passes repeal of Defense of Marriage Act

Bryan · 11-10-2011, 12:34 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/10/politics/senate-doma/

glad to see an important first step to repealing DOMA.

rock_show_host · 11-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Good news, but unfortunately that article's right -- the repeal will most likely get defeated in the House.

Bryan · 11-10-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rock_show_host

Good news, but unfortunately that article's right -- the repeal will most likely get defeated in the House.

they said the same thing about repealing DADT, but I recognize that it will be much harder to repeal DOMA in the house than DADT. DOMA repeal still has to pass the full senate.

**Epaphras** · 11-11-2011, 07:32 AM

"Feinstein and other Democrats said the repeal would not require states to legalize same-sex marriage or otherwise impede on a state's rights on the matter."

This is why I'm not opposed to repealing DOMA. I wouldn't go so far as to say I support repealing it, but regardless of the semantics, I don't believe the federal government should have this level of involvement in society. It's not something the federal government should be involved in.

If individual states want to decide on gay marriage, let their voters decide. I know it's tricky with the federal marriage benefits cited in the article, and also the question of other states recognizing gay marriages from a state where it's legal (does this make it a federal matter?).

I also don't buy the conservative argument that gay marriage undermines straight marriage, the family, or society. I do, however, believe homosexuality is sin as a result of the fall (Romans 1:18-28), so on one hand it is not surprising or shocking to me that this issue is before us. From my "citizen of a secular representative democracy" perspective, I see no constitutional or legal reason why civil marriage benefits and responsibilities should not be extended to whomever the voters decide it should. But from my Christian perspective, I do believe we all stand guilty in the face of a holy and righteous Judge, and there will be a reckoning.

But overriding all that is my belief that no political or legal solution sought can overcome sin or somehow manage or contain it. Only the Holy Spirit can regenerate hearts, and so the most effective thing I can do is not get distracted with political battles but pray for revial. Believe me, the Moral Majority and the culture wars waged for the last 30 years have been a tragic distraction and a horrible blow to the credibility and witness of the evangelical church in America -- the perceived benefits or vindication that has resulted from the church's foray into politics and legal battles was NOT worth the cost of alienating and isolating both the lost and a generation of disenfranchised youth who still care about following Christ but are not part of a church community because of how closely the evangelical church has grafted itself to conservative politics.

rock_show_host · 11-11-2011, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epaphras

I also don't buy the conservative argument that gay marriage undermines straight marriage, the family, or society. I do, however, believe homosexuality is sin as a result of the fall (Romans 1:18-28), so on one hand it is not surprising or shocking to me that this issue is before us. From my "citizen of a secular representative democracy" perspective, I see no constitutional or legal reason why civil marriage benefits and responsibilities should not be extended to whomever the voters decide it should. But from my Christian perspective, I do believe we all stand guilty in the face of a holy and righteous Judge, and there will be a reckoning.

But overriding all that is my belief that no political or legal solution sought can overcome sin or somehow manage or contain it. Only the Holy Spirit can regenerate hearts, and so the most effective thing I can do is not get distracted with political battles (and believe me, the Moral Majority and the culture wars waged for the last 30 years have been a tragic distraction and a horrible blow to the credibility and witness of the evangelical church in America -- it was not worth cashing in whatever relational capacity the church had prior to the current misadventure into politics and legal battles), but pray for revival and reconciliation of all of creation with her Creator.

I think I literally agree with every word of this.

And I would add that I think the current Christian campaign against gay marriage (and gay rights in general) is hurting the church far more than the "gay agenda" ever could.