House committee passes anti–gay marriage amendment

The bigotry reigning is the real sin.

[...] marriage advocates have attempted to hijack the civil rights movement,” he said, according to Minnesota Independent. “I know what civil rights are, and gays in America have all the civil rights as anyone [...]

amen, marie, amen.

Perhaps Mr Battle would like to read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

And then read it again. And again. And again. And again until he gets it thru his thick fucking skull that we do not make laws in this country based upon what his made-up god supposedly did for Adam and Eve with the dinosaurs looking on.

Fucking dumbshit dickbag.

Your just asking for an uproar in the gay & lesbian community along those who believe in the right to choose who they love! The government can not and should not be able to tell someone they cannot marry who they love!

@ Disco

I understand your anger, but we need to learn to accept what we don’t support. The constitution is made for that protection.

The thing is to try and get back to the fact that religion in our laws is what we can not support. That is the real issue. We can not allow the religious zealots to indoctrinate the public.

@marie

That was exactly my point.

Just one more reason to NOT ever go to Minnesota or spend any monies that go into that state.

@marie –
Your assumption that religions is in the current law is not true. And your assumption that gay-marriage is not a religious issue is again not true.

This amendment is protection against your religions position getting into law, thereby protecting the state from the destruction of your desire to create a theocracy in MN. I don’t want to be governed by your religion or anyone else’s.

The committee heard several hours of testimony, including that of Bishop Bob Battle of the Berean Church of God in Christ. Battle said, “I don’t consider gay marriages as the same as whites not being allowed to marry blacks.”
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I would love to ask the honorable Bishop a couple questions:
1. Why are non-religious couples allowed to marry in the United States?
2. If non-religious couples are allowed to marry (at their city courthouse), doesn’t that make “marriage” a SECULAR institution too?
3. If marriage is also a secular institution, then why do religious people have the right to deny gay couples the civil right of marriage?
4. Have any churches EVER been forced against their beliefs to marry a couple they didn’t approve of? In other words, has a Christian church ever been forced to marry a Jewish couple?

Tim

I hold ZERO religious views. i do not support any organized religion. My faith and belief system is one of fact, science and truth.

I support Gay marriage for the pure civil rights that is a marriage.

The state approves and commits a marriage God does not. A priest holds no power over the marriage, they only preform the ceremony which is symbolic. it is the state civil records that approves what can be a marriage.

There is NO religion in marriage.

I am married without religion! the Gay population can make up their own choice to add a ceremony of religion to their marriage. I will not.

Apparently, Bishop Battle has forgotten the laws against miscegenation that were in force in my lifetime. Would referenda have voted to repeal them in 1964, when “activist” judges declared those laws unconstitutional? Would a referendum held today vote to reinstate them?

@ David

Exactly!

I am in a secular marriage. I do not hold any religious belief. What that of Atheism? There are those who are married that are proclaimed Atheist yes? should their marriage be dissolved?

there is NO GAY religion! There are gay Jews, Christians, Atheists, Buddhist’s, and all the other 100 religions of the world. I am even sure there are Gay people that even have similar beliefs as mine, that rely on NO organized religion, NO GOD, NO non religious organization.

ohh sounds like the american TALIBAN Striking again…the TAX FREE American TALIBAN…..I dont care about your Voodoo, mythical Man floating in the sky sitting on a cloud….we are talking about CIVIL LAW, it has NOTHING to do with your church,synogogue,mosque etc etc……and FYI – there ARE LGBT Affirming churches too…….now who’s religion Shall the Gov’t endorse here? YOURS??? Keep your G-d-dammed religion OUT of Our secular laws.

The Gay community, the new and young voters, along with the other fair-minded citizens and businesses need to get involved and stand up to this ugly bigotry. Silence does equal death. Is surprising how passive these communities are to this ongoing persecution and threat.

Because it needed to be said again

Anger and sarcasm squared

”
Perhaps Mr Battle would like to read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

And then read it again. And again. And again. And again until he gets it thru his thick fucking skull that we do not make laws in this country based upon what his made-up god supposedly did for Adam and Eve with the dinosaurs looking on.

Fucking dumbshit dickbag.”

This reminds me of a joke:

So a Greek and a Roman were arguing about which ancient civilization was better.

The Greek says, “Well, my people built the Parthenon.”
The Roman responds, “True, but my people built the Coliseum.”

The Greek thinks about it for a moment, then responds, “We had the world’s greatest thinker Socrates.”
The Roman responds, “True, but we had the world’s greatest storyteller, Homer.”

So the Greek thinks some more, and responds, “I got you here! We invented sex!”
To which the Roman smiles and responds, “True, sir, but we invented sex with women.”

http://instantrimshot.com/

[...] MN: House Committee Passes Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment. Read more [...]

@Marie – also an AWFUL lot of queer Wiccans and other Pagans. ;)

@Katie

You trying to give Tim reason to Pray the demons out of you? :)

[...] to the Minnesota Independent, the Republican-controlled House Civil Law Committee approved the same-sex marriage ban after hours [...]

[...] Sadly, Rep. Simon’s words fell on deaf ears, and the House Civil Law Committee voted 10-7 along party lines to move the bill forward. [...]

@marie

Hasn’t worked so far ;) Awfully hard to pray the Goddess out of one of Her Priestesses, though.

This makes me ashamed to call MN home. I wasn’t aware that religion and state matters were still tied together…thought the Founding Fathers did away with that 250 years ago. Guess not.

http://www.gaymarriageprocon.org

I am actually embarrassed to be living in Minnesota. This is absolutely ridiculous. I am very religious, but I one hundred percent support gay marriage. When the bible was written, of course being gay would have been a disturbance because it was tradition for men to inherit the land, take care of the women, and continue the family line. If a man or woman was gay, it would completely throw off the dynamic of their entire community. However, I would like to think that by now the human race has evolved into a more accepting society. None of those traditions are still existent, so marrying someone of the same gender shouldn’t be problematic. Not to mention, religious views should not be taken into account when creating laws and/or amending the state constitution. You have to think about what is best for all of society, not just your own personal views. It infuriates me that some of the most kind, courteous, and respectful people I know aren’t allowed to proclaim their love in the same way everyone else is because they happen to love someone of the same gender. That makes absolutely no sense at all. Besides, if you are at all religious then you should know that God loves all of his children, and he created gays and lesbians for a purpose. If you aren’t religious, then this shouldn’t even be a problem. Honestly, I could go on writing, but I think this comment is long enough.

@Madison… Amen and I mean that with all respect to your belief’s Thank you for being a person of faith who is being brave enough to stand up and be counted!

[...] Minnesota politicians voted to put a gay marriage ban on the ballot in 2012 yesterday, the eloquent words of one of the measure’s detractors have [...]

the GOP swan-dive into oblivion is just…so juicy. i’m gonna pop some corn. i hope they put forward some more crayon-drawings, i mean, constitutional amendments, by the time i get back.

My comment is:
1) Please check all the bibles in this world…..does gay married is allowed ?
unless u dont believed to god and heaven

i am a woman and i am legally married to a woamn and we are happy happy happy.

Thankful I live in Massachusetts!!!!

The recent hearings regarding definition of marriage amendment have placed lawyer against lawyer, pastors against priests against ministers, parents against parents, and veteran against veteran. Those are just a few that have testified during these committee hearings.
I found it very interesting that the rights of African Americans and women were used as compost regarding this amendment. I also found it interesting that words like humanity, civil rights, christian, patriot, foundation, and pro create further boosted the stink content.
As a feminist and as someone who has been taught by the best how to throw an awl in the chain drive, it is necessary to point out a few things to our current elected representation. To Representatives Kiffmeyer, Lohmer, Franson, Mack, Scott, Myhra, Fabian, Doepke, Peppin, D. Anderson, McElfatrick and Erickson, I would like to remind you of a wonderful statement about constitutional rights made this year by Supreme Court Judge Scalia. The only rights women have constitutionally are the right to vote. That is right ladies, vote, other than that you have no constitutional protection or privilege what so ever. Law’s and bills that make it okay for you to run for election, to serve next to your male colleagues and to make our schools, cities, counties, state, or country a better place. You have no right to be sitting in that seat constitutionally, yet you are allowing a constitutional amendment to take away the rights of others.

Our constitution requires a separation of church and state yet biblical anarchy has been allowed to take over regarding voter’s rights, women’s rights, and marriage rights. Ladies, you have the right to vote, that’s it, use it wisely. Because next election the women of this state will use their one and only constitutional right to make sure you cannot exercise your right ever again.

Romans Chapter1 vers 18-36 this is what God thinks of homosexuality! read it and repent!

Its time for the Republican’s to start acting like Republican’s. They want smaller Gov but they want detailed control of what goes on in our bedrooms, wombs and relationships. They want less money being spent at the Gov level but they will waste millions of dollars in trying to indoctrinate religion into our laws.

Its time to expose the extreme right for their oppressive and indoctrinating ways or we will once again be in the dark ages.

separation of church and state is the only true freedom that has made America the great nation we are.

The Rethuglican Party will force the marriage discrimination amendment onto the ballot. There is no such thing as a Rethuglican with a conscience, their party platform is by nature based from beginning to end on naked greed and lust for power. Time to fight.

I am ashamed at the majority that feels that they can vote for the minority.

i am ashamed that the constitution can be treated with such disrespect with the inclusion of singular religion perspective being forced through the judicial system.

I thought that CHURCH and STATE were supposed to be SEPARATED. Are church and state separated here?

No. Obviously not. Why?

All I keep hearing from anti-gay marriage advocates are, “God says this; God says that; the Bible says this; the Bible doesn’t say this.”

And to Bob Battle, how exactly do you consider gay marriage not a part of civil rights? To marry is a RIGHT. If you say that gay people can’t marry; then you are PROHIBITING them; TAKING AWAY their RIGHT to MARRY. Therefore, you are doing the Constitution a major disservice and shouldn’t even be called an American; you don’t deserve to be called one or be one.

These people have made a mistake.

what’s next …we get to marry are dog, cat, horse? I love them to but what would be crazy right???

@Lisa

Shameful that you would put a person into that category. Your obvious hate, bigotry and ignorance is evident.

Same sex marriages, families and relationships have been around since the beginning of time.

how many gay people does God have to create before you accept them?

Rome had a very libertine sexual morality in the era of the Republic and the early part of the Empire – when it was thriving. When the Christians took over they banned homosexual­ity, AND they banned, persecuted and executed the transsexual priestesses of many Goddesses – and the Empire fell apart!

I believe we should all have the right to marry who we want weater it be man and woman woman and woman man and man

Shame on you, Lisa!

Equal access to civil marriage is a very serious issue that affects the lives of same-gender couples and their families.

As for marrying animals, that will NEVER happen because animals are incapable of giving informed consent. Additionally, we all frown on animal abuse including those actions that no doubt liven up Lisa’s sickest, darkest fantasies! SHEESH

It’s always animals with cons. No matter what. In “debates” over lesbian and gay relationships, they always bring out sex with animals. When they’re “debating” trans people’s right to BE, they always compare it to wanting to be an animal.

And I say “debate” in quotation marks because none of them are EVER willing to change their minds, which is a prerequisite for actual debate.

Any time a person brings up the idea of sex with animals or marriage with animals “debate” they are proving their intolerance and straight out bigotry, and its a disgrace as a human to degrade anybody that way. If you are standing on that platform with “religion” behind you, than I would suggest you confessing yours sins to your God.

A little research into bestiality websites will reveal that a lot of heterosexuals engage in this form of animal abuse … just like the case of most pedophiles being heterosexual, too. Meh.

“As you know the definition of marriage is a very personal one,” said Senator Warren Limmer. OK, Senator. If you admit that the definition of marriage is “very personal,” then it is immoral and UNJUST to legislate that only one definition of marriage carry legal rights and responsibilities!

all this will do is pit neighbor against neighbor……..3yrs later in CA, and there are LONG TIME neighbors who NO LONGER speak to one another….it will do NOTHING but Cause HARD Bitter feelings….and add your state to the list of Bigots/and discriminators in History ….is that want you want MN?

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kenny
Comment posted May 5, 2011 @ 3:35 am
Romans Chapter1 vers 18-36 this is what God thinks of homosexuality! read it and repent!

——————————————————————————–

Hey Kenny – GO STUFF YOUR BUY-BULL where the sun dont shine..it has NO Bearing on CIVIL LAW – NONE!

Recently Sen. Steve Simon’ of Minnesota raised the argument “How many more gays does God have to create before we ask ourselves whether or not God actually wants them around?”

This is absurd because such a theocratic claim unfortunately makes false claims of who God is and that he supports and desires all those habits and actions that are morally wrong to be practiced in society.

No matter who you are, deep in every heart God has given you a conscience to choose between that which is moral or legally right. We must understand that most times that which is morally right is legally wrong. For example, the abortion bill was legally passed because we are made to believe that the tiny baby in the womb is an unwanted pregnancy, warranting that it must die.

God will never lower the standard of who he is to suit our lustful desires, anyway he already gave his only son Jesus Christ who died for all our sins and restore our broken relationship with the creator. The legal system is like a white-wash that tries at times to hide that which God has called ABOMINABLE by redefining it.

Gays need to know that God loves them but does not condone their actions, however he wants to set them free from the stronghold they themselves can not break. Seeking to legalize that which God has repeatedly called an abomination is not the answer. Jesus Christ came to set the captives free, you may be a captive of all sorts of addictions you too can be set free. Be it pornography, incest, fornication, prostitution…..etc.

Now, imagine if you had been that unwanted baby that was aborted? Or imagine if your parents where gay? Would you have existed?

I will stand upon the Words of God to Adam and Eve in the Bible ‘Go forth and multiply’. So, if all babies are aborted and if gays marriages are legalized, where will the next generation of American’s come from? Will they be made from factories or sold in the supermarket?

The reason why America has persisted was because the fore-fathers where careful to pass laws that would promote its HERITAGE and they Said “In God We Trust”. They did have the fear of God in their hearts, a thing that the American today call ‘THEOCRACY’.

[...] forward, after “several hours of testimony” at a hearing in which, according to the Minnesota Independent, “religious leaders far outnumbered legal [...]

Dennis/Tim:

You are completely full of yourself.

I can’t even call this reasoning. It’s so ahistorically hysterical that there’s no reasoning there to grapple with. This muddle of garbage has made me dumber for reading it.

You know what? If my pregnancy had caused a serious danger to my mom’s life or health, I’d hope that she would have done the smart thing. My pro-choice ethics do in fact apply to my own life as well.

You appeal using the language of violence because you do not want people to recognize the bloody, bloody trail that you and your vicious friends have left behind you: The deaths of thousands of LGBT people, including hundreds of trans women simply for being women, brutal “corrective” gang-rape of lesbians, vast swaths of murders, arson and assaults in the name of “life” – a complete and total disregard for any lives except for your own. You are brutal thugs and murderers shielding your consciousness. “Thy will be done?” More like “MY will be done.”

You are a sickening little man and your soul is dead.

Go away and leave the human race in peace.

@Dennis

the agument isn’t how many gays “God” has made, its more so lets give back the rights That Gays always had till “God society” Took it away. Its only through the religious right that they do not have the same rights as anyone else since they are like anyone else.

same-sex union was a socially recognized institution at times in Ancient Greece and Rome, some regions of China, such as Fujian, and at certain times in ancient European history. These gay unions continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. A law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) was issued in 342 AD by the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans. This law prohibited same-sex marriage in ancient Rome and ordered that those who were so married were to be executed.

So really its just the Gay’s retaking their rights as human beings that the religious right have taken away from them.

Dennis,

How do you know any of these details and with such confidence about this entity called god?

Do you have any appreciate at all–it seems highly doubtful–of the epistemological weakness of your position?

Are you even the slightest bit aware of how all of your statements about your god appear to be nearly if not entirely indistinguishable from psychological projection? Did you even notice? Do you even care? Does even the slightest degree of self-critical, inner-searching, rational thought ever at all give you pause in making such statements about this god?

Are you aware that anyone else making contradictory claims about this god is on an equal footing with you? Do you realize the implications of this? At all?

Do you realize that none of your statements about this god are amenable to either rational or empirical confirmation? Do you know what this means? Does this not in any way compel you to modify your absurd self-certainty about this god?

Does it ever occur to you that the best minds of human history working on, let’s say, the nature and origin of the universe have far, far more of interest and relevance to say than anything to be found in the Bible?

Contrary to the drift of all my comments, there stands your apparent view of history: a father figure in the sky telling us what to do, with the entirety of the human experience reduced to whether we conform or drift from this big daddy. This pre-thought, pre-modern, pre-scientific meme zombie-ism has not place in adult public discourse.

@ Katie B, Marie and Eric

It’s better to put your confidence in God than in man, for man is just a fleeting breath but God is forever. Yes, I know this because Jesus Christ was crucified on that cross of calvary for our wrongdoings, died, rose again from the dead and is seated on the right hand of God the Father. The Good news is that because of his ultimate sacrifice, we all can have assurance that our transgressions are completely forgiven and forgotten. No matter what we have done, we can be forgiven of bad choices we made, delivered of addictions and heirs of eternal life. Once upon a time, I too lived a reckless Godless life but when I called on the name of Jesus Christ and repented of my sins, he forgave me of all and even today I know that for whatever sin I might commit I have this confidence that His shed blood is more than enough. We deceive ourselves when we say that we have no sin and more so if we say that their is no God. The heavens still declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim his handiwork. When was the last time you guys took time to look at the skies in the night or hear the birds singing in the trees in the morning? I will proclaim that in the very beginning God was, all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness although the darkness comprehends it not. I can certainly assure you that the only way I have kept my feet from being taken by the anti-God rhetoric that is taking America by storm is by adhering to the motto ‘In God We Trust’. America must realize that in the fear of God only is there strong confidence, and a certainty that our children shall have a place of refuge. I remind you that confidence in the legal system is like trusting an unfaithful man in times of trouble, which will turn out to be like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint. In concluding, I want to make it clear that God will not shove righteousness and holiness down the throats of any body, all that he says is ‘If it seem evil to you to serve God, choose you this day whom you will serve’. As for me and my house, we will serve tHE LORD.

God Bless the United States of America

[...] eloquently — and we mean EL-O-QUENT-LY — urging his fellow Minnesotan lawmakers not to put a gay marriage ban on the ballot in [...]

@Dennis, that holds true for you as a christian.

What of those other billions of people that are not and do not hold that for themselves? Are you to indoctrinate and force your will onto them? As you are doing so as stating it as truth for everyone.

It is not my truth. No one died for me. For I am not a Christian.

Oooooooh.

“When was the last time you guys took time to look at the skies in the night or hear the birds singing in the trees in the morning?”

The skies filled with constellations named for stories that existed for millennia before Christianity came into existence, you mean?

Oh my, dear sir, if you think that these things support only an explicitly Christian worldview, you DO need to get out more often…

Boycotting my state will ultimately only harm the citizens. I am 100% pro gay marriage. Minneapolis has one of the highest GBLT populations in the country. Please please please please DONT think this is viewed as a victory by everyone who lives here. This is a tragedy and our state government (as well as our country’s) has been getting worse and worse in the past decade. Our constitution was set up to protect the rights of the minority. This is a sad time in American history.

The go to the LOWEST common denominator…..FEAR / HATE, typical of the Disgusting GOP……this will do NOTHING for your state but Pit neighbor against Neighbor, and Cement Hard feelings……its over 3yrs since Prop 8 in CA…and Still Hard feeling abound, neighbors NO LONGER talk to one another…….this is the GOP stradegy…divide and conquer. The Lemmings can’t even seen beyond thier own bigotry. Im so sick and tired of the GOP Hatefest…..and thier FAKE Christian Values / Sanctity of Marriage BS………When 2 hetero strangers can Get Drunk, fly off to vegas, and go to a Drive Thru and be married by Elvis……..thats Sanctity? They make me sick, they’ve planted themselves on the WRONG side of history, and in the museum of Bigotry next to George Wallace.