Governor Ehrlich is justified in restricting gay marriage

Maryland Governor, Robert L. Ehrlich said he refused to have marriage rights extended to gay and lesbian couples on WTOP radio on November 20. "It's certainly not going to happen in Maryland," said Ehrlich. He wanted to discourage Maryland legislators from trying to profit from the court ruling in Massachusetts, which recognized a right to civil marriage. Ehrlich was entirely correct in his refusal to redefine marriage and extend marriage rights to homosexual couples.

There are ample secular reasons justifying the statements made by Ehrlich. First and foremost, marriage is the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines marriage as "the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family." Homosexual marriage just doesn't make the cut. It is not possible for two people of the same gender to be termed as married under any circumstances. As mentioned before, the purpose of marriage is to procreate, hence the requirements being one man and one woman. This cannot be met naturally with homosexual couples. Besides homosexual relationships not qualifying for marriage, the validation of such unions would have a negative effect on the rest of American society.

The legalization of same-sex marriage in America may lead to the questioning and eventual loosening of other sexual restrictions such as polygamy, age and incest. This cannot be allowed to happen because true marriage is the crux of human survival. "Marriage and procreation are fundamental to the very existence and survival of the race," said Justice William O. Douglas, a member of the US Supreme Court Justices for 36 years. The institution of gay marriage would be a major factor in the crumbling of society. History serves as an excellent example. What culture that has embraced homosexuality has survived? Some historians believe the fall of Rome was due to the disintegration of the family structure. Homosexuality became commonplace and soon after, the Roman Empire was gone. Statistics show that most Americans can see this and do not support same-sex marriage.

According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, "by nearly two-to-one, more Americans oppose (59%) legalizing gay marriage," and of those who oppose, "nearly six-in-ten say they feel strongly about it, 35% of the total population express this view." Legislation has repeatedly been introduced representing these views. The Federal Marriage Amendment, introduced May of 2002, reads, "Marriage in the US shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." The Defense of Marriage Act was passed overwhelmingly in both the house and senate. It ensures that states would not be forced to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

In addition to the reasons stated above, conservative Christian and Jewish religious scholars interpret the Bible as disapproving of homosexuality and, therefore, homosexual marriage. Leviticus chapter 18 verse 22 says "And you must not lie down with a male the same as you lie down with a woman. It is a detestable thing." Romans 1: 26, 27 recount God being displeased with unrepentant people who gave themselves up to moral degradation. Those verses state "That is why God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error," says the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Preventing any misinterpretation of those verses, another section of the Bible states God's disapproval of homosexuality. "What! Do you not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards…. Will inherit God's kingdom," 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 and 10. If God views homosexuality with such dislike, clearly, he could not approve of homosexual marriage.

A successful marriage institution is necessary to achieve a functioning society. Marriage is unique in that it is a religious sacrament as well as a legal registration and therefore, gays and lesbians will live as they choose, but they don't have a right to redefine marriage for our entire society. Clearly, homosexual marriage cannot be legitimate and Ehrlich is justified in promising such unions will not be recognized in Maryland.