Ruth Institute Blog

by Carolyn Moynihan

Marriage and family advocacy groups have greeted with enthusiasm a Canadian court decision upholding the country’s ban on polygamy, published yesterday.

British Columbia Supreme Court Chief Justice, Robert Bauman, has ruled that the government of Canada may continue to prohibit polygamy because, although the law does impinge on the right to freedom of religion, that harm is outweighed by the harms that polygamy inflicts on women and children, and to the institution of monogamous marriage. “There is no such thing as so-called ‘good polygamy’,” said Bauman. Read more…

Washington, DC — The National Organization for Marriage’s Corporate Fairness Project today announced that both Bank of America and the Cisco Corporation have promised not to discriminate against employees or vendors who publicly oppose same-sex marriage. Read more…

Ruling Clears Way for Prop 8 to Eventually Head to the US Supreme Court

Washington – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today praised the decision of the California Supreme Court recognizing that California law gives initiative proponents the right to defend their own initiative, and predicted the ruling would speed the case to the US Supreme Court where NOM expects a victory.  NOM was the largest contributor to qualifying Prop 8 to the ballot and has invested substantial funds in the defense of the initiative in court. Read more…

By Austin Nimocks

The following is edited from testimony delivered before the United States Senate.

As debates rage about budget deficits, debt ceilings, and jobs, I am pleased that the Senate is discussing what are arguably the two most important jobs in our society – the jobs of mothers and fathers. The Defense of Marriage Act gives us a chance to think about the roles of each in our society, and to consider a question often overlooked in these debates: why is government in the marriage business? Read more…

from albertmohler.com

Would you attend a same-sex wedding ceremony? That question was posed recently to Houston pastor Joel Osteen, and Osteen said that he would attend, if the wedding involved friends. This came just after Osteen indicated that he could not perform a same-sex marriage ceremony, since he believes that homosexuality is a sin. Read more…

Washington, DC — The National Organization for Marriage’s Corporate Fairness Project today announced that both Bank of America and the Cisco Corporation have promised not to discriminate against employees or vendors who publicly oppose same-sex marriage. Read more…

By Michelle Bauman

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 31, 2011 (CNA) — Marriage advocates are warning that a repeal of the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act could have disastrous consequences for the nation, including the further erosion of religious liberty and a continued effort to legalize multiple-partner relationships. Read more…

Repeal of DOMA Hearing Rescheduled to Nov. 10th

Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, Catholics for the Common Good episcopal adviser and Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Promotion and Defense of Marriage Subcommittee, wrote a powerful appeal to the members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee asking them to reject efforts to repeal DOMA. It is a must read. Read more…

by TERESA S. COLLETT

For instance: Sex leads to children, and children need intact biological families.

My friend and colleague, Mark Osler, gives good advice in his recent commentary “May inevitable year of debate be constructive” (Oct. 15).

He counsels Minnesotans discussing the marriage-protection amendment (commonly misidentified as the gay-marriage amendment) to avoid insulting those they are in conversation with, and to “argue toward the principles the other side professes.” Read more…

by johnpauliiismyhero

… In the first one from the Washington Post, he lays out the basic argument.  The public discourse on gay marriage has reached the point where there is no rational discourse.  In the eyes of our culture, to oppose gay marriage is tantamount to ignorance, bigotry, or hate.  Ironically, the replies he received in the Post simply served to prove his point.  The summary of the brief article is that the public square has embraced the following game-plan: 1) first, contend that there is no such thing as a rational argument for traditional marriage, 2) then reaffirm the mistaken position that faith—as a purely personal exercise—has nothing to do with reason, and 3) finally, espouse both positions in court rulings. Read more…

by Becky Yeh

One pro-family leader is calling for Christians to be courageous in their stance for biblical values in light of a ruling that exposes supporters of a California marriage law. Read more…

by Laurie deRose

Gobal data shows majority support for the traditional family, despite some erosion.

In the last section of the Sustainable Demographic Development report Laurie deRose surveys global statistical evidence on international family strcuture, children’s trends, family culture, and family economic wellbeing. Here MercatorNet reproduces his findings on family culture, which are generally positive. The third and last in this series. Read more…

In the wake of the New York Legislature’s decision to pass the so-called “Marriage Equality Act,” there has been a renewed discussion among homosexual activists over whether they really ought to be pursuing an institution historically rife with “heterosexual” values such as exclusivity, fidelity, commitment, and monogamy. Read more…

Compliments of Leo:

A constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Iowa would start out with the lead, 50-43. Voters under 65 are about evenly divided on such a proposal, but seniors support it by a 62/29 spread, providing the overall margin in favor of it. Independents would start out voting for it 53/39 and while 24% of Democrats say they would vote for it, only 18% of Republicans say they would vote against it. Read more…

by Zac Alstin

The illusion that moral diversity is a viable social strategy is at its last gasp.

Click here to watch the video.

A British Member of Parliament has given voice to the idea that religious organisations should be forced to perform same-sex marriages or civil unions. In a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, Conservative MP Mike Weatherly wrote: “As long as religious groups can refuse to preside over ceremonies for same-sex couples, there will be inequality. Such behaviour is not be [sic] tolerated in other areas, such as adoption, after all.” Read more…

by Sheila Liaugminas

Policies of the federal government under the Obama administration have ignited a blaze of concerns about fundamental religious liberties in America.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the US bishops conference, wrote a letter to the president recently. Read more…

California Republican Party Votes to Maintain One Man-One Woman Marriage In Party Platform

SAN MARCOS, CA – The Ruth Institute, a project of the National Organization for Marriage Education Fund, commended the California GOP today in response to their vote at the September 16-18 convention to maintain a strong defense of traditional marriage: Read more…

by Jennifer Roback Morse

This article was first published at Mercatornet.com September 16, 2011.

Last week’s hearing in the California Supreme Court on whether the proponents of Prop 8 have standing to defend the measure in court seemed to go well for the defenders of natural marriage. But another issue lies beneath the surface of the court arguments. The issue is what kind of people are the marriage redefiners: Ted Olsen, Rob Reiner, and the American Foundation for Equal Rights? Read more…

Take note of the parts in blue at the bottom.

by  Maggie Gallagher

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, was a good day for marriage.

North Carolina legislators voted to send a marriage amendment to the people of that state in 2012.

And in New York, the first clear Democratic casualty of gay marriage emerged: David Weprin. Read more…