Gay Marriage:
For Better or For Worse?

Out in the Mountains, a gay/lesbian advocacy newspaper in Vermont writes, "According to a statement from the [plaintiff's] lawyers [suing for domestic partner benefits], 'the refusal to allow our clients to marry violates both state marriage laws and the state Constitution, which require that all citizens and families have the same access to the legal protections and obligations of civil marriage.' Further, 'marriage is a fundamental, individual personal choice, which should be available to all Vermonters.'" According to the same paper, "[Vermont] Attorney General, William Sorrell, has stated that he is going by the 1973 Attorney General decision to forbid such marriages, and has told the press that this issue should be decided by the legislature. Governor Dean, on the other hand, while not taking a position on the issue, called it 'an emotional issue' and expressed that it belonged in the courts."

Is this simply a judicial or legistlative matter? An issue of choice? Or is it a sign of massive societal shift? Are the rights of matrimony due to those who are seeking to change the very definition of "marriage" and "family"? What would result if same-sex marriage were allowed, positive or negative? Does such a fundamental change stop there or do families take on whatever shape people want them to for whatever reasons? We seek to look at this important issue in our special focus.

—Byron Barlowe, Editor/Webmaster, Leadership University

Featured Resources:

Vermont & Same-Sex Unions: The Ongoing Controversy
Chuck Colson, Breakpoint Commentary
Author Chuck Colson cuts to the chase regarding the conservative Christian position on gay marriage as manifested in the Vermont court decision.

Related Articles:

The Marrying Kind
Elizabeth Kristol
A book review of Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality by Andrew Sullivan, who addresses the issue of gay marriage.

Same-Sex Marriage: As Hawaii Goes...
David Orgon Coolidge
At the time of this writing, the issue of same-sex marriage was boiling over in Hawaii and elseswhere. The Hawaii high court has since voted to uphold a lopsided referendum against same-sex marriage. Here, the author valuably traces the development of the same-sex marriage movement.

Book Review: Homosexuality and American Public Life
Reviewed by William L. Dreikorn, D. Min, Ph.D. for NARTH
Dreikorn's review of this three-part informational compendium paints a picture of the kind of book needed today: a reasoned, well-documented, multi-faceted book, which he calls "a modern classic on the subject."

He Healed My Marriage
Alan Medinger
The gripping personal testimony of a family and church man drawn into the homosexual lifestyle, then redeemed out of it through faith in Jesus Christ.

Related Sites:

The Journal of Human Sexuality
Scholars, counselors and ministers on the topic of homosexuality. Articles fall under several headings: Biology/Psychology, History, Public Policy, Theology, and Social Service. This single-publication journal was edited by Dr. George Rekers.

The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to the research, therapy and prevention of homosexuality. Founded in 1992, it is composed of psychoanalysts, psychoanalytically-informed psychologists, certified social workers, and other behavioral scientists, as well as laymen in fields such as law, religion, and education.