The Case for Prop 8

by David Ahn

For those of you who already feel like the presidential election has been decided long ago, it’s easy to lose motivation to actually go out and vote. However, there is one very important issue on the ballot where your vote DOES matter: Prop 8, which places the following 14 words into the California Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California.” Recent polls have shown the percentage difference between No and Yes voters to be less than 5 percent. Both campaigns are readily aware of the closeness of the issue, and have raised staggering levels of fundraising and have been blitzing the airwaves with commercials. This is an issue where every vote, including yours, counts.
Since most of us have a biblical understanding of marriage and homosexuality, we share an understanding that marriage is between one man and one woman. However, opponents of Prop 8 have attempted to stifle our voices and opinions by portraying the issue as one of civil rights and equality. To summarize, one of their television ads states, “Regardless of how you feel about marriage, it’s wrong to treat people differently under the law.” Unfortunately, the public has seemingly bought into this notion. Newspapers and corporations (including AT&T, Apple, and Google) have all publicly come out in support of the No on Prop 8 campaign. Prominent figures such as Governor Schwarzeneggar and Senator Obama have explicitly stated that they believe marriage to be between one man and one woman, but yet have opposed the proposition.
However, most unfortunate of all is the fact that many of us Christians have bought into this lie as well, and we often feel ashamed to let our voice be heard, or fear imposing our views on those who don’t agree with us. However, this is NOT an issue about civil rights. Currently, same-sex civil unions have the EXACT same legal rights and privileges under California law. The issue, then, is in the definition of marriage. If you take the definition provided by opponents of Prop 8 (“marriage as being between two loving and committed individuals”), then surely banning gay marriage is unjust. But what makes THEIR definition any more inherently valid than ours? Also, their definition is equally guilty of being exclusive to certain groups of people: it excludes marriages of more than two people; and, although it doesn’t explicitly state it, I would assume that their definition excludes members of the same family from getting married as well. I know that sounds silly and obvious, but if the issue were truly about equality and fundamental rights, then who has the authority to say that love between one group of people is any lesser than love from another group of people? No one. There could be no definition of marriage at all.
For quite some time now, marriage has consistently been between a man and a woman. The terms “husband” and “wife” go hand in hand. When you see someone wearing a wedding ring, there is no doubt in your mind what the sex of their significant other is. As Christians, that definition of marriage is even more clear, as it is used to portray the church as Christ’s bride, or as it talks about the roles of husbands and wives. For the past thousands of years, across different cultures and generations, the definition of marriage has never been unclear. Why should we let it be now? Vote Yes on Prop 8.

For those of you who already feel like the presidential election has been decided long ago, it’s easy to lose motivation to actually go out and vote. However, there is one very important issue on the ballot where your vote DOES matter: Prop 8, which places the following 14 words into the California Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California.” Recent polls have shown the percentage difference between No and Yes voters to be less than 5 percent. Both campaigns are readily aware of the closeness of the issue, and have raised staggering levels of fundraising and have been blitzing the airwaves with commercials. This is an issue where every vote, including yours, counts.

Since most of us have a biblical understanding of marriage and homosexuality, we share an understanding that marriage is between one man and one woman. However, opponents of Prop 8 have attempted to stifle our voices and opinions by portraying the issue as one of civil rights and equality. To summarize, one of their television ads states, “Regardless of how you feel about marriage, it’s wrong to treat people differently under the law.” Unfortunately, the public has seemingly bought into this notion. Newspapers and corporations (including AT&T, Apple, and Google) have all publicly come out in support of the No on Prop 8 campaign. Prominent figures such as Governor Schwarzeneggar and Senator Obama have explicitly stated that they believe marriage to be between one man and one woman, but yet have opposed the proposition.

However, most unfortunate of all is the fact that many of us Christians have bought into this lie as well, and we often feel ashamed to let our voice be heard, or fear imposing our views on those who don’t agree with us. However, this is NOT an issue about civil rights. Currently, same-sex civil unions have the EXACT same legal rights and privileges under California law. The issue, then, is in the definition of marriage. If you take the definition provided by opponents of Prop 8 (“marriage as being between two loving and committed individuals”), then surely banning gay marriage is unjust. But what makes THEIR definition any more inherently valid than ours? Also, their definition is equally guilty of being exclusive to certain groups of people: it excludes marriages of more than two people; and, although it doesn’t explicitly state it, I would assume that their definition excludes members of the same family from getting married as well. I know that sounds silly and obvious, but if the issue were truly about equality and fundamental rights, then who has the authority to say that love between one group of people is any lesser than love from another group of people? No one. There could be no definition of marriage at all.

For quite some time now, marriage has consistently been between a man and a woman. The terms “husband” and “wife” go hand in hand. When you see someone wearing a wedding ring, there is no doubt in your mind what the sex of their significant other is. As Christians, that definition of marriage is even more clear, as it is used to portray the church as Christ’s bride, or as it talks about the roles of husbands and wives. For the past thousands of years, across different cultures and generations, the definition of marriage has never been unclear. Why should we let it be now? Vote Yes on Prop 8.