An Indiana Senate committee approved on Thursday an amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex “marriages.”
The legislation will now go before the Senate for a full vote where it might clear again as it has in previous years.
However, it is unlikely that the ban would be amended to the constitution this year. The House Rules Committee chairman has told media outlets that he will not give it a hearing this year.
To amend the Indiana Constitution, the provision must be passed by two consecutively elected legislatures and then approved by voters in a general election.
The legislation, known as SJR 7, cleared both the Senate and House in 2006. It passed again in the Senate last year but died in the House committee.
If the provision clears the legislature this session then it will go before voters as a referendum this November. In the case where it doesn't pass this session, legal experts say the year 2012 would be the earliest when the issue goes before voters.
Indiana is one of many states in the nation which already has a state law banning same-sex “marriage.”
But like traditional marriage supporters in other states, proponents of SJR 7 argue that a constitutional amendment banning same-sex “marriages” is necessary to prevent an appellate court from someday overturning the statute.
Eric Miller, founder of the conservative group Advance America, said traditional marriage is under attack and agreed that voters should be able to weigh in on the issue, according to The Times.
"The people of the state of Indiana have not had the opportunity to vote," he said.
The Senate has until Wednesday to approve the amendment and send it onto the House.
Comments
God Bless the people of Indiana including Indiana sodomist
Re: "Wow--what a revelation!!! The Bible was not inspired by God, but written by men. LOL. If you are really stupid enough to truly think that, then you have certainly chosen a fitting name for yourself. "
Then please enlighten all the "stupids" out there how it was written. Did a big giant hand hand come out of the sky and write all the books with a big giant pen? Or were the human writers possessed (a la The Exorcist, but in a good way) in solitude until the last stroke was cast? People need to know this.
Calling me stupid is hardly an arguement, if you posted just to insult me then your wasting your time because your opinion means less than nothing to me.
PS I'm giving you a thumbs down. How's that for an arguement.
Wow--what a revelation!!! The Bible was not inspired by God, but written by men. LOL. If you are really stupid enough to truly think that, then you have certainly chosen a fitting name for yourself.
In addition the law is meant to please all voters, not just the Christian ones.
To the person who wrote that the Bible was written by men, yes that is only part of it. God inspired men to write the Bible. God put the words into man's mind. So, in fact, God did 'write' the Bible, and that is why we, as Christains, believe the Bible to be the Infallible Word of God! God did this so that we would have a guide book to how to live our lives. We can see how the world is becoming more and more corrupt because man is doing away with God's way and living contrary to the Bible.
star2: unfortunately God didn't put a limit on how many times man could do it - he just said they couldn't get a divorce after they got married. Lots of God's favored prophets had multiple wives. His Son wasn't married at all. Looks like your definition of marriage (not God's) doesn't quite work. "Test all things and hold fast to that which is true!"
Regarding my previous post:
God's definition of marriage:
Matthew 19:4-7 (KJV)
4 "And he answered and said unto them, 'Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.' "
Same sex "marriage" is to put asunder the way God established marriage to be.
star2,
Well said!
Traditional marriage has been "under attack" ever since forty years ago when it was expanded to include interracial couples. And at the time more people (percentage-wise) were against those unions than people are against gay unions today.
As for the bible, remember at one time people used the bible to justify slavery. Did God "change His views" on slavery? Or more likely, was God never in favor of it to begin with? It's our interpretation that changes, and on this issue for many it already has changed and will probably change for more in years to come, just as it did for interracial marriage .
I agree with star2. God has not changed his view of homosexuality. As stated in God's Word, those who practice it will not inherit God's Kingdom. The Bible does say that those who do can repent, change, receive forgiveness and also reap all the benefits that God's Kingdom will bring.
God's definition of marriage:
Matthew 19:4-7 (KJV)
4 "And he answered and said unto them, 'Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.' "
God established marriage. He defined it to be between a man and a woman. He commanded the man and woman to be fruitful and to multiply and to replenish the earth. (Gen 1:27-28)
Same sex "marriage" is an abomination to God.