SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - California counties can issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples beginning June 17, the state said in a directive issued Wednesday.
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(Photo: AP Images / Tony Avelar)San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference with same sex couples and city officials at City Hall in San Francisco on Thursday, May 15, 2008, after the California Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage in a ruling that would allow same-sex couples in the biggest U.S. state to wed.
The state Office of Vital Records said it chose June 17 because the state Supreme Court has until the close of business on June 16 to decide whether to grant a stay of its May 15 ruling legalizing gay marriage.
Gay rights advocates and some clerks initially thought couples would be able to wed as early as Saturday, June 14 — exactly 30 days after the court's ruling, when its decisions typically take effect.
But a group opposed to gay marriage has asked the court to stay its decision until after the November election, when voters are likely to face a ballot initiative that would once again define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Passage of the initiative would overrule the Supreme Court.
Under the Supreme Court's regular rules of procedure, justices have until the end of the day on June 16 to rule on the stay request, according to the memo sent by e-mail to the state's 58 county clerks. Lawyers involved in the marriage case have said previously the court could grant itself an extra 60 days to consider the stay.
The guidelines from Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health, also contained copies of new marriage forms that include lines for "Party A" and "Party B" instead of bride and groom. The gender-neutral nomenclature was developed in consultation with county clerks, according to the letter.
"Effective June 17, 2008, only the enclosed new forms may be issued for the issuance of marriage licenses in California," the directive reads.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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John 14:17 "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you".
Torus
There is tons of proof that God does exists... and His word to us says He will freely save anyone who comes to Him through Jesus Christ (because He's the only way). The world is winding down, and time is running out. I pray you will see the light before it's too late.
Torus,
Since the accusatory statement of "your God does not exist" is from you, then prove it. Since man has always believed in a higher power. Some experience the presence of God through a feeling, some experience God through a miracle that happens in their life, some experieced God a long time ago when He Spoke to Abraham and Moses and taught them how to live, what not to eat and other hygenic protocols to sustain life and avoid disease. OUr God actually told them what to do, while no other manuscript can point to any other claiimed God's instructions on how to live, what is good, what is right, what is sanitary, how to cook certain foods, what foods to avoid, etc.
Some experienced God by seeing Him walk on water, feed thousands, preach the good news, raise the dead, heal the sick, make the blind see and the handicapped walk. Some experienced God by watching him be scourged, murdered on a Cross on Calvary and then on the third day He raised HIMSELF from the dead. People were willing to die for what they witnessed and the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. No better witness, than someone who is willing to die for what they know is Truth.
Your issue isn't about God at all. It is about Truth. You are not willing to agree that there is only one Truth, because if you did then you would have to admit that there can be only one God, and if you believed there was only one God and that God said you must understand Him as the Father Son and Holy Spirit, then you would have to make a decision based on Truth.
For those who say Truth is relative, they willnot see God even if He manifests himself before you because your eyes and heart cannot see the Truth. SeeK Truth and you will find God exists.
Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it.
Pro 9:2 She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table.
Pro 9:3 She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town:
Pro 9:4 "Come in, ignorant people!" And to the foolish she says,
Pro 9:5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed.
Pro 9:6 Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge."
Pro 9:7 If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt.
Pro 9:8 Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you.
Pro 9:9 Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge.
Pro 9:10 To be wise you must first have reverence for the LORD. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.
Pro 9:11 Wisdom will add years to your life.
Pro 9:12 You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer.
Pro 9:13 Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman.
Pro 9:14 She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of town,
Pro 9:15 and calls out to people passing by, who are minding their own business:
Pro 9:16 "Come in, ignorant people!" To the foolish she says,
Pro 9:17 "Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better."
Pro 9:18 Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.
cheala34life - The answers to your questions have been hashed out over and over again by rational thinkers and the answers can be found on the web. In summary your questions are fairly shallow and not well thought out.
If you prefer not to do the research and want something fun, let me answer your question as follows:
Take your post and replace your deity (the christian god) by another culture's deity - an entirely different deity. Or replace it by "an invisible unicorn" or some such. Then answer all your questions yourself. Then get back to me.
Torus - Not that you have to prove it to me or anyone, but ask your own self what do you base your claims on? How sure are of your self there is not a God? Even if believer cannot prove God, we at least have a book to say there is. We at have least archeological discoveries which date back to the time of moses.
What is your minimum bases as to why you don't believe. Before I go, if you have read this far, let me challenge you. Since you don't believe in God and are certian of that, why don't you set out to disprove him. The only thing you have to do is be objective. Realisticly you don't go through your entire day without thinking some things through right? Why do you think them through? because you want to make the right decision correct? Well do same thing with God. Set out to disprove him. if at the end of you search he is not real, then guess what? you have the last laugh on millions of people who believe in this God and Jesus. You can point the finger and say I told you so!! You my friend will have discovered that there is nothing to life.
But, what if there is something to this God and Jesus?....what if he is real? what if the joke is not on us, but possibly on you? The question then becomes what do you do with your belief system? Do accept reality or do you knowingly reject what is real?
Take the challenge!!!!!!
Torus: A man of whom David was speaking of when he wrote both Psalms 14 & 53!
torus,
>> YOUR GOD DOES NOT EXIST. Got it? <<
The 1st Century martyrs sure thought He exists. They lived under impoverished circumstances claiming to have seen, (NOT just heard about) Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and then ascend from the earth.
They went to their deaths (with plenty of forewarnings) and/or spent time in prison, and/or were beaten, whipped, stoned, etc ... for this "lie".
You can deny His existance all you want. God still loves you and wants to see you saved, but you have to choose it. Hey ... you can deny my existance if you like, and call me a fairy-tale, or any of the other Christians who post here for that matter, but we still love you and want to see you saved.
We really don't care about the ridicule. One can be ridiculed for having a size 10 shoe, or liking the taste of green olives ... name anything ... and one can be ridiculed for it :^)
jesus4me - You' re missing the point. YOUR GOD DOES NOT EXIST. Got it? Neither your god nor anyone else's god exists. Consequently your follow-up with how Jesus loves me et cetera et cetera is meaningless gibberish.
torus wrote:
"Daniel Paul - Let me make this clear:
I do not believe in your god."
Torus, let me make this loud and clear: God loves you, and He wants you to make a choice to follow Him, but He will not force Himself on you ar anyone. His divine attributes are seen everywhere in His creation, and yet sinful humanity refuses to seek Him. Even though you may not believe in God our Creator, that does not mean that He ceases to exist. You have the freewill to choose whatever you like, but remember, you have one life to live and make your choice to accept His gift of grace and forgiveness of sins thru His Son Jesus Christ, or you can choose to reject Him and spend eternity in separation from Him, because YOU CHOOSE this DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE; EITHER useless gods made by human hands or YOU CAN CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE ONE TRUE GOD and HIS GIFT OF SALVATION THRU JESUS CHRIST. THE CHOICE IS YOURS. However, If you do not repent, and acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will have a serious wake up call when you die on this earth and stand before your Maker (God). I pray that you will make the right decision.
God is patient not wanting anyone to perish (die in their sins), but don't take His grace, His goodness, and His longsufering for Granted, for there will come a day of judgement, for He is a righteous and Holy God. Repent (turn around from your sin and willful ignorance), while you still have time, and the Lord will forgive you and make you into a new creature in Christ.
FTBW - You may not believe in (Fill In Deity) but that won't stop you from being (Fill In Deity's Preferred Punishment).
Torus
You may also believe that if you walk out in the highway and get hit by a car that it will not hurt you, but the truth is it will hurt you. Remember that I told you this..... one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess ...Jesus Christ is Lord.
Daniel Paul - Let me make this clear:
I do not believe in your god.
torus... there is a term for not believing in absolute morals. It's called arbirary absolutism which is a value of humanism. I believe there are absolute morals given by God. I have always found it interesting that people have more respect for the absolute directive of the owner of the company they work for (or they could lose their job...) then they do for the absolute morals given by the God they will be judged by.
You said, "There is no adverse impact on society if I marry another man or a woman; in either case I am with someone I love. " The problem is with the definition of love. I believe everyone deserves to be loved the way God designed love. Romans chapter one clearly defines homosexuality as "unnatural" and "against nature" which is what God designed. To use something in a manner which is against God's design does have a great impact on our society just like anything else which God says is sin. Stealing is listed as the number one reason for high prices. If stealing stopped prices could go down by over 30%. Yet, they say they aren't hurting society. Yes they are.
The Word of God says in Romans 1:27 "men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error."
Hope Page: itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com