Same-Sex Marriage Fight Isn’t Over For Christian Right

Same-sex marriage was officially legalized in the United States in June of this year by the Supreme Court, but the decision still is not sitting well with many, starting with Evangelical Christian opponents who vow to fight on.

CNN reports that the Gospel and Politics: The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission National Conference, held in Nashville on Aug. 5, saw speakers rise up against the Supreme Court ruling and plan for a long term battle over the issues of same-sex marriage. Jennifer Marshall, vice president of conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, laced into the Supreme Court for their decision.

“In mandating same-sex marriage for all 50 states, the Supreme Court didn’t just get marriage wrong, it got government wrong.”

In further statements that sounded more like a war cry against same-sex marriage than mere opposition, Marshall implied it is not in the nature of Christians to give up.

“For the Christian, fatalism is a flaw. Cynicism is sin. Replace a sense of resignation with a sense of responsibility for the future.”

For a Christian fatalism is a flawed outlook, cynicism is a sin. -Jennifer Marshall #ERLC2015

— Tim Lubinus (@tlubinus) August 5, 2015

Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention has made statements that imply the fight against same-sex marriage will be ceaseless and long term.

“This will not be resolved by a presidential election or two. This is a 100-year struggle in front of us in terms of what the definition of marriage and family means and should mean.”

But the Evangelical’s aren’t alone. There appears to be a deep divide among Native communities in the US according to the ADA News which states that same-sex marriage issues may soon hit tribal courts. At the moment, tribal governments are immune from the June ruling by the Supreme Court, but the increased attention on the subject of same-sex marriage is expected to spark a push for recognition of same sex marriage by tribal governments under the Indian Civil Rights Act.

Civil Litigator Klint A. Cowan, who practices in the field of Indian law, asserts that how the battle over same-sex marriage will develop will depend on individual tribes.

“I think it’s going to vary widely from tribe to tribe. My understanding is there are some tribes that have a historical view of gay partnerships that make it easier for them to recognize gay marriage. But for other tribes in Oklahoma and elsewhere, tribal leaders may not be supportive of the idea. If that’s the case, some things may not change in those tribes for many years.”

When it comes to the race for the Republican presidential candidate, there appears to be some progress on the issue of gay rights, if not same sex-marriage, as Slate reports. Four years ago during a Republican primary debate, a gay soldier was booed by some in the audience. This year, at a similar primary, the audience responded to answers by Ohio Governor John Kasich regarding the acceptance of gays while still being opposed to same sex-marriage with a surprising outburst of applause.

In a political climate where there are some who support denial of service to those having same-sex weddings, citing their right to “Freedom of Religion,” this applause is a good sign for the Republican Party and its supporters. According to MetroWeekly, Democrat Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw points out that during an election campaign, taking a stance against the rights of LGBT people in the US by backing those who decline service to gays hiding behind the Civil Rights Act is just a plain bad idea.

“There were people, after the vote on the public accommodations law, the Civil Rights Act, that said, ‘This is my right, not to serve people I don’t want.’ Well, you hold yourself out for a public business. Do you honestly think that anybody is going to go to somebody who they know is hostile to who they are and say, ‘Do you want to participate in or cater my wedding?’ That’s absurd. Think about the common sense behind that….If you want to campaign on bigotry, go ahead. The public’s too smart of that. They’re going to see you for what you are.”

The Supreme Court may have decided that same-sex marriage is legal, but it is clear that the fight is not over and the implications of the decision will be weighed for years to come.

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