Why is Government in the Marriage Business?
One of our favorite things at United Families is working with students from universities across United States. Contrary to rumors that the younger generation is “waiting for the older generation to die” so they can redefine marriage and family, many young adults understand the critical importance of marriage between a man and a woman, and they are passionate about preserving it.
Ryan T. Anderson of the Heritage Foundation, is one of those stellar marriage warriors of the younger generation. He is a co-author with Princeton’s Robert P. George and Sherif Girgis of the acclaimed book “What is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense,” and at age 32, Ryan is one of America’s most articulate and engaging young voices for marriage between a man and a woman.
This week we had the pleasure of hearing Ryan speak, and thanks to our friends at Celebration of Marriage and Sutherland Institute, you can click here to watch his excellent presentation. You can also read his main points below, in his testimony to the Indiana House Judiciary Committee.
Ryan’s got it nailed. He reminds us that “whenever a child is born, a mother will be close by. That’s a fact of biology. She’s frequently in the same room. The question is, “will a father be close by, and if so, for how long?”
Click here to watch Ryan’s 20 minute presentation discussing questions such as:
• Does Government care about your love life?
• Why is government in the marriage business?
• Are mothers and fathers interchangeable?
• Which parent throws the baby into the air, and which one says, “Honey, not so high?”
• If you care about freedom and the poor, what must you also care about?
• Would the redefinition of marriage would stop with same-sex marriage?
• What is “a Throuple?” “a Quartet?” “a Wedlease?” What is “Monogamish?”
• If we redefine marriage, what are the consequences to Religious Liberty?
After you have heard Ryan’s excellent defense of marriage between a man and a woman, you may be anxious to do something to support this critical institution. We invite you to forward this email to family and friends, and sign the worldwide Petition supporting natural marriage as the best hope for children and society.
Then go out and live it.
As Ryan Anderson told us this week, “We have to do a better job of witnessing to the truth of marriage by living out the truth.” Here’s a simple suggestion–when you’re out in public with your spouse, hold hands. Let others see that there is such a thing as a good marriage. You’ll be standing for marriage between a man and a woman, and strengthening your own.
Warm Regards,
Laura Bunker
President, United Families International
Adapted from testimony delivered on Monday, January 13, 2014 to the Indiana House Judiciary Committee.
“What Is Marriage?”
Ryan Anderson
An answer to that question is something we didn’t hear today from people on the other side. It’s interesting that we’ve had a three-hour conversation about marriage without much by way of answering that question.
Everyone in this room is in favor of marriage equality. We all want the law to treat all marriages equally. But the only way we can know whether any state law is treating marriages equally is if we know what a marriage is. Every state law will draw lines between what is a marriage and what isn’t a marriage. If those lines are to be drawn on principle, if those lines are to reflect the truth, we have to know what sort of relationship is marital, as contrasted with other forms of consenting adult relationships.
So, in the time I have today, I’ll answer three questions: what is marriage, why does marriage matter for public policy, and what are the consequences of redefining marriage? Read more …