If all else fails how should we protect marriage?

[kev7]

If all the efforts of the church fail to prevent the onslaught of homosexual marriage, what strategies does the church have to protect our sacred sacrament?

I’m very concerned that society is in a rapid state of moral decline and there is nothing that can be done about it.

The day will soon come when the homosexuals try to force the church to perform a Gay marriage. When the church refuses they will threaten to deny the church its status as a charitable organization.

They will claim that the church must perform the marriage because they are offering it as a public service. The ‘Gay friendly’ judge will of course allow this to occur.

They already tried this with a catholic school in Toronto a few years back. The school wouldn’t allow two gay graduates to attend the graduation dance. It wasn’t long and the school was forced to capitulate or have its status as a charitable organization taken away.

What can be done to prevent this?

Could the church simply rename the term marriage to something else and promote it as something different then marriage? The reality is it already is different then a civil marriage. In fact, most people don’t even know that there is a difference. Most people who want to get married only think of it as a contract (that can be broken).

I think it would do the church wonders to rename marriage to something else. That way only people who want to go through with holy matrimony will. There will be less people getting married for the fantasy of it. It would be about God from the beginning.

It would be great to say to someone. No I am not married I am “X”. Such a statement would imply a whole different set of values.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this. If the name of marriage is going to be ruined by the homosexuals then let it. Why should the church try to stop evil if all it has to do is move to the side and let it fall?

Protecting marriage by renaming it would be a bold move in the face of evil.

 

[Jennifer123]

This is already occuring in Canada to some degree:

lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jun/05060902.html

In California the legislature is trying to force Catholic health charities to dispense the pill and other abortifacients as well as perform abortions.

We will just have to suffer persecution I’m afraid. Some will not persevere, others will be martyred spiritually and someday, physically.

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

Well we could always put our money together and buy some Islands like Mel did

 

[kev7]

Jennifer123:

This is already occuring in Canada to some degree:

lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jun/05060902.html

In California the legislature is trying to force Catholic health charities to dispense the pill and other abortifacients as well as perform abortions.

We will just have to suffer persecution I’m afraid. Some will not persevere, others will be martyred spiritually and someday, physically.

This is why I think that if Jesus came into the world today the world crucify all him all over again. The means might be different, but the effect would be the same.

I can tell you that such persecutions will only encourage me. I have a rebellious nature in me that won’t let up.

 

[BlestOne]

kev7:

If all the efforts of the church fail to prevent the onslaught of homosexual marriage, what strategies does the church have to protect our sacred sacrament?

The Church will be the last hold out for sure!!! I can’t guess what will be done but I think it is sad that these laws are being forced on a population that is mostly against gay marriage. Our own elected officials and judges are turning against the majority of the people.

I’m very concerned that society is in a rapid state of moral decline and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Ummmm…we could pray for starters. Next I would say…teach our children, the next generation how wrong this is and never never give up!

The day will soon come when the homosexuals try to force the church to perform a Gay marriage. When the church refuses they will threaten to deny the church its status as a charitable organization.

They will claim that the church must perform the marriage because they are offering it as a public service. The ‘Gay friendly’ judge will of course allow this to occur.

Already happening!!!

What can be done to prevent this?

Vote the liberals out!!!

Could the church simply rename the term marriage to something else and promote it as something different then marriage? The reality is it already is different then a civil marriage. In fact, most people don’t even know that there is a difference. Most people who want to get married only think of it as a contract (that can be broken).

How about HOLY MATRIMONY?..stressing the HOLY part.

Why should the church try to stop evil if all it has to do is move to the side and let it fall?

Ummm… because we are compelled to point out evil and fight against it per Jesus…

Protecting marriage by renaming it would be a bold move in the face of evil.

AMEN!!!

 

[kev7]

BlestOne:

How about HOLY MATRIMONY?..stressing the HOLY part.

QUOTE]

The problem here is that it just won’t cut it. The church needs to renounce the term marriage and announce a new all encompassing term. The church could have lawyer create contracts that will allow for all the same benefits as a person who is married.

Imagine, holy matrimony without a stupid civil marriage contract. The civil marriage is already a disaster anyway.

Imagine what would happen if the gays game to get married and the church said. Sorry we don’t offer that service anymore. Nice try though. J

The first step is to reject all that is evil. Reject the civil marriage. It is useless anyway… I can get one from Elvis at a drive through.

 

[Promotor_Fidei]

kev7:

Reject the civil marriage. It is useless anyway… I can get one from Elvis at a drive through.

Agreed. I had hoped some states would start calling all marriages “civil unions”. That would eliminate the confusion. However, failing that, how about if we start only referring to Christian marriage as “sacramental marriage”?

The problem started with Protestantism throwing out marriage as a sacrament (both Calvin and Luther). What we have today is the logical result.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

BlestOne:

How about HOLY MATRIMONY?..stressing the HOLY part.

lol, we can say “I’m matrimonized” or “I’m matrinomied”.

Damn Canada. It’s only a matter of time before there’s a giant civil law vs. Canon Law dispute in the supreme court. There’s already been a small one here in Oregon over the Portland Archdiocese declaring bankrupcy because of the abuse cases.

 

[tossolul]

I see your concern kev7, and think it is something that people need to see much differently than they do these days.

Having said that…I might be missing something, so if I am please just ignore this thought.

Isn’t the Catholic Church already protected from this? Marraige is a Sacrament in the Catholic Church. The only people who can receive this sacrament, are people who are in full communion with what the Catholic Church teaches. If they are openly gay, and asking for a gay marraige then the infallible teaching about homosexuality would come into effect and they would either be denied marraige or excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

 

[BobCatholic]

I would say:

1. Use the “seperation of church and state” clause to rule government done marriages unconstitutional. Hey, marriage is a religious ceremony/sacrament, so what business does the government have in doing them? Marriage courts and marriages done by government officials of any kid, including Naval Ship’s captains, is unconstitutional. Hey, we don’t do government done baptisms, government done ordinations, government done circumcisions, etc. So government done marriages are out of bounds.
2. Once government done marriages are unconstitutional, use “seperation of church and state” again to declare secular marriages unconstitutional, as it is an encroachment on the real things. Fake marriages cannot be substituted for the real thing.
   (OK, this argument needs help,but hey, it is an idea)

 

[JimG]

But, if civil marriage is unconstitutional, so are tax breaks for married couples, as well as any other law that makes a distinction based on marital status.

 

[JimG]

But we could at least make a start to protecting marriage by getting rid of no-fault divorce. Anyone seeking divorce should be required to have provable and serious grounds.

 

[Sasha]

I think there is a lot of good ideas here.

My parish priest mentioned once at RCIA (my husband is converting) that he hopes the church in Canada eventually withdraws its ability to perform a marriage that is legal. In Mexico, you need a civil marriage to be legally married in the country, and you have to have a church marriage separately. He suggested that may be the best way around the situation. He also mentioned it would reduce the number of people coming who are not in full communion with the church who simply want a “big church wedding” from coming and asking the priest to marry them.

On a related note, there was a man outside my church this weekend who was wearing a sign - “Ex-communicate Paul Martin”. For any non-Canadians, he is our “Catholic” Prime Minister who is trying to push through same sex marriage legislation through Parliament.

 

[kev7]

tossolul:

I see your concern kev7, and think it is something that people need to see much differently than they do these days.

Having said that…I might be missing something, so if I am please just ignore this thought.

Isn’t the Catholic Church already protected from this? Marraige is a Sacrament in the Catholic Church. The only people who can receive this sacrament, are people who are in full communion with what the Catholic Church teaches. If they are openly gay, and asking for a gay marraige then the infallible teaching about homosexuality would come into effect and they would either be denied marraige or excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

The catholic church is not projected because they offer the public service of a civil marriage. Whne you get married in the catholic church you take part in the sacrament but then you also sign the marriage contract. The activists are using that fact to attack the church.

You see they will demand that they use the church (the building) for their own gay marriages.

 

[kev7]

Sasha:

I think there is a lot of good ideas here.

My parish priest mentioned once at RCIA (my husband is converting) that he hopes the church in Canada eventually withdraws its ability to perform a marriage that is legal. In Mexico, you need a civil marriage to be legally married in the country, and you have to have a church marriage separately. He suggested that may be the best way around the situation. He also mentioned it would reduce the number of people coming who are not in full communion with the church who simply want a “big church wedding” from coming and asking the priest to marry them.

On a related note, there was a man outside my church this weekend who was wearing a sign - “Ex-communicate Paul Martin”. For any non-Canadians, he is our “Catholic” Prime Minister who is trying to push through same sex marriage legislation through Parliament.

Paul martin is doing the devils work. He is courpt and so is his government.

I’m glad there are priests who are considering changing the way marriages are handled in canada. I can only hope this happens.

 

[YinYangMom]

The best and most effective way to protect marriage is to remain married ourselves, have children, raise them in the faith, then encourage & support those of our children who chose marriage for themselves to do the same…

In a matter of years the faithful will outnumber the rest and all will be well.

The key, of course, is to raise the kids SO firm in their Catholicism that when they end up pairing with non-Catholics they are able to convert their partners rather than the other way around.

It is that tread which hurts us the most, in my opinion. Losing our children to other denominations in the name of ‘love’.

 

[Chris_Jacobsen]

If you want to protect marriage stop doing the following. Stop saying premarital sex is ok. Stop saying birth control is ok. Stop saying abortion is ok. Stop saying divorce and remarriage is ok. Stop saying that everyone should be married.

If you want to protect marriage do the following. Leave the boyfriend or girlfriend you’re having sex with. Give up your extra-marital affairs. Leave your illicit marriage. Have your sterilization undone. Give up your birth control pills and birth control devices. Fight to protect unborn children.

Preasure the priests and bishops to provide quality religious education. Preasure the priests and bishops to stop excluding single people from parish life, under the pretense of helping families. Turn the parish into a place where people, both married and single can make real friends.

The Catholic Church can do a lot to protect marriage. The local parish has to stop forcing people to go it alone. Unless the local parish starts supporting singles and married people by making it a place where it is possible to make real friends, there will be no protecting of marriage.

 

[kev7]

Chris Jacobsen:

If you want to protect marriage stop doing the following. Stop saying premarital sex is ok. Stop saying birth control is ok. Stop saying abortion is ok. Stop saying divorce and remarriage is ok. Stop saying that everyone should be married.

If you want to protect marriage do the following. Leave the boyfriend or girlfriend you’re having sex with. Give up your extra-marital affairs. Leave your illicit marriage. Have your sterilization undone. Give up your birth control pills and birth control devices. Fight to protect unborn children.

Preasure the priests and bishops to provide quality religious education. Preasure the priests and bishops to stop excluding single people from parish life, under the pretense of helping families. Turn the parish into a place where people, both married and single can make real friends.

The Catholic Church can do a lot to protect marriage. The local parish has to stop forcing people to go it alone. Unless the local parish starts supporting singles and married people by making it a place where it is possible to make real friends, there will be no protecting of marriage.

It doesn’t matter how much a catholic does what you suggest. The fact is that marriage is underattack by people who are not catholic. These people are also out to attact the church.

You are correct that the church does not help singles find each other. IIf they do then I’m not aware of it. It is very hard to find someone for a relationship that is a good catholic.

 

[Jennifer123]

Chris Jacobsen:

If you want to protect marriage stop doing the following. Stop saying premarital sex is ok. Stop saying birth control is ok. Stop saying abortion is ok. Stop saying divorce and remarriage is ok. Stop saying that everyone should be married.

If you want to protect marriage do the following. Leave the boyfriend or girlfriend you’re having sex with. Give up your extra-marital affairs. Leave your illicit marriage. Have your sterilization undone. Give up your birth control pills and birth control devices. Fight to protect unborn children.

Preasure the priests and bishops to provide quality religious education. Preasure the priests and bishops to stop excluding single people from parish life, under the pretense of helping families. Turn the parish into a place where people, both married and single can make real friends.

The Catholic Church can do a lot to protect marriage. The local parish has to stop forcing people to go it alone. Unless the local parish starts supporting singles and married people by making it a place where it is possible to make real friends, there will be no protecting of marriage.

:clapping: I don’t think it’s inappropriate to push the Church or her members to practice what the Church preaches.
I admit that I sometimes am a little envious of my in-laws Protestant church that has all the community groups, marriage bible studies, women’s studies, men’s studies, women’s and men’s retreats, etc. They really have a great community they can turn to for support. I find most Catholic parishes a bit lonely…but then I think about the Sacraments and the jealousy wanes a bit!

I think we all have to take responsibility and preach the truth always. The not so secret fact about the “pro-choice” lobby is that they are getting gray and dying out. Hopefully the “pro-life” crowd can resist the lure of the “easy life” society offers by rewarding us for limiting children.

 

[Petertherock]

I seem to remember a quote in Matthew that says “Whoever will not recieve you or listen to your words - go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.” You can replace town for Country and the Country you can think about is the US and Canada. As a nation, both countries have rejected Jesus and His Apostles and I feel we will all pay the price for what we have become.

Of course good will triumph in the end but it will be very painful and we, as Christians will face many persecutions and trials from Satan. We just have to hold strong to our faith and let the light of Jesus shine through us in our own lives.