Stolen Identity: Why the SCOTUS Decision on Marriage is Not About Marriage At All

STOLEN IDENTITY

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devo9on, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were….It would m isunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of Their plea is that they do respect marriage. it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civiliza9on’s oldest ins9tu9ons. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Cons9tu9on grants them that right. It is so ordered.”

Jus$ce Anthony Kennedy of the SCOTUS June 26, 2015, legalizing Same Sex Unions

The Gospel isOUTLINE OF THE TALK

meant to change MAN not for man to

change the GOSPEL to suit his ACTIONS.

OUTLINE OF THE TALK

• How did we GET there?

• What do we DO now?

• Where do we GO from here?

OF HE TtALK How OUTLINE did we GTET here?

Modern rationalisms’ fascination with the “I”: Rene Descartes’ dictum “I think, therefore I am.”

St. John Paul II calls this the “motto of modern rationalism” (CTH, p.

51).

Rene Descartes 1596-­‐1650

“AtTALK the heart of OUTLINE OF THE liberty is the right to

define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.”

Justice Kennedy on Planned Parenthood v Casey, 1992

William Jeynes on DEFACTUALIZATION OUTLINE OF THE TALK

“Truth has been relegated to a secondary posi9on in the na9on’s public schools, universi9es, poli9cal forums and public squares.”

Defactualiza$on describes “socie9es in which facts are either habitually denied or ignored due to an emphasis on subjec9vity. In my view, defactualiza9on is becoming one of the greatest crises of modern 9mes.”

OUTLINE OF THE TALK

“Hi I’m Bruce Jenner”

“The fault of OUTLINE OF THE TALK the modern culture is not IGNORANCE

of the truth

but IGNORING the truth.”

Peter Kreeft

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

OUTLINE F d THE ALK What do wOe o nTow?

THE tTo ALK What do OUTLINE we do OnF eed Reclaim?

1.

Love a nd G ender

2.

Love and Tolerance

3. The interpreta9on of Desire 4. What makes marriage a marriage

OUTLINE OF THE TALK

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

“…orient your

DESIRES, according to its

DESIGN, that you may reach your DESTINY.”

Christopher West

OUTLINE OF THE TALK to Jus9ce?

“Equality” N ecessarily Leads

OUTLINE OF THE TALK Marriage (n):

“Marriage is the permanent union of a man and a woman, committed to each other for life, dedicated to the procreation and education of children, for the good of the society and the continuation of the human race.”

OUTLINE OF THE TALK Elements of Marriage:

1. Covenant of fidelity 2. Sexual complementarity 3. Possibility of sex and procreation 4. Societal benefit 5. Sustenance of the Human race

“ For marriage policy to serve the common good it OUTLINE must OF THE TALK marriage reflect the truth that unites a man and a woman as husband and wife so that

children will have both a mother

and a father.

Marriage is based on the anthropological truth that men and woman are dis9nct and complementary, the biological fact that reproduc9on depends on a man and a woman, and the social reality that children deserve a mother and a father.”

No, marriage isn’t just a private affair; OF THE TALK marriage is a mader of OUTLINE public policy

because marriage is society’s best way to ensure the well-­‐being of children. State recogni9on of marriage acts as a powerful social norm that encourages men and women to commit to each other so they

will take responsibility for any children that follow.

Redefining marriage to make it a genderless ins9tu9on fundamentally changes marriage: It makes the rela9onship more about the desires of adults than about the needs—or rights— of children. It teaches the lie that mothers and fathers are interchangeable.

OUTLINE HE TALK Where d o we gOo F fTrom here?

1. Be gentle yet ardent proclaimers of the Gospel.

2.

Be ready to be persecuted.

3. Prac9ce Posi9ve Orthodoxy: Refu9ng evil by increasing the influence of good.

4. Have confidence in the splendor of Truth: “Truth is like a lion. Just set it free and it will defend itself.” St. Augus9ne 5. Be calm. Sleep well. It’s God’s church.