One year ago, five Supreme Court justices redefined a centuries-old tradition. Not just a tradition, a creation of God’s – marriage. Marriage had always been between a man and a woman. God sanctioned it; tribes and people everywhere honored it.

But just five unelected people said we were wrong, God was wrong. And now same-sex marriage is the law of the land. We knew then what has become crystal clear over these 12 months – that gay marriage was not the final goal. LGBT activists are not satisfied.

They want their new “rights” to trump America’s founding right of freedom of religion. To redefine how we live and function as a society. To have their sexual orientation and gender identity defined in the law the same as discrimination on the basis of race. To make those of us who have faith-based views on sexuality classified as bigots and denied our freedom to even believe.

We’ve seen it in the many lawsuits destroying bakeries, florists, photographers, and wedding venues whose owners live out their Christian beliefs in their everyday lives. From Barronelle Stutzman in Washington State, to Kelvin Cochran in Atlanta, Georgia, the redefinition of marriage is clashing head-on with citizens’ First Amendment rights and freedom to live and work according to their beliefs.

Let me repeat what I’ve said often: the florists and cake bakers are not discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. They have served the LGBT community. They simply are declining to participate in an event that goes against their faith.

We’ve seen the LGBT agenda in Arizona cities and at the legislature in the efforts to enact so-called nondiscrimination laws that trample on individual freedom by granting special rights to individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. President Obama has gone from supposedly opposing same-sex marriage to support to now moving to unilaterally enacting measures forcing open bathroom, locker room, and dorm facilities on schools and others.

The most immediate threat may be to our religious freedoms but redefining marriage itself ensures that some children no longer have a chance to have a mom and a dad. Academic studies repeatedly show that children do best when raised by a mom and a dad. The breakdown of this family unit ultimately leads to the breakdown of community. The long-term effects on children are yet to be fully known and realized.

Further, marriage between a man and a woman increases economic productivity, financial success, personal health, and happiness.

That is why we cannot give up on our battle for the sacred union between a man and a woman. And we must not give in to societal pressures to make “simple” conformities that will end up costing us our freedom to live and work according to our faith.

I said it a year ago, and I repeat it strongly today – despair is not a word in our vocabulary at CAP. Neither is growing weary from fighting these battles. Regardless of the Court’s legal definition of marriage, God’s design for it will never change and we must double our efforts to restore a culture of marriage in this country.

May we recommit to our own marriages being a beacon of light and strength in the culture. May we redouble our efforts to rebuild a culture of marriage.

May we take a stand by signing the CAP Petition showing our opposition to President Obama’s edict on bathrooms and locker rooms and that we support elected officials who also stand up to this overreaching and radical policy…

Let’s show the way and be the living proof that marriage between a man and a woman is the ideal family structure for men, women, and children.

Reminder:

We heard from you, and we are printing soon. Center for Arizona Policy’s Voter’s Guide will be out mid-summer. Place your order now for a printed copy. We will be printing fewer of these in the future and eventually moving completely to a digital version. Stay tuned for a link to the full Guide.

ICYMI – Latest News & Articles of Interest

• Read my statement to the press on this issue here.
• Alliance Defending Freedom sounds the alarm about pastors under investigation for using “hate speech” in Europe. Read this frightening story here.
• W. Justin Dyer takes a close look at President Obama’s bathroom edict and finds it serves no one’s interest. Read about it here.
• California is moving fast to strip away religious freedom rights. Read the latest here.