The truth about marriage and natural law and marriage redefinition in Illinois.

Is marriage a human construct or a relationship designed by God and rooted in our humanity?  That's the debate and question being raised in Illiniois where there are efforts underway to redefine marriage in that state's legislature.

Catholic Cardinal Francis George points out "Marriage comes to us from nature," Chicago's Cardinal Francis George said in a recent interview. "That's based on the complementarity of the two sexes in such a way that the love of a man and a woman joined in a marital union is open to life, and that's how families are created and society goes along. … It's not in our doctrine. It's not a matter of faith. It's a matter of reason and understanding the way nature operates."

 He points out it's not simply a doctrinal issue but one that's ultimately rooted in our humanity.

One argue we can decide for ourselves what marriage is and should be.

"On sexual ethics, nature is neutral," said Bernard Schlager, executive director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif. "We're moral beings. We may look to nature for some aspects of how we are in our lives, but we answer to a higher standard. Sexual behavior is an expression of human love."

 But if marriage is about procreation and the next generation and not just a relationship of friendship, then it's not neutral term.  It's an observable fact that you need a man and a woman to create a child.

Though some have argued that a basic tenet of natural law is equality, the Rev. Robert John Araujo, a law professor at Loyola University Chicago, said same-sex couples are not equal to heterosexual couples. Objective intelligence demonstrates that heterosexual couples have the capacity to populate the planet and same-gender couples do not, he said.

Some say natural law is still only a matter of interpretation.  While we certainly need to think and reason through the evidence, that doesn't negate the reality that there is a reality we can't simply wish a way.  And human history is littered with the debris of violating these laws of nature.  Look at the consequences of fatherless in the lives of children.  Those can't be wished away.

 Just like we can't avoid the consequences of ignoring the laws of gravity so we can't ignore the consequences of ignoring the laws of procreation, marriage and child rearing.  Even if the Illinois redefines marriage legally that doesn't change the reality of what marriage is or void the consequences of failing to abide by that reality.  If the legislature decided to start calling a cat a dog that wouldn't make it a dog.

Consequence of redefining marriage -- loss of religious liberties

Here's a story which highlights the consequences of legalizing same sex marriage or giving marriage-like legal status for same sex couples - loss of freedoms for religious-based foster care providers which believe placing children in households headed up by a married man and woman is in the best interest of children.

Since Illinois passed a law creating same-sex civil unions this year, faith-based groups that place children into foster care homes have increasingly found themselves left out in the cold.

Last week, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) informed the Evangelical Child and Family Agency (ECFA) — a 61-year-old group that has been contracting with the state to place foster children in homes since 1965 — that its contract will not be renewed in the new fiscal year, since the agency won’t place kids with same-sex couples.

ECFA is one of several faith-based groups that have had to make such a choice this year. Like Lutheran Child and Family Services, ECFA’s policy is to only place foster children with married couples; another group announced this summer it would change its policy in order to continue contracting with the state. Catholic Charities has chosen to fight the matter in court, but has not met with success so far. The civil unions law took effect on June 1.

“They’re saying all agencies that contract with DCFS need to be an ‘agent of the state,’” said ECFA Executive Director Ken Withrow. “Til now, the understanding was that we would be partners with the state — in our case,recruiting evangelicals to become foster care parents.”

Though DCFS cited the state’s civil unions law to ECFA, Withrow said it’s just a cover.

“We tend to disagree with that, because the act says nothing in it will
interfere with religious organizations. They prefer only to contract with
secular agencies,” he explained.

Yes, there would be significant ramifications to redefining marriage in Minnesota.