Draft Statement Opposing the Wisconsin Civil Unions and Marriage Ban

We write as Christians, and citizens of Wisconsin and of the United States of America, to express our opposition to the proposed Amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution which would ban same gender marriages and civil unions for unmarried individuals. The proposed constitutional amendment goes well beyond defining marriage, and because of the language of its second sentence, may actually take away current civil rights by prohibiting civil unions, domestic partnership registries and other fundamental human rights (the right of visitation, for example) for gay and lesbian partners in Wisconsin.

Married couples enjoy many legal rights not available to unmarried individuals. These include more favorable tax rates, insurance opportunities, inheritance rights, worker's compensation benefits, and the opportunity to participate in medical decisions affecting their partners. The prohibition against same-sex marriage and civil unions is a cause of substantial economic and legal deprivation. As Christians and Americans, we recognize the equal claim of gay and lesbian persons to the civil rights enjoyed by all other Wisconsin residents.

In our opinion the proposed amendment does harm to the state constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and distorts the teachings of our Christian Faith which had an important influence on all of those documents.

The Declaration of Independence, a foundational document of our country says this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

The Constitution of the state now reads: “All people are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

The Pledge of Allegiance includes these words: ….. “One nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.”

Men and women have fought and died defending these principles and most citizens strongly believe in their importance and their reality in our country and state. But this amendment would in effect change the meanings of these principles to something like this:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, {except homosexuals and single persons living together}, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

“All people are born equally free and independent, {except homosexuals and single persons living together} and have certain inherent rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

“One nation under God, with liberty and justice for all. {except homosexuals and single persons living together}”

It is true that Christian denominations have not come to consensus regarding some of the biblical passages about homosexuality, however there are passages of scripture that are very clear in their meaning. This is what Jesus taught:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34) Jesus loved with an unconditional love and commands the same of us.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5: 7) One way of thinking about being merciful would be to use these words of scripture as a means of looking at your attitudes toward others: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19)

‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John17: 20-21 This is part of the prayer of Jesus on the night before he died. Clearly he intends unity not division.

It is an unfortunate fact of our life together that we live in a time when our political leaders seek to maintain power by dividing us from one another and by raising the level of fear. It is our hope and prayer that this amendment is defeated and along with it the politics of fear, division and injustice. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18)