First published, in a slightly different form, in Between the Lines, August 24, 2006 Princeton natural-law theorist Robert George wrote recently at the First Things website that For years, critics of the idea of same-sex ‘marriage’ have made the point that accepting the proposition that two persons of the same sex can marry each other… Continue reading Polygamy and Principles: A Reply to George
Category: Articles
The New York Ruling, Take 2: …So Make Lemonade
First published in Between the Lines on Thursday July 13, 2006. By now you’ve probably heard about the New York Court of Appeals’ deciding that their state constitution does not require equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. Problem is, much of what you’ve heard is misleading. Yes, the Court declared that “The New York Constitution… Continue reading The New York Ruling, Take 2: …So Make Lemonade
Bigotry? Or Disagreement?
First published in Between the Lines, June 15, 2006 “A vote for this amendment is a vote for bigotry, pure and simple.” So said Senator Ted Kennedy in response to the so-called “Marriage Protection Amendment,” which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman and preempts the right of states to interpret… Continue reading Bigotry? Or Disagreement?
Homosexy in China
First published in Between the Lines on June 1, 2006. I am writing this column at my desk at the Xianlin Hotel at Nanjing Normal University in China, where I am delivering a two-week series of lectures on business ethics. Prior to arriving here I visited Beijing, and in a week I will visit Hong… Continue reading Homosexy in China
The Pope’s Impotent Argument
First published in Between the Lines, May 18, 2006. Last week Pope Benedict spoke out against gay marriage and civil unions. “Only the rock of total and irrevocable love between a man and a woman is capable of being the foundation of building a society that becomes a home for all mankind,” the pope declared,… Continue reading The Pope’s Impotent Argument
Grandma Rose’s Family Values
First published in Between the Lines, May 4, 2006 My Grandma Rose stood at just under 5 feet–in recent years, even less than that, as osteoporosis took its toll on her small frame. But she will always be a towering figure in my mind. She was born on May 8, 1921, in the town of… Continue reading Grandma Rose’s Family Values
Polygamy Illogic Strikes Again
First published in Between the Lines on March 23, 2006. In his nationally syndicated column of March 17, Charles Krauthammer uses the HBO series “Big Love” (about a modern-day polygamist family in Utah) as a springboard to telling gay-rights advocates “I told you so.” Krauthammer writes: In an essay 10 years ago, I pointed out… Continue reading Polygamy Illogic Strikes Again
Battling for Our Children
First published in Between the Lines, March 9, 2006 Question: What’s worse than a dozen or so states contemplating gay marriage bans during an election year? Answer: A dozen or so states contemplating gay adoption bans during an election year. Welcome to 2006. At least sixteen states are considering laws or ballot initiatives restricting the… Continue reading Battling for Our Children
Left-Handed Desks and Same-Sex Marriages
First published in Between the Lines on February 26, 2006 I have just completed a week’s worth of same-sex marriage debates with Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family. During the debates, Stanton made an excellent case in favor of traditional heterosexual marriage. I really mean that. What he did not do—what he utterly failed… Continue reading Left-Handed Desks and Same-Sex Marriages
Open Relationships and Double Standards
First published in Between the Lines on February 9, 2006 As I embark upon a week’s worth of same-sex marriage debates with Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family, I am bracing myself for his arguments. (There’s a useful summary of his position here.) In every debate we’ve had, Stanton has brought up Jonathan Yarbrough… Continue reading Open Relationships and Double Standards