News Release 

San Francisco, CA - Today, Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mathew D. Staver will present oral argument before the California Court of Appeals in San Francisco in defense of the state's marriage laws. Liberty Counsel represents Campaign for California Families, a public policy group that supports marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The Campaign was involved in the passage of a statewide legislative initiative known as Proposition 22, which passed in 2000 by a vote of 61.4%, and declared that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. Proposition 22 is a legislative rather than a constitutional voter initiative.

In March 2005, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer struck down California's marriage laws. Contrary to precedent, Kramer said "It appears that no rational purpose exists for limiting marriage in this state to opposite-sex partners."

Liberty Counsel argues that California's marriage laws promote the state's interests in responsible procreation and child rearing. Marriage is not merely a private commitment. Since children are born from the union of one man and one woman, the state has a strong interest in encouraging stable families through marriage. Unlike heterosexual couples who procreate, and who sometimes accidentally do so, same-sex couples cannot procreate. To bring a child into the relationship, same-sex couples must intentionally involve a third party, through adoption or artificial insemination. Heterosexual couples need no third party, and sometime give birth unintentionally. Thus, to encourage responsible procreation and to provide parents to children, the state has a strong interest in opposite sex relationships that are not present in same-sex relationships. Moreover, the state's interest in marriage also promotes the common sense proposition that children fare best when raised by a mom and a dad.

Regarding the case, Staver commented: "The state of California did not create marriage and judges should not redefine it. Marriage is distinct from other personal relationships. The marital union of a man and a woman uniquely fosters responsible procreation, contributes to the continuing well-being of men and women, to society, to children and to the state. Same-sex relationships by definition and nature can not constitute marriage. To redefine marriage to include same-sex couples would abolish marriage and make gender irrelevant. The result would be nonsensical and would have devastating effects on children and society."

Last week, New York's highest court ruled in favor of traditional marriage, rejecting all the same argument raised in the California cases by those who advocate same-sex marriage. Liberty Counsel filed briefs in the New York litigation.

The oral arguments will be televised and streamed on the internet. Go to www.LC.org for more information. Court begins at 9:00 a.m. PT. Staver's argument begins sometime after 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET).

Please forward this email to your friends. We need thousands of believers to join together to pray for the Lord's intervention in this hearing. Your prayers will make a difference in the outcome of this case.

Make a tax-deductible online donation to this ministry

We Praise the Lord for our Friends --

TMA Inc. International
2916 N. Oak St. Valdosta, GA 31602
TMA is a team of Christ-centered design professionals
committed to excellence in architecture, planning and service from
concept through occupancy for JESUS' sake.
Hebrews 11:1
For a Free CD about TMA, call 1-800-932-6124 or Email:[email protected]