Christian Web News - Massachusetts, the first state in the country to legalize gay marriage is now taking aim at the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
DOMA, passed in 1996, defines marriage as between one man and one woman for purposes of all federal laws, and provides that states need not recognize same-sex marriages from another state. But, Massachusetts feel that the law is unconstitutional and violates the state’s rights and has challenged the law in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
"We're taking this action today because, first, we believe that [DOMA] directly interferes with Massachusetts' long-standing sovereign authority to define and regulate the marital status of its residents," said Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.
The lawsuit argues that despite same-sex marriage being legal in Massachusetts, the more than 16,000 gay and lesbian married couples in the state are still denied access to "critically important rights and benefits" because of DOMA.
The New England state is specifically challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA, which defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife."
"Congress's decision (in 1996) to enact a federal definition of marriage rejected the long-standing practice of deferring to each state’s definition of marriage and contravened the constitutional designation of exclusive authority to the states," states the lawsuit.
Family Research Council president, Troy Perkins, rejects the argument that DOMA interferes with the state's authority. DOMA’s primary purpose is “protecting the right of states to define marriage as they see fit so that no state can force marriage redefinition on another state."
"Now, the Massachusetts Attorney General is expanding the fight against traditional marriage by demanding that federal taxpayers from all 50 states subsidize same-sex 'marriage' benefits in Massachusetts," Perkins said in a statement Wednesday.
According to a May 2009 Gallup Poll , most Americans (57 percent) remain opposed to the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Christian Web News - Jesus has a way of getting right to the point, doesn't He? There was certainly no mincing of words, He came right out and said, "why are you fearful?" and then went on to say, "O you of little faith." You don't have to read between the lines to see what He was saying, they had little faith.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
DOMA, passed in 1996, defines marriage as between one man and one woman for purposes of all federal laws, and provides that states need not recognize same-sex marriages from another state. But, Massachusetts feel that the law is unconstitutional and violates the state’s rights and has challenged the law in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
