With the polls turning against him, and the Republican base lacking the enthusiasm needed to maintain Republican control of the house, Speaker John Boehner has made it clear that he will have the House of Representatives legal council file a petition to have the case Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services argued before the court this fall just before the election. In the legal equivalent of a Hail Mary, Boehner is attempting to have four prior decisions overturned in order to maintain his authority to discriminate against same-sex couples by denying them any federal benefits of wedlock. As one of those decisions was handled by the very strict First Circuit Appellate court, and history demonstrates that the Supreme Court rarely disagrees with this circuit, this is a clear attempt by the Speaker to politicize the debate and attempt to induce excitement into their base using their classic strategy of “God, Gays and Guns.”
The original decision, that the Defense of Marriage Act, was a violation of the Constitution, has been upheld throughout the legal chain that had led it to this point. At all points, the Republicans have been determined to spend vast sums of tax dollars attempting to overturn that decision. By his usurping the traditional legal process, which would have had this appearing before the Supreme Court in 2013, he reveals that the strategy for this is not about defending it at all, it is all about pandering to a select group of the Republican base just before the elections this November.
The Courts decision would not come out until well after the election, by which point Boehner hopes to have secured both houses of Congress as well as to place the parties rubber stamp into the Presidency. At that point they can usurp the courts at their leisure, regardless of the outcome. The naked political posturing displayed by Boehner is beneath the office which he is holding. He should be ashamed of himself, but likely is not.
This whole issue is based on religious dogma and therefore an abrogation of the constitution’s requisite separation of church and state. The Bible should have no application to the law of the United States. Speaker John Boner is perpetuating this disregard of our constitutional law.
The Bible says God said to love thy neighbor and thy enemy as thyself (i.e., everyone in the world). That is unconditional love. Just as the Bible says God loves everyone unconditionally, so too, God must love homosexuals unconditionally. Therefore, those who hate them (whether they admit to it or not) are in defiance of God’s wishes. In addition, the old “love the sinner, hate the sin” is about as hypocritical as one can get. Hating the sin that one commits is the same as hating the sinner, the two are inseparable. A person is what a person does.
In addition, what is a sin? What, for God, does the Bible say constitutes sin? Leviticus, Deuteronomy and others are full of contradictions as to what is an abomination. We Christians, especially 21st century Christians, are guilty of most of them and have been for centuries before. Shellfish, clothes woven of two threads, women wearing pants, men wearing kilts, false measures, self-righteousness, fair wages, etc., etc., etc. The list is long, but there are no definite punishments mentioned for these abominations. On the other hand, there are some others that do have a punishment, mostly stoning (no, not that kind). So, are there different levels of abominations? Nowhere in the Bible does it say any more than two levels: Those that have no penalty as partially listed above; and those that result in the death penalty. Curse your father? Stoning. Work on the Sabbath? Stoning. Has your son or daughter become an Atheist? Stone them. Marry a divorced (kicked out) woman? Stone them both. Keeping slaves? Oh, wait, that’s okay. Want more stoning offenses? Go here:
http://www.bookofsigns.org/2011/10/stoning-in-the-bible/
The Bible says God’s words require people to love one another. The Bible was written thousands of years ago. Where’s the love? Not here. Not anywhere. Not now. Not ever. Have we failed God or has God has failed us?
Hey, Speaker Boner, you’re a Christian: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Matt. 7:1;
“Therefore I will judge you, O Houses of Congress, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God.” Ez. 18:30
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely (attention Tea-baggers), against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, or the hired worker in his wages, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. …” Mal. 3:1-18
John Boehner does not have both oars in the water! His elevator does not go to the top floor and he’s one of the dimmer bulbs in the lamp! heh! heh! heh!