My personal beliefs are one thing to ask about, but you asked me which church should dictate morals. Forgive me, but I don't know how else to say this and I'm not trying to offend, but this is a ridiculous question. Did one religion dictate to our founding fathers? No! They were fighting for religious freedom for all. I've known people from many Christian religions and Muslims as well who live with high moral values. No church has to dictate that. God tells all who are willing to ask and listen.

James 1: 5-6
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Beck liked what he said on this subject, but outright said on his radio program that he hasn't agreed with him in the past. Especially on immigration. nothing is ever really an isolated issue. You have to research and connect the dots.

on border issues, I've read that he hasn't been so helpful. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and most politicians know how to talk the talk (or if they don't, they have a teleprompter to help them.) I think that's why picking a president based on character and past actions is more important than on a single issue or mere words. I hope Gov Perry follows through with his statement and inspires other state reps to do the same, but only time will tell. I'm glad he at least made this statement against the federal government. States do need to take back their rights and authority as written in the tenth amendment.

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

"I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state, Gov. Perry said. That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union."

I couldn't agree more. Amen! I wish all Stat reps felt this way!

The version where scripture and the words of the prophets are the word of God and not mixed with the philosophies of men. People who aren't Christian have lived their lives by depending on God too (though they might call him by another name). We need to be listening to and reading God's words so that we can also be allowed to receive that same inspiration. Our founding fathers did and were inspired by the Lord to create the constitution. In many ways, we as a society are too busy to stop what we're doing, sit down and mediate and listen, but God has given us His word if we'll only take the time to ponder it.

lol! You're right. There would be a lot less married people "today". It wasn't always like this. In the past we were all better able to control our passions and appetites. In the past, adultery was illegal according to the common law. In the name of progression, these things have changed. This is a piece of an article from slate.com

"The United States inherited English common law, which made adultery, as well as fornication (sex between unmarried people) and sodomy (oral and anal sex), punishable crimes. In the mid and late 19th centuries, when states wrote their criminal codes, they incorporated these sex laws. Twenty-six states continue to have anti-adultery laws on the books. These laws vary considerably. Some define adultery as any intercourse outside marriage. According to others, it occurs when a married person lives with someone other than his or her spouse. In West Virginia and North Carolina, simply "to lewdly and lasciviously associate" with anyone other than one's spouse is to be adulterous.

Is a single person in an adulterous relationship guilty of adultery? All but seven states punish both people involved. Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Utah only punish the married person. In the District of Columbia and in Michigan, when a married man sleeps with an unmarried woman, only the man is guilty, but when a married woman sleeps with an unmarried man, they're both guilty. Most laws make no exceptions for couples who are separated or in the process of obtaining a divorce. Punishments also vary. Adultery is a felony in Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Idaho, and a misdemeanor everywhere else.

In practice, adultery laws matter little: Only one case--against an Alabama man--has been prosecuted in the last five years. Most states have not enforced their adultery laws since World War II."

The article goes on, but the point is we're the ones not learning from history. We're the generation straying from morality. Whatever your views or for whatever reason you joined the 9-12 project, I wish you the best, but this is why I joined. Adams said the constitution was made for a moral and religious people. Many of the other founding fathers made similar statements. I'm fighting for a return to morality, a return to virtue!

I agree with your assessment of what's happening at the White House and understand what you mean by saying their lifestyles are the same as ours. They're children should get to celebrate too and need to be loved, but the phrase "sexual preferences aside" sounds like justification to me.

In my religion, we don't believe marriage is an earthly affair. Yes, we sort out who we marry here on earth, but God created all things spiritually before he created them temporally. I believe that I will get to be with my husband in the next life if we live worthily in this one. I believe in eternal progression.

The whole not judging thing can be very confusing. I personally think the word "judgment" has an undeserved stigma about it. What are our opinions but judgments? Everyone has opinions. No, I don't think the scripture is saying don't judge ever. I think it's saying don't judge unrighteously. We have to be able to choose between right and wrong and to do that we must judge what is right and what is wrong. The Lord has given us the means to do so through the words of prophets and scriptures. It is possible to judge with love. I have seen this happen many times. It goes hand in hand with the saying love the sinner, hate the sin. Very much in keeping with the commandment to love our neighbors.

This really doesn't have much to do with the 9-12 project but I love discussing religious things so I hope you don't mind that I bird walked a little...

I completely understand that. Thank you for the clarification!

That's fine for you, but for a lot of us, we see it as an attack on morals, values and principles. Exactly why I joined the 9-12 project in the first place.

http://www.massresistance.org/docs/marriage/effec...
It really does affect others.