NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 6, 2006— The highest courts in New York and Georgia ruled today that a right to same-sex “marriage” is not secured in either state’s constitution. The New York Court of Appeals said “same-sex unions” are not allowed under state law; the Georgia Supreme Court reinstated a ban on same-sex “marriage” put in place by the state’s voters. In reaction, ERLC President Dr. Richard Land said:
“I’m delighted that there are some state courts in our United States of America that have rediscovered their proper role of interpreting the law and the state constitution instead of seeking to impose their own personal social agenda from the bench. This is a reaffirmation of government “of the people, by the people, for the people” and should encourage all Americans that their judiciary is not beyond repair.
“While these rulings are victories for marriage and the nation, there are several states where marriage, as it is traditionally known and biblically based, is at risk. That is why it is critical that we have a constitutional amendment that specifically says that nothing in the U.S. Constitution or any of the state constitutions shall be construed as requiring that marriage be anything other than the union of a man and a woman.”
The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest non-Catholic denomination with more than 16.2 million members in over 43,500 churches nationwide. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is the SBC’s ethics, religious liberty and public policy agency with offices in Nashville, Tenn., and Washington, D.C.
