Group starts ‘Traditional Marriage Crusade’ in California

SPRING GROVE, PA (SEPTEMBER 2, 2008) - The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) has just launched a pro-traditional marriage campaign in California. Starting on September 1, TFP volunteers will tour major cities and college campuses rallying support for traditional marriage.

The Catholic group’s handout offers “Ten reasons why homosexual ‘marriage’ is harmful and must be opposed,” and calls on Californians to firmly and peacefully oppose the advance of the homosexual movement.

“Like counterfeit currency, homosexual ‘marriage’ is not true marriage. It is morally wrong, sinful, offensive to God and a violation of natural law,” said TFP spokesman John Ritchie. “To claim that marriage can be anything other than the union of one man and one woman is a flat denial of reality,” he continued.

In June, the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex “marriage.” The ruling caused great concerns among pro-family advocates who believe the decision will undermine the family unit, harm the moral integrity of our nation and jeopardize the innocence of our children.

“Parents don’t want their children in grade school to be told that the homosexual lifestyle is fine, but that’s already happening,” said Ritchie. “It’s part of the homosexual movement’s concerted effort to force the sexual revolution into the mainstream culture and banish God and His law from the public square.”

Twenty seven states have constitutional amendments protecting traditional marriage and forty one states have laws banning same-sex “marriage.”

Visit www.tfp.org for additional information.

###

Contact: John Ritchie, Student Action Director
Organization: The American TFP
Cell: 717-495-5427

What blasphemy! Such a perverse mind. But of course, If Our Lord's Purity is attacked by sons of darkness why wouldn't the saints also be attacked. Even the Devil himself knows that God infinitely detests sin, all sin, especially those most contrary to the nature of man such as the filth you talk about and seek to justify! A Saint is one who is perfectly united to the will of God Who is infinitely Holy. May God have mercy on your soul before you see Him face to face.

St. Michael | 9/23/2008

Kiev art museum contains a curious icon from St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai in Israel. It shows two robed Christian saints. Between them is a traditional Roman ‘pronubus’ (a best man), overseeing a wedding. The pronubus is Christ. The married couple are both men.

Is the icon suggesting that a gay "wedding" is being sanctified by Christ himself? The idea seems shocking. But the full answer comes from other early Christian sources about the two men featured in the icon, St. Sergius and St. Bacchus, two Roman soldiers who were Christian martyrs. These two officers in the Roman army incurred the anger of Emperor Maximian when they were exposed as ‘secret Christians’ by refusing to enter a pagan temple. Both were sent to Syria circa 303 CE where Bacchus is thought to have died while being flogged. Sergius survived torture but was later beheaded. Legend says that Bacchus appeared to the dying Sergius as an angel, telling him to be brave because they would soon be reunited in heaven.

While the pairing of saints, particularly in the early Christian church, was not unusual, the association of these two men was regarded as particularly intimate. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch (AD 512 - 518) explained that, "we should not separate in speech they [Sergius and Bacchus] who were joined in life". This is not a case of simple "adelphopoiia." In the definitive 10th century account of their lives, St. Sergius is openly celebrated as the "sweet companion and lover" of St. Bacchus. Sergius and Bacchus's close relationship has led many modern scholars to believe they were lovers. But the most compelling evidence for this view is that the oldest text of their martyrology, written in New Testament Greek describes them as "erastai,” or "lovers". In other words, they were a male homosexual couple. Their orientation and relationship was not only acknowledged, but it was fully accepted and celebrated by the early Christian church, which was far more tolerant than it is today.

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

enlightened | 9/2/2008

Comments that include profanity, personal attacks, antisocial behavior such as "spamming" and "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will not be posted on Catholic Online. Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of service. While Catholic Online invites robust discussion, we maintain the right to not print material that is patently false in its claims concerning the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, overtly anti-Catholic or which, in the opinion of the moderator, are intended to mislead readers as to what the Catholic Church teaches. Comments DO NOT necessarily reflect the opinion or views of Catholic Online.

| Catholic PRWire