Archive for May, 2009
The Golden State’s Golden Apple: CA Proposition 8 Upheld
Children’s Right to a Mom and a Dad Wins!
Thank you supreme court for upholding my right to amend my own constitution. Thank you. My children and my children’s children also thank you.
<>the pomegranate apple
4 comments May 26, 2009
Happy Memorial Day!
Learning and Remembering with Dad
My family went to the cemetery today to visit some family graves. On the way out, I saw this man walking up a hill with a bucket of flowers in one hand, American flags in the other, and his two little daughters trailing him.
I thought to myself, how beautiful that his daughters are learning about honoring their dead family members from their dad.
The way he was walking with his arms loaded down and his daughters running to keep up was so sweet I could not help but stare (and then take a picture).
I saw families all over the cemetery. Parents with children. Couples.
There is something about a cemetery that makes marriage seem so much more important. I can’t help but think of birth when I think of death. And somehow, marriage gives meaning to both. Marriage organizes questions like: who was his dad? his brother? his uncle? his grandfather? his son? his nephew? and so on and so on.
Happy memorial day. I’m grateful for the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that I have the freedom to say: Children have a right to a mom and a dad.
4 comments May 26, 2009
Marriage: The True Sign of the Rainbow
Rainbow: the Sign of God’s Covenant
“…one final thought…
After the Lord cleansed the earth by the baptism of flood waters, which He did namely due to gross immorality and wickedness of the earth’s inhabitants, He saved, according to Holy Writ, 8 people: Noah, and his wife, and his 3 sons, and their wives.
And from these marriages was the earth re-peopled.
And what was the sign of His covenant, never to flood the earth again? The Rainbow. Four married couples; four rainbows.”
–From A Banner is Unfurled
May 25, 2009
Marriage: The true sign of the rainbow 5
Marriage has intrinsic Value
“And what strengthens the structure/institution of marriage itself? What will keep the colors of this new rainbow and all others, glowing brightly?
As long as the couple and the society they move in, honor the intrinsic value/nature of their union, their marriage, itself, and are loyal to it, as well as to each other, the marriage (in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts), will thrive.
…The institution of marriage (one man + one woman = complete whole; ie., full multi-hued spectrum of their combined genders) has intrinsic value.
That means that it retains value, even if no one decides to unite under those terms.
Or, even if one or both members fail to live up to their marriage pledge, the value of the institution itself still maintains its integrity (though people may not).
True, at different times and seasons, one color (of a rainbow) may shine more brightly than another, and if the sun fades a little, or the water isn’t as plentiful, the rainbow might grow a little dim. BUT, as long as they two work together, each giving 100%, to keep the union sound, the marriage/rainbow will continue to add its beauty and richness to our natural world.”
–From A Banner is Unfurled
2 comments May 23, 2009
Video| New Hampshire Marriage Commercial “I’m Confused”
Focus on Children Belongs in Marriage Debate
From Pearl’s Blog:
This excellent sub-40 second commercial clip does an amazing job of bringing the entire marriage debate right back where it belongs – with the children.
Government regulates marriage for the benefit of society; to ensure the best possible emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual outcome for the potential posterity of the marital union. It doesn’t matter that that union may be sterile or that it may end up in divorce. Just because the human execution is malfunctioning (sterility) or flawed (divorce) or even broken (abuse), does not make the divine institution flawed. Marriage is what it is and those who pretend otherwise are endangering not only themselves by exposing their tender feelings to more disappointment (marriage appropriation will not yield the acceptance they so yearn for), but our country’s innocent future as well – the children.
Other articles:
Opine: NOM Director Urges NH Gov to Keep His word
Beetle Blog: HB 436 Marriage Bill
Keyser’s Causes: Huge Victory for Marriage in New Hampshire
<>Pomegranate Apple
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May 22, 2009
Marriage: The True Sign of the Rainbow 4
Marriage reflects reoccurring patterns in nature
“Marriage is more than just 2 people of opposite gender combining into one new multi-hued whole; it is also the formal, ceremonial recognition of the couple itself, as well as the formal acknowledgement of society itself that these two people are now one special unit.
The individual components (woman + man), aren’t just any two people anymore. They are now wife + husband = married.
And not just the two of them, but the people they bring along with them–his parents and siblings + her parents and siblings, and all the recombinant relationships that come with the union (kind of like when a new human is formed–all that newly combined DNA, and, incidentally, isn’t science cool? So many reoccurring patterns in nature, if we only know to look for them).
The institution of marriage is the structure, or framework, that keeps the union of woman + man safe, and strengthens the likelihood of its continuance through tough times.”
–From A Banner is Unfurled
2 comments May 22, 2009
Marriage: The True Sign of the Rainbow 3
LIGHT + WATER = RAINBOW just as MAN + WOMAN = MARRIAGE
“True marriage is like the rainbow. Only in the combining of the dual nature of the sexes (man + woman) do we arrive at a whole entity (marriage), where the whole (the marriage) is greater than the sum of the parts; where the inherently different, yet equally important compositions of a man and a woman can combine into a new, multi-hued rainbow/marriage. This pattern is carried forward in the nature of procreation of human beings: 1 egg + 1 sperm = a many cellular, totally unique, human being, with his/her own unique DNA. The new whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
But let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that a married couple either can’t, or doesn’t choose, to produce children. Is theirs not a marriage? Not a rainbow? No–they still count as a married couple, because their union is structured in the framework of the formalized combination of their individual gender natures. Remember the analogy? Light + rain = rainbow = marriage.
–From A Banner is Unfurled
May 21, 2009
Marriage: True sign of the Rainbow 2
ROY G BIV
“Let’s continue to explore rainbows. When water + light = rainbow, the rainbow doesn’t end up a single color.
If I remember correctly, a rainbow = ROY G BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, & violet).
Wow! Let’s do the math: water (1) + light (1) = 7.
Now, how can 1+1=7? Well, I guess, at least in the case of rainbows, we could conclude that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
OK, let’s double-check the math again.
Let’s take out part of the equation and add the same two thing together: Let’s start by removing water.
1 (light) + 1 (light)= 1 (even brighter light), but still no rainbow.
OK, now let’s bring back water, but take away light. 1 (water) + 1 (water) = twice as much water, but still no rainbow!!! Hmmm. Nope; in order to get a rainbow, and all those gorgeous colors, it is absolutely necessary to include both entities: water + light.
Take away one, and no matter how much of the other you add, you get no rainbow. One last question. Have you ever seen a rainbow that was only ROY or only G, or only BIV?
Well, it’s true that sometimes one color might stand out more than the others, but if you look carefully, all those colors are present, however faint. Still ROY G BIV.”
–From A Banner is Unfurled
7 comments May 20, 2009
Marriage: The True Sign of the Rainbow
Rainbows are created by a combination of two different elements
A few months ago, I read a great post about how rainbows are excellent symbols of marriage. I hope you enjoy.
From A Banner is Unfurled:
Who doesn’t love a gorgeous rainbow?
Whether you chalk them up to science, or Divinity (or in my opinion–both), they’re always a true pleasure to experience.
Interestingly enough, they only occur under certain exact conditions. You won’t get them on perfectly sunny days.
One sun, plus another sun (supposing you could conjure up another), still wouldn’t produce a rainbow.
Or water–the other key element in rainbow creation–can’t produce its own rainbow without added light.
One rain cloud + one rain cloud doesn’t = a rainbow; just more rain.
To produce a rainbow, you need light + rain, combined in just the right way (the one shining through the other to produce refraction) = the rainbow we love.
Is the light more important than the rain to produce the rainbow? Is the rain more important than the light? Well, without either one we are left rainbow-less. And life would be a lot less rich without rainbows. We might conclude, then, that each is equal in importance, though not the same in composition. Light isn’t water, and water isn’t light, but one without the other = zero rainbows.
5 comments May 19, 2009
Slippery Slope of “Choice”: Sweden allows gender selection abortion
Does anyone see the problem?
When someone says a woman has the right to choose, when does that right to choose stop? Gender? eye color? What kinds of babies deserve to live?
The board [Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare] has responded to the request saying that any woman who asks for an abortion upon discovering the sex of the child cannot be refused so long as it is not after the 18th week of pregnancy.
Read article here
[hat-tip culture campaign]
5 comments May 15, 2009
