“Respect for Marriage Act:” God's Law Versus 12-13-2022 RFMA Law (published 12-15-2022; article #379)

Photograph (3/29/2019) by Sandy Millar, on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.

Introduction

I was blindsided while watching the news, on the evening of 12/13/2022. Apparently, on that day, President Biden had signed a bill, the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA), into temporal human law. The new, secular law applies to the United States.

My mind has been on more profound and everlasting thoughts, as I continue my series on Christian evidences. Interestingly, I have been working on my sixth article, which I, Lord willing, plan to publish. That article will affirm that the accuracy of the Bible proves that it is inspired by God.

This article, thus, is a sidetrack, but I must write and publish it. I must take a public stand. I trust that many readers will agree with me. I hope that those who do not will engage me with their comments and reasoning. All relevant comments (in agreement or disagreement) are welcome.

This article places the secular Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) in the context of God's law on marriage. Like the prophet Elijah, I do not “waver between two opinions.” I follow God. (See 1 Kings 18:21, in context.) This is my sixth article in the “Worldviews in Conflict” topic section.

God's Law

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:18, 21-24, NIV)

God created the first man, Adam. Then, He created the first woman, whom Adam named Eve (Genesis 3:20). God performed the first marriage ceremony, as He presented Eve to Adam. “Man” is from the Hebrew “Ish” (איש). “Woman” is from the Hebrew “Ishaha” (אישה), meaning “out of man.”

In answer to the Pharisees' testing question on divorce, Jesus answered, referencing the Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 texts:

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. (Matthew 19:4-6, NIV)

God, however, allowed polygyny, for a time, in the Old Testament. For example, King Solomon “had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.” (1 Kings 11:3, NIV). Polygyny, though allowed temporarily, is not a part of God's law on marriage.

God's law on marriage is that one man and one woman unite as husband and wife. No other option defines marriage, according to the Supreme Lawgiver.

12/13/2022 RFMA Law

What are the details of the 12/13/2022 "Respect for Marriage Act” (RFMA) secular law for the United States? I heard the televised news. I decided to dig into the details.

Congressional Record

I checked Congress.gov for the answers, which found: H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act and Text: H.R.8404 — 117th Congress (2021-2022). In summary, the law defines “marriage” as between two people. It requires state officials, under penalty for non-compliance, to recognize, in any manner, “marriage” between two people of the same gender. The law assures private citizens and religious organizations that their view on marriage (as between one man and one woman) is protected. Finally, the law continues to deny the right to polygamous marriages.

On 7/19/2022, the bill passed the U.S. House by a vote of 267 (220 Democrats and 47 Republicans) in favor and 157 (all Republicans) opposed. Seven House members (all Republicans, including Tim Burchett of Tennessee) did not vote. Source: Roll Call 373 | Bill Number: H. R. 8404.

On 11/29/2022, the bill passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 61 (47 Democrats, 12 Republicans, and 2 Independents) in favor and 36 (all Republicans, including the two Tennessee senators) opposed. Three senators (two Republicans and one Democrat) did not vote. Source: Record Vote Number: 362.

On 12/8/2022, the House agreed to the Senate amendment by a vote of 258 (219 Democrats and 29 Republicans) in favor and 169 (all Republicans) opposed. One Republican House member voted present, and four Republican House members did not vote. Source: Roll no. 513.

On 12/9/2022, the bill was presented to President Biden. He signed it on 12/13/2022, when the bill became “public law.”

The Media

We have heard and read the various media sources. My synopsis and reaction, below, are derived from two articles. The first is: “White House glows rainbow colors after Biden signs Respect For Marriage Act: The Respect for Marriage Act codified same sex marriage and interracial marriage,” by Lawrence Richard, on Fox News, 2/14/2022, 2:03 AM EST. The other is: “Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act Signals That Same-Sex Marriage Will Remain the Law of the Land,” on JD Supra, by Baker Donelson, 12/13/2022.

The Fox News article includes President Biden's statement, during the signing ceremony. President Biden stated, "This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms." He also stated, “Racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, they’re all connected. But the antidote to hate is love." The article also indicates, which I saw on TV, that the President had invited a “nonbinary drag queen” to attend the Respect for Marriage Act signing ceremony. The “drag queen,” according to Twitter comments, has degraded and harshly attacked the police many times.

My reaction is disgust and amazement! The photographs and video that I saw of the “drag queen” disgusted me. I pray for his or her soul. The presence of that lifestyle at an official ceremony implies the acceptance of that lifestyle. Children do not need to be exposed to or taught about that lifestyle in school! I will not write any further on this. Enough is enough. I hope that the overwhelming majority of folks who saw what I did on TV were as disgusted as I was.

I was amazed by President Biden's remarks. Are his thoughts that shallow, biased, and perverted? They seem to be. His thoughts certainly do not reflect the biblical worldview. The President labels falsely as haters those who oppose the practice of homosexuality. Mr. President, one can hate the sin and love the sinner, by loving efforts to persuade the sinner to repent of his or her sin. (We are all sinners, either having been saved by grace or needing salvation.) Also, Mr. President, do not categorize “homophobia” and “transphobia” with “racism” and “antisemitism,” as they are not in the same category. I suggest, Mr. President, that you become theophobic, by changing your worldview to reflect, in reverential fear, the biblical worldview. Finally, Mr. President, you claim to be a Christian (which I doubt). If you are, I strongly suggest that you study your Bible, using the proper hermeneutical method, repent of your secular, humanistic, and socialist worldview, and follow the biblical worldview. Do this, for your own salvation and for the salvation of this once great nation.

The JD Supra article indicates that the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) was introduced, in reaction to the Supreme Court's 6/24/2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. (See my 6/26/2022 article.) The article notes that the Supreme Court had already decided, on 6/26/2015, that “same-sex marriage” was “legal” in the United States. (See Obergefell v. Hodges, on SCOTUSblog for the official record.) The article states further, in part:

The RFMA codifies the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples for the first time under a federal statute and repeals the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined a spouse only as a person of the opposite sex and provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. The Act requires states and the federal government to recognize and "give full faith and credit" to same-sex and interracial marriages conducted in other states.

and

Under the RFMA, nonprofit religious organizations are not required to "provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage."

The article states that a May 2022 Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans support “same-sex marriage.” The article did not cite the source, but I found it at: “Same-Sex Marriage Support Inches Up to New High of 71%,” on Gallup, by Justin McCarthy, 6/1/2022.

My reaction is no surprise. Of the several questions in Gallup's Religion topic section, I will reference three.

First, “would you describe yourself as a "born-again" or evangelical Christian?” In 2021, 36% agreed and 62% disagreed, with 2% having no opinion.

Second, “which of the following statements comes closest to describing your views about the Bible -- the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word; the Bible is the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally; or the Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man?” On 5/2/2022, the answers were 20% actual word, 49% inspired word, 29% fables/legends, and 1% no opinion.

Finally, “do you believe in God?” On 5/2-22/2022, the replies were 81% yes, 17% no, and 1% no opinion.

Most Americans believe in God and think that the Bible (in some manner) is His inspired word. Only 36% of Americans, however, state that they are “born-again” Christians (as if there could be any other kind).

The majority of this once-great nation does not follow the biblical worldview. My first “Worldviews in Conflict” topic article, from 6/7/2022, quoted from the Barna study that indicated that only 6% of American adults have the biblical worldview.

Conclusion

Sixteen years ago, on 6/3/2006, I published my article titled “Marriage Melee,” which was, ironically, my sixteenth article. I would not change one word today. In that article, I had written, in part:

Today, two men or two women may marry. Tomorrow, a man may marry several women, or vice versa. Next week, a group of men may marry a group of women. Next month, a group of men may marry each other. A year from now, a man may marry his dog – or his truck! Who is to say what is wrong?

To argue “there are no absolutes” is an absolute contradiction. Absolutes must exist, in logical reasoning and in the law.

Marriage is, by definition, the union of one man and one woman! Anything else is a perversion.

The “slippery slope” line of reasoning is a logical fallacy. My 6/3/2006 article was not presenting a “slippery slope.” Instead, that article stated then, as I continue to state now: if there is no absolute definition of marriage, then any form of “marriage” is possible.

Secular law has redefined marriage from being between one man and one woman to being between two people (without consideration of gender). In theory, secular law could redefine marriage as one man and a multiple number of women (polygyny). What about one woman and a multiple number of men (polyandry)? (The marriage of one gender and two or more other genders is called, in general, polygamy.) What about a brother and sister marrying? What about a daughter marrying her father? What about an adult marrying a child? This is not a “slippery slope” fallacy. It is a potential reality.

I speculate that, in time, polygamy (as polygyny and polyandry) could become secular law in this nation. It is legal or allowed in 80 nations, according to World Population Review, Countries Where Polygamy Is Legal 2022.

As I stated in the introduction, like the prophet Elijah, I do not “waver between two opinions.” God's law on marriage is that one man and one woman unite as husband and wife. No other option defines marriage, according to the Supreme Lawgiver. God is the majority. Standing with God is the majority, despite what 71% of Americans think.