What does it matter?  “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5, 19.  Leaders reflect our value system since their behavior and beliefs are an example to millions of American children.  The question of character is always an issue when it comes to our President, who is America’s ultimate role model.  Saying wrong is right, to paraphrase Joe Biden, is a big f-ing deal.  Having the government sanction wrong by enacting it into law, is even worse.  Is this what President Obama offers with a second term?

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea,” Matthew 18, 6.  A sin implies a free choice.  Causing a child to sin would thus require misleading them through false teaching.

While we as Americans have a consensus on protecting the individual rights of all of America’s sinners, which includes everyone, Christians cannot accept enshrining sin as a state sanctioned behavior.  This is why homosexual marriage is a big issue for millions of Americans.  Are there bigger, more important issues to be decided in this next election?  Of course, and that’s what will make voters think President Obama has lost touch withAmerica’s priorities.

There are many who will attempt to justify gay marriage on the grounds that it’s a civil issue, not a religious one.  The fact is, once you sanction an act by law, all of America’s children are being told that their government approves of this behavior.  The law is permanent and therefore the message is unrelenting.  How do religious people engage in a perpetual war against their own government and media, in trying to teach their children that homosexuality is wrong?  The burden is shifted onto parents and religious institutions to promote their values in what will now be an inhospitable environment.

At the end of the day, President Obama’s choice implies that he believes America should become a nation that espouses gay values over Christian values.  Furthermore, he has deceitfully betrayed the loyalty of black Americans by forcing them to make a choice of whether to continue to support America’s first black President, which for many historical reasons most blacks want to do, or honor the faith that has carried them through many difficult times.  

President Obama’s selfishness in making this decision demonstrates a lack of proper humility towards the tremendous responsibility that the office he holds entails.  Yes, Mr. President, please explain to us again why Jesus is wrong.  You’re so smart, when will you teach us the Obamatudes?  The claim that he evolved into this view reflects an attempt to intellectualize his position.  Make no mistake, man will never evolve to the point where he is  in a position to overrule god’s judgment.

One last thing.. It is legal to marry your own cousin in more states than where same sex marriage is aloud.. just let that sink in… kinda sad really.

AP Photo; Getty Images

Reaction from African-Americans to Admiral Obama’s abutment for same-sex alliance continues to be mixed, with some atramentous ministers beyond the country aboveboard criticizing the admiral this accomplished Sunday, and aggressive to vote Republican, or not all, in November.

But from the belvedere of Trinity United Abbey of Christ in Chicago, the Rev. Otis Moss III challenged that stance. He apprehend an accessible letter to his aggregation on same-sex alliance , and what the Bible teaches about Christian love. His letter targeted those in the blackclergy and association who’ve absitively this one affair abandoned will actuate their abutment the additional time about for the nation’s aboriginal African-American president.

Here is Moss’s letter:

My Brother: Tell your aggregation who are allotment of your apostolic affiliation to “live their accepting and not appoint their faith” for the Constitution isdesigned to assure the rights ofall. We charge apprentice to be added than a one-issue association and seek the admired association area we may not all agree, but we all admit the fingerprint ofthe Divine aloft all of humanity. There is no agnosticism bodies who aresame-gender-loving who absorb arresting places in the anatomy of Christ. For the clergy to adumbrate from accurate chat with quick dismissive claims devised from poor biblical scholarship is as sinfulas unthoughtful accepting of a apostolic position. Back we accomplish biblical claims after soundinterpretation we run the accident of adopting a doctrinal position of abysmal confidence but bare of love. Abysmal accepting may bell in our position, but it is the belief oflove that armament us to prayerfullyreexamine our position.

The catechism I accept we should affectation to our congregations is, “Should all Americans accept the aforementioned civilian rights?” This is a radically altered catechism than the one you aloft with the ministers, “Does the abbey accept the appropriate to accomplish or not accomplish assertive religious rites.” There is aberration amid rights and rites. We should never distort rights advised to assure assorted individuals in a pluralistic association against religious rites advised by accepting communities to acquaint a apostolic or doctrinal perspective. These two questions are answered in two fundamentally altered arenas. One is answered in the amphitheatre of borough agitation area the Constitution is the certificate of authority. The added is answered in the branch of ecclesiastical councils area theology, censor and biblical mandates are the allegorical ethos. I do not accept ecclesiastical councils are able to appearance borough legislationnor are borough assembly able to appearance religious rituals and doctrine. The academy of alliance is not beneath advance as a aftereffect of the President’s words. Alliance was beneath advance years ago by men who beheld women as acreage and accouchement as trophies of sexualprowess. Alliance is beneath attackby low wages, aerial incarceration, arbitrary tax policy, unemployment, and abridgement of education. Alliance is beneath advance by clergy who affirm abstemiousness yet anticipate annihilation of dispatch alfresco the bonds of alliance to accept assorted diplomacy with “preaching groupies.” Same-gender couples did not account the aerial annulment rate, but our boyish angle ofrelationships and our disability as acommunity to appear to grips with the belief of adulation and charge did. We still abash sex with adulation and affair with commitment.

My father, who is a adept of the civilian rights movement and retired pastor, eloquently declared the analytical attributes of this electionwhen speaking to ministers this accomplished anniversary who affirmation they will cull abutment from the Admiral as a aftereffect of his position. He stated, “Our Ancestors prayed for 389 years to abode a actuality of blush in the White House. They led over 200 bondservant revolts, fought in 11 wars, one actuality a civilian war area over 600,000 bodies died. Our mothers fought and were dead for women’s suffrage, our grandparents were lynched for the civilian rights bill of 1964 and thevoting rights act of 1965…my ancestor never had the opportunityto vote and I accept it is my angelic assignment to cull the batten for every affiliate of my ancestors who was denied the appropriate to vote. I willnot acquiesce bigoted ministersor astern politicians the achievement of befitting me from my angelic appropriate to vote to shapethe abutting for my grandchildren.”

“The academy of alliance is not beneath advance as a aftereffect of the President’s words.”

Gay and lesbian citizens did not account the bread-and-butter crash, foreclosures, and advance aloft bloom care. Poor underfunded schools were not created becausepeople admiration according aegis beneath the law. We accept abundant assignment to do as a community, and to affirmation the Admiral of the United States charge authority your apostolic position is absurd. He isPresident of the United States of America not the Admiral of the Baptist assemblage or Bishop of the Sanctified or Holiness Church. He is alleged to assure the rights of Jew and Gentile, macho and female, adolescent and old, Gay and straight, atramentous and white, Atheist and Agnostic. It should be acclaimed the Admiral offered no legislation, or controlling order, or present an altercation afore the Supreme Court. He artlessly declared his claimed conviction.

If we cartel abduct abroad from the babble of this debate, we will apprehend as a abbey we are alleged to “ Do justice, alive benevolence and airing humbly with God .” Gay bodies accept never been the enemy; and back we use rhetoricto advance they are the antecedent of our problems we lie on God andcause tears to breeze from the eyes of Christ.

I am not allurement you to change your position, but I am advertence wemust break in chat and not acquiesce our own claimed affecting prejudices or doctrines to anticipate us from seeing the possibilities of a admired community.

November is fast approaching, and the alcohol of Ella Baker, Septima Clarke, Fannie Lou Hammer, Rosa Parks, A. Phillip Randolph, James Orange, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther, King Jr. angle in the balustrade of heaven adopting the question, “ Will you do justice, alive benevolence and airing humbly with our God ?” Emmitt Tilland the four little girls who were assassinated in Alabama during adoration did not die for a Sunday academic complete chaw to appearance antipathy for one accumulation of God’s people. They were dead by an evilact allowable by men who believed in article over love. We serve in admiral this day because of a man who believed in adulation over article and died on a acropolis alleged Calvary in a arenaceous Palestinian association 2,000 years ago. Do not let the address of this agitation accumulate you from the polls, my friend.

Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty Images

Before Admiral Obama had evenannounced his abutment for same-sex alliance, Newsweek was accepted to do article drastic. Time magazine’s awning , featuring a mother breast feedingher 3-year-old, afflicted acceptance over what Newsweek , accepting apparently cornered the bazaar on arguable magazine covers, would do to one-up its competitor. A Newsweek agent alike accepted that afterwards editor Tina Brown saw the Time cover, she laughed and said ,“Let the amateur begin.” Abiding enough, Brown and the blow of the Newsweek editors were able to appear up with an abstraction that created aloof as much, if not more,controversy—and discussion—as Time ’s: a awning featuring an angel of Obama with a bubble aura over his head, aloft the banderole “The Aboriginal Gay President.” Poynter argues that “ Newsweek ’s awning is provocative,fun to riff about, and a banderole in the arena that says book journalism still matters. Kinda makes you achievement the amateur continue, doesn’t?”

1. Jim Loewen at Salon

Loewen disagrees with Newsweek ’s awning story, arguing that Obama is not the United States’ aboriginal gay president. Not alone is he not gay, we’ve already had a gaypresident: James Buchanan, he writes. “There can be no agnosticism that James Buchanan was gay, before, during, and afterwards his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it too—he was not far into the closet,” Loewen writes, pointing to belletrist amid Buchanan anda acquaintance in which he laments the move of his lover to Paris. “I havegone a admiring to several gentleman, but accept not succeeded with any one of them,”reads the adduce from Buchanan’s letter. “I feel that it is not acceptable for a man to be alone; and shouldnot be afraid to acquisition myself affiliated to some old maid who cannurse me back I am sick, accommodate acceptable dinners for me back I am well, and not apprehend from me anyvery agog or adventurous affection.” Loewen argues that the acumen Americans don’t name Buchanan as our aboriginal gay admiral “is that we accept a affecting acceptance in advance … Buchanan could not accept been gay then, abroad we would not seemmore advanced now.”

2. Eric Randall at The Atlantic Wire

As Andrew Sullivan himself accustomed , the banderole for his awning article was not advised to be accepted literally. Newsweek was not attempting to “out” Obama but rather was authoritative a comedy on Toni Morrison calling Admiral Bill Clinton “the aboriginal atramentous president.” But Randall credibility out that this isn’t the firsttime that advertence has been made. Obama has alert been alleged the aboriginal woman president: aboriginal in 2008, by Newsweek ’s Martin Linsky , and afresh again by The Washington Post ’s Kathleen Parker in 2010. The altercation in both cases was that Obama’s wisdom, values, and administration appearance were agnate to that of a changeable leader. In 2009 the Associated Foreign Press asked if Obama was the aboriginal Asian-American admiral while, the aforementioned year, Geraldo Rivera appropriate he ability be the aboriginal Hispanic president. Then, in 2011, New York annual declared him the aboriginal Jewish president. “Expectations were aerial that editor Tina Brown would do article about attention-grabbing to mark this occasion, but this accomplishment seems, well, cliché,” Randall writes . “It wasn’t activity to be continued afore addition outed our aboriginal black, female, Jewish, Hispanic, Asian-American admiral as gay.”

3. Rick Klein at ABC News

While the “first ____ president” adumbration has been acclimated before, never has “gay” been the backup word. And, as Klein credibility out , the acceptation of the awning lies in the actuality that such an angel of the Democratic admiral isn’t a alarming affair for the party. “A move that any antecedent Republican applicant for admiral would accept apparent as a rainbow-wrapped allowance has been met haltingly by the GOP’s accepted bearer,” he writes. Instead, “the admiral has confused on a above cultural affair where, polling suggests, demographics are on his side, if not necessarily politics. And the attack has apparent addition anniversary expire area the Obama economywas not advanced and center.”

4. Brad Knickerbocker at The Christian Science Monitor

“Is Obama the ‘first gay president’?” Knickerbocker asks . Added important, will it amount for the election? No, he suggests, citation several arguments that theexcitement over Obama’s change of assessment on gay alliance does not concealment bread-and-butter apropos that assume to drive votes. “According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, Americans are growing added bleak about the economy, and administration it charcoal Admiral Barack Obama’sweak atom and better claiming in his bid for a additional term,” writes Knickerbocker. So conceivably the Newsweek cover’s better affair is its focus on a position of the president’s that is of little acceptation to the election.

5. Twitter

The surest assurance of altercation is whether it consumes the Twitterverse, and on Monday, Twitter was all over this week’s Newsweek cover. Our admired tweets apathy the admiral and ask what the aboriginal adult thinksabout all this. @Indecision wrote , “Michelle Obama is activity to cast back she sees that Newsweek cover,” and the Dennis Miller Show joked , “re Newsweek awning Wouldn’t Michelle acquaint you he’s thefirst Bi-President?”

6. Press Secretary Jay Carney

Amid all the speculation, analysis, and acknowledgment surrounding the cover, what does the man himselfthink about actuality adorned with a bubble aura and dubbed “the aboriginal gay president”? We’re not absolutely sure. On Monday morning, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney dodged questions about how the admiral reacted to the Newsweek cover, adage he wasn’t abiding if Obama had apparent it.

1. Jim Loewen at Salon

Loewen disagrees with Newsweek’s cover story, arguing that Obama is not the United States’ first gay president. Not only is he not gay, we’ve already had a gay president: James Buchanan, he writes. “There can be no doubt that James Buchanan was gay, before, during, and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it too—he was not far into the closet,” Loewen writes, pointing to letters between Buchanan and a friend in which he laments the move of his lover to Paris. “I have gone a wooing to several gentleman, but have not succeeded with any one of them,” reads the quote from Buchanan’s letter. “I feel that it is not good for a man to be alone; and should not be astonished to find myself married to some old maid who can nurse me when I am sick, provide good dinners for me when I am well, and not expect from me any very ardent or romantic affection.” Loewen argues that the reason Americans don’t name Buchanan as our first gay president “is that we have a touching belief in progress … Buchanan could not have been gay then, else we would not seem more tolerant now.” 

2. Eric Randall at The Atlantic Wire

As Andrew Sullivan himself acknowledged, the headline for his cover essay was not intended to be understood literally. Newsweek was not attempting to “out” Obama but rather was making a play on Toni Morrison calling President Bill Clinton “the first black president.” But Randall points out that this isn’t the first time that reference has been made. Obama has twice been called the first woman president: first in 2008, byNewsweek’s Martin Linsky, and then again by The Washington Post’s Kathleen Parker in 2010. The argument in both cases was that Obama’s wisdom, values, and management style were similar to that of a female leader. In 2009 the Associated Foreign Press asked if Obama was the first Asian-American president while, the same year, Geraldo Rivera suggested he might be the first Hispanic president. Then, in 2011, New York magazine declared him  the first Jewish president. “Expectations were high that editor Tina Brown would do something typically attention-grabbing to mark this occasion, but this effort seems, well, cliché,” Randall writes. “It wasn’t going to be long before someone outed our first black, female, Jewish, Hispanic, Asian-American president as gay.”

3. Rick Klein at ABC News

While the “first ____ president” trope has been used before, never has “gay” been the fill-in word. And, as Klein points out, the significance of the cover lies in the fact that such an image of the Democratic president isn’t a terrifying thing for the party. “A move that any previous Republican candidate for president would have seen as a rainbow-wrapped gift has been met haltingly by the GOP’s standard bearer,” he writes. Instead, “the president has shifted on a major cultural issue where, polling suggests, demographics are on his side, if not necessarily politics. And the campaign has seen another week elapse where the Obama economy was not front and center.”

4. Brad Knickerbocker at The Christian Science Monitor

“Is Obama the ‘first gay president’?” Knickerbocker asks. More important, will it matter for the election? No, he suggests, citing several arguments that the excitement over Obama’s change of opinion on gay marriage does not eclipse economic concerns that seem to drive votes. “According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy, and handling it remains President Barack Obama’s weak spot and biggest challenge in his bid for a second term,” writes Knickerbocker. So perhaps the Newsweek cover’s biggest issue is its focus on a position of the president’s that is of little significance to the election.

5. Twitter

The surest sign of controversy is whether it consumes the Twitterverse, and on Monday, Twitter was all over this week’s Newsweek cover. Our favorite tweets disregard the president and ask what the first lady thinks about all this. @Indecision wrote, “Michelle Obama is going to flip when she sees that Newsweek cover,” and the Dennis Miller Show joked, “re Newsweek cover Wouldn’t Michelle tell you he’s the first Bi-President?”

6. Press Secretary Jay Carney

Amid all the speculation, analysis, and reaction surrounding the cover, what does the man himself think about being adorned with a rainbow halo and dubbed “the first gay president”? We’re not quite sure. On Monday morning, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney dodged questions about how the president reacted to theNewsweek cover, saying he wasn’t sure if Obama had seen it.

Does Obama’s statement about gay marriage in any way influence the outcome of the pending battle for a gay marriage amendment in the US Constitution. It only increases the fervor for or against it but the end result will still be the same as it would have been without Obama’s statement.  My reason for stating this is that in the end, people vote according to their own religious or constitutional views. The people who were against gay marriage before Obama’s statement are most likely still against gay marriage.  And the people who were for gay marriage are most likely still for gay marriage. The opinion of the President and the Vice President do not change the public stance. 

Likewise, Obama’s statement about gay marriage will not change the chances of an anti or pro gay marriage statute being passed by state legislatures.  People have already made up their minds about gay marriage.  Since the issue is partially based on religious views, peope are unlikely to change their position for or against gay marriage. 

However, energizing a fraction of Obama’s constituents can make in difference in the national Presidential elections via campaign contributions and political advertisements.  Obama’s support of gay marriage leaves Obama with a energized section of his constituents while Romney is having problems energizing his base. 

My conclusion is that the gay marriage issue will not change any legislation or impact the gay marriage amendment, but it will bring out more voters.  Who will benefit as a result of Obama’s support for gay marriage? We may never know.

While he already had a large support base in this community, his public declaration of his stance seemed to bolster his support. By the same token, however, his statement has alienated some people from him who have redoubled efforts to help Mitt Romney win.

There are people who are steadfastly opposed to same sex marriage on the principles of the bible,  because they think it’s abnormal, and a host of other reasons. Republicans, known for their some-what religious stance and anti-gay initiatives will no doubt use this as a way to attack the Obama campaign.

All pros and cons of the announcement aside, you have to wonder just how much of an impact vice-president, Joe Biden’s, statement had on the rather abrupt decision to have the presidential interview. Nothing would have been more appalling than having the vice-president make a statement that was unsupported by the President.

Despite all the talk and debate on the presidents’ stance, this issue will play a rather small role in the upcoming election. The issue of marriage is a state problem and while the federal government is more than welcome to voice it’s opinion, it has no ultimate say in the matter. However, the debate over what constitutes marriage will have an impact on fundraisers. Obama already has a much larger war chest going into the election that Mitt Romney, who has spent a couple of millions fending off his Republican rivals. 

This is slight resurgence in the Obama campaign will aid him in a social context and prove valuable for resource provision. However, the economic situation will be the turning point of the election for many. Forecasts show that the economy will probably avoid any major step backwards going into the election. While this bodes well for the Obama campaign, it is not the news many Americans want to hear. 

Obamas stance on marriage has simply given his supporters a boost but the real issue is the economy and Mitt Romney is sure to drill that home repeatedly.

   Parents did not turn to their children for correction, for instructions in righteousness or for training. Most parents received their instructions from the Bible or their Ministers.
    Obama after 51 years on earth decided to ask his children for advice, instead of his church or his mentor the so called Rev. Wright.
President Obama claim or at least tries to give the impression to be wise, however, by declaring he is for same sex marriages he has proven (in my opinion) to be a fool.
   Despite the that at least 31 states voted, to keep the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, Nevertheless, Obama decided to change his mind on the subject again.
   Again? You ask. Yes, Obama is on record for being for same sex marriage before he was against it. And now he is saying he is for it once again. Will the real Barack Obama ever stand up?
   Is it just a coincidence, that Obama’s fund raising just went way up, after flip flopping on same sex marriage?
Same Sex, Marriage and Wisdom? Same sex marriage is just as wise as same sex animals, leaving their natural relations of male and female. Same Sex Marriage is not wise, it is foolish.

The New Testament was written during the time of the Roman Empire. In his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul – who was himself a citizen of Rome – addressed the issue of homosexuality. He said that although the Romans knew about the one true God, they neither worshipped him nor acknowledged him, so their thinking had become futile and their hearts darkened. They exchanged God’s truth for a lie, so God let them go ahead and live as they pleased, fulfilling the desires of their hearts for sexual impurity, and the shameful lusts of unnatural relations of homosexuality.

In the Spirit Filled Life Study Bible, (1997, c1991) a comment on this passage reads, “From a biblical standpoint, the rise of homosexuality is a sign that a society is in the last stages of decay.”

With that being said, the legality of same sex marriage is a political matter, not a religious one. In a democracy, what counts is majority vote. Those for and against any amendment have the right to voice their opinion to try to sway the undecided, but once the vote has been taken, the response of the majority is put into law. In a law abiding democracy, every person living under the law of that state is allowed one vote. The ruling does not depend on the opinions of the minority, or of those who live in other states or countries. It doesn’t depend on what celebrities think, or what Billy Graham thinks (although he also gets one vote, being a resident of NC), or even what the President of the United States thinks.

60% of the citizens of North Carolina who cast their ballot on Tuesday voted for the amendment which restricts the definition marriage as a union of one man and one woman. The people have spoken; democracy rules, yes?

No. The media backlash to this ruling has been loud, pervasive, and in many instances rather profane. A Facebook page called Visiting North Carolina filled up with so many profane and disrespectful comments on Wednesday that the moderator had to issue this response: “All, we respect your opinions, but per our community guidelines ask that you refrain from using profane or disrespectful language. This page is intended to be a forum about travel and not a place for political discussion.”

It is a bit ironic that most of the comments left on the Visit North Carolina page included a statement about either cancelling their plans to visit NC, or to never visit such a back woods place with ignorant people. Since North Carolina is the 30th state to make a law banning same sex marriage, travellers will be limited to the twenty states that have not banned it. I suppose that if any of them live in one of the thirty states that have banned gay marriage, they will have to move in order to not be classified as one of the ignorant people.

The statement by U.S. President Barack Obama, in favor of gay marriage on Twitter last night was applauded by leading figures of the song, film and fashion. “Thanks for saying that ALL Americans deserve equal rights X. History! Q proud to be your host on Monday, “he wrote on the social network the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, who will participate next Monday at a fundraiser in the Obama campaign.

“Thank you President @ Barack Obama for your beautiful and brave words. I’m excited, “said the actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Portia de Rossi model.

“Today I am very feliz.Gracias Mr. President, for supporting the dignity of my family and so many others,” wrote Jane Lynch, one of the stars of the hit show “Glee.” Also two famous models, Tyra Banks and Kim Kardashian wrote on Twitter for Obama.

Obama yesterday became the first president to support marriage between same sex. “I concluded that for me, personally, it is important to step forward and say that I think same-sex couples should get married,” Obama told Robin Roberts