WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 was passed with overwhelming majorities in the 104th Congress (House: 342-67; Senate: 85-14); and
WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law by President William J. Clinton on September 21, 1996; and
WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act defines the words marriage, spouse, husband and wife for the purpose of application to United States law; and
WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife”; and
WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act defends individual states from having a redefinition of marriage forced upon them by another state; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have on multiple occasions (1996, 2003, 2008) affirmed through resolutions the truth and principles the Defense of Marriage Act seeks to defend; and
WHEREAS, The current administration, under the leadership of President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, has refused to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to defend the Defense of Marriage Act against legal challenges currently before numerous federal courts; and
WHEREAS, The Defense of Marriage Act is under attack by legislation introduced in the 112th Congress seeking to repeal it; and
WHEREAS, The federal government has an appropriate role in preserving the foundations of a healthy society; and
WHEREAS, Redefining the concept and legality of marriage to mean anything other than the union between one man and one woman would fundamentally undermine the historic and biblical foundation of a healthy society (Genesis 1:28; 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6); and
WHEREAS, Equating same-sex relationships with heterosexual marriage would create a host of religious liberty and freedom of conscience conflicts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 14-15, 2011, call on President Obama to direct the United States Department of Justice to follow through on its constitutional responsibility to defend vigorously the Defense of Marriage Act against all legal challenges with the full power of its office; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commend the United States House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker John Boehner, for ensuring the rule of law by accepting the duty rejected by the United States Department of Justice to defend the Defense of Marriage Act; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we once again call on the United States Congress to pass and the states to ratify a constitutional amendment defining marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our historic and consistent support of the biblical definition of marriage as the exclusive union between one man and one woman; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we encourage pastors to speak strongly, prophetically, and redemptively concerning the sinful nature of homosexual behavior, the urgent need to protect biblical marriage, and the certainty that the blood of Christ can atone for any sin.