"Should I Attend a Homosexual Wedding?"

This past Sunday I mentioned an article by Kevin DeYoung in which he gives his response to the question of whether Christians should attend a homosexual wedding if the ceremony is entirely secular.

In short, as personally painful as it may be, and as much as the world will call us names and castigate our motives, those who believe marriage is between a man and a woman should not attend a ceremony that purports to be the marrying of a man and a man or a woman and a woman, even if that ceremony is completely secular in nature.

In the article he gives three reasons to support this view (which I agree with).

1. The purpose of a wedding ceremony is to celebrate and solemnize.
2. Wedding ceremonies are almost always public in nature.
3. The stark either/or options are not of our making.(referring to the "either you care about me and come or you don't care about me" proposition we might face). 

Under this last point he writes

If traditional Christians have to learn to love gay and lesbian friends and family members despite decisions they disagree with, then gays and lesbians should learn to love their Christian friends and families despite decisions they disagree with. We should take time to hear why our attendance means so much to them. And then, hopefully, they will take time to hear why our faith in Christ and obedience to the Bible mean so much to us.

I encourage you to read the whole article. It is worth reading, thinking about, and talking about with fellow Christians. I know this is something we will face (even afterwards someone told me they already faced this question at work). Let's have thought about it ahead of time so that we are ready to respond with convictional kindness. We want to glorify God and love our neighbors. It takes wisdom to do that. 

When an Assignment Asks You to Compromise Christian Conviction. Are You Ready to Look Foolish for Christ?

Recently, a firestorm erupted at Duke University. All incoming freshmen are required to read a book prior to the start of their first semester, and this year the book is one which several students conscientiously objected to reading. The book is a memoir of a lesbian and includes nude sketches.

One student who refused to read the book, Brian Grasso, stated that his Christian convictions prohibit him from viewing such images. He noted that he is not opposed to reading about diverging viewpoints, and he even expects his views to be challenged while at Duke. He wrote the following in an opinion piece at the Washington Post, 

I’m not opposed to reading memoirs written by LGBTQ individuals or stories containing suicide. I’m not even opposed to reading Freud, Marx or Darwin. I know that I’ll have to grapple with ideas I don’t agree with, even ideas that I find immoral.  

But in the Bible, Jesus forbids his followers from exposing themselves to anything pornographic. “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” he says in Matthew 5:28-29.

Compare that to the response over at the Huffington post where Eliel Cruz writes that the images could not be "truthfully labeled pornographic." One of them simply "depicts two women naked reading books." I suppose that might not amount to an illicit image for Cruz, but I am not quite sure how Cruz can make that determination for another person's conscience. Cruz goes on to write,

If these freshmen hope to never engage things that'll challenge their sincerely held beliefs, they're in for a big surprise, as academia is exactly the place to be challenged and look outside your worldview. 

That is interesting given the fact that Grasso is not actually trying to avoid being challenged in his viewpoints (see his quote above). 

We need to realize that we are strangers in this land and that we will appear more and more strange to a world that increasingly worships at the altar of self and sex. Self-determination and erotic liberty are trumping other rights, and any who do not get on board are seen as "dangerous to our country's ongoing struggle for equality" according to Cruz. The new dogma is "if it doesn't bother the conscience of the elites then it ought not bother anyone else's." The demand is not for tolerance (which is a good thing), but hearty approval of and engagement in whatever the culture deems good. 

We must realize, as Christians, that no matter how kind and winsome we are, we will be called foolish for following our Savior. This has always been the case. Paul wrote to the Corinthians (facing a cultural climate much like our's) that "the word of the cross is folly to those who perishing" (1 Cor. 1:18). The message of the gospel will always offend the human mind that is at war with the God who gave the message. We are foolish or naive to assume that if we simply speak the truth winsomely that we will avoid persecution or accusations of being foolish or hateful. We ought to speak the truth winsomely, but my point is don't think you can follow Christ without following his being rejected and scorned.

So, what should we do (or not do)? I have five things (I am sure we could come up with more. Maybe you could note some in the comments).  

1. Don't be discouraged. Jesus promised to be with us, and he is all we need. 
2. Don't abandon or be ashamed of the gospel because "it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe" (1 Cor. 1:21). This includes not making peace with the cultural worship of sex and self. We are to live at peace with all men even as we speak the truth in love. The gospel is our (and their) only hope. 
3. Don't own every insult. When insulted we ought to examine our motives and actions humbly and ask forgiveness when we have failed to love God and neighbor. However, there are many insults that we ought to be willing to correct. For example, when we are labeled as hateful (now if you are hateful you need to repent). Or that we are against equality. We can correct these if we are able. Though we must not demand the opportunity to do so. We entrust ourselves to God who will vindicate his truth. 
4. Do the costly work of loving others. Jesus made it clear that even unbelievers love those who love them. We, as his followers, are called to love even those who are enemies. We are to be merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful (Luke 6:31-36). 
5. Pray for God's wisdom to navigate the decisions you will face each day. This is especially true for those of you who are students. You will find yourself in positions of having to honestly assess if what you are being asked to do is merely uncomfortable (or challenging your worldview) or if it is in fact compromising with the world. We need grace to evaluate these situations and to not let ourselves off the hook when we know our decision might result in being ridiculed by others.

One more thing that goes with each one of the points above. Be a part of a body of Christians- a church. Don't go it alone. All the five principles above are to be in the context of living in fellowship with other Christians. 

Listen to Dr. Mohler on Abortion and Religious Liberty

I love Dr. Mohler's analysis of events from a Christian worldview on his podcast "The Briefing." I strongly encourage you to listen to Monday's episode (8/17/15). The issues swirling around the abortion debate require our attention and for us to think clearly, biblically, and consistently. Also, the issue of same-sex marriage and the loss of religious freedom requires us to think biblically. 

Here it is. Why not listen to it while you drive around town today?

Should We Attend a Gay Wedding?

Here is a helpful answer from John Piper to this question. We would do well to consider this issue as it will probably be a situation we might be more likely to face.

"The Sexual Revolution's Coming Refugee Crisis"

Russell Moore has an article that is worth a read. about the issue of ministering in our current cultural climate. Below is an excerpt:

We should understand why the culture around us is exuberant. They believe this will make them happy, that their alienation has been a result of cultural marginalization or Puritan repression. But the primary problem we all have is internal. There’s a conscience that speaks to us of a word we want to hide from—“Where are you, and where are you going?”

There are two sorts of churches that won’t be able to reach the refugees of the future.

The first is the church that is so scared of people that we scream at them in anger and condemnation. If we see ourselves as people who are “losing” a culture rather than people who have been sent on a mission to a culture, this is how we will be. That will be exacerbated if we take our cues from those who play outraged Christian caricatures for a living rather than from those who have come to seek and to save that which was lost. If we do not love our mission field, we will have nothing to say to it.

The second sort of church that will fail these refugees is the church that gives up, or silences, its convictions because they’re not popular. This too is fear. We assume that we can reach people if we dance around the sexual questions, thinking that we can get to that part of discipleship after they’re part of the family. That’s just not the way Jesus does it. Jesus gets right at the point of guilt, the part the person is protecting, and calls the person not only to repentance but also to forgiveness and freedom (Jn. 4:16).

The Reproaches of Christ and Loving Enemies

The Reproaches of Christ

Denny Burk writing about the issue of sexual ethics and the reproaches of Christ notes,

Here’s the bottom line. No amount of niceness, of social justice advocating, of human-trafficking opposition, of listening to the right bands, of wearing the right clothes, of poverty relief, of reading N. T. Wright—or whatever cool Christian stuff you can align with—will remove the reproach of Christ from you if you choose to follow his teaching on sexuality. You are on a fool’s errand if you are trying. If you are trying to save your life, you will lose it. But if you will lose your life for his sake, you will find it (Matthew 16:25).

This doesn't mean we stop caring about social justice issues (we didn't begin to care about them to gain the praise of men, did we?). What it means is that we would be naive to assume being "nice" will get us a pass when it comes to being rejected and slandered. By God's grace we must count it joy that we can follow in the footsteps of Christ who was misunderstood, hated, and murdered for the sake of love, truth, and the glory of God. Click the link to read a quote from David French too.

#Lovewins

The #lovewins has been very popular. But as Christians, may we show that love wins in our willingness to love those who hate us. May we care about their souls even if they do not and even if it means persecution.

Luke 6:32-36

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Analysis of the Supreme Court Decision

If you are looking for some insight into the details of the supreme court ruling (including the logic they used) and some Christian analysis, I recommend Dr. Albert Mohler's special podcast on The Briefing.

"Why the Church Should Neither Cave nor Panic about the Decision on Gay Marriage "

Here is a helpful article by Russell Moore (head of the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission) on today's Supreme court ruling legalizing gay marriage for all 50 states. He is right it is not time to panic or back down.

A few quotes:

The Supreme Court can do many things, but the Supreme Court cannot get Jesus back in that tomb.

We must prepare for those, like the sexually wayward Woman at the Well of Samaria, who will be thirsting for water of which they don’t even know.
There are two sorts of churches that will not be able to reach the sexual revolution’s refugees. A church that has given up on the truth of the Scriptures, including on marriage and sexuality, and has nothing to say to a fallen world. And a church that screams with outrage at those who disagree will have nothing to say to those who are looking for a new birth.
We must stand with conviction and with kindness, with truth and with grace. We must hold to our views and love those who hate us for them.

Flowers, Conscience, and Religious Freedom- The Barronnelle Case

Denny Burke, has written a piece for CNN on the Washington State florist who is being sued by that state's Attorney General. In the article he recaps the situation as follows.

Stutzman is the Washington florist who has been sued for living out her Christian beliefs. In 2013, a long-time friend and customer came to her flower shop and asked her to provide flowers for his gay wedding. Stutzman had known this man and had done business with him for about nine years. Nevertheless, she told him that she could not participate in his wedding "because of my relationship with Jesus."
...
The court also ruled recently that both the state and the same-sex couple, who each filed lawsuits against her, may collect damages and attorneys fees not only from her business, but from Stutzman personally.
...
Keep in mind that Stutzman does not refuse service to gay people. Indeed she had been selling flowers to this gay couple for nine years. She has also employed gay people in her flower shop. She had a friendship with the man suing her and cared for him personally and wished for her relationship with him to continue. She simply could not defy her conscience and lend her creative talent to help celebrate what her faith says she cannot celebrate.

Since then, the Attorney General offered her a deal. She could get off with a fine of 2,001 (an odd amount) and by selling her conscience (an unspeakably high amount). She would have to agree to admit wrongdoing and to be willing to participate in gay weddings. Ms. Barronnelle recently wrote a response to the Attorney General. Note her submissive spirit and firm conviction. She is a beautiful model of being faithful to Christ's Word and his Love.

Thank you for reaching out and making an offer to settle your case against me. 

As you may imagine, it has been mentally and emotionally exhausting to be at the center of this controversy for nearly two years. I never imagined that using my God-given talents and abilities, and doing what I love to do for over three decades, would become illegal. Our state would be a better place if we respected each other’s differences, and our leaders protected the freedom to have those differences. Since 2012, same-sex couples all over the state have been free to act on their beliefs about marriage, but because I follow the Bible’s teaching that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, I am no longer free to act on my beliefs. 

Your offer reveals that you don’t really understand me or what this conflict is all about. It’s about freedom, not money. I certainly don’t relish the idea of losing my business, my home, and everything else that your lawsuit threatens to take from my family, but my freedom to honor God in doing what I do best is more important. Washington’s constitution guarantees us “freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment.” I cannot sell that precious freedom. You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not do. 

I pray that you reconsider your position. I kindly served Rob for nearly a decade and would gladly continue to do so. I truly want the best for my friend. I’ve also employed and served many members of the LGBT community, and I will continue to do so regardless of what happens with this case. You chose to attack my faith and pursue this not simply as a matter of law, but to threaten my very means of working, eating, and having a home. If you are serious about clarifying the law, then I urge you to drop your claims against my home, business, and other assets and pursue the legal claims through the appeal process. Thanks again for writing and I hope you will consider my offer.

Persecution is coming brothers and sisters. Let us be ready to suffer out of love for Christ and neighbor. They may hate and speak all sorts of evil against us, but let it be a small way in which we follow Jesus outside the camp to suffer (Hebrews 13:13).

Articles on Newsweek's Misrepresentation of the Bible & The Suicide of Leelah Alcorn

Here are two articles that might be helpful in thinking Christianly about two things which recently made national news.

1. Al Mohler addresses the Newsweek cover story "The Bible, So Misunderstood It's a Sin" in his own article Newsweek on the Bible - So misrepresented it's a sin"

2. In light of the suicide of young man who struggled with transgendered feelings, Garrett Kell writes an article entitled "What would Jesus say to someone like Leelah Alcorn?

How to Think Biblicaly about the Sexuality Crisis

It is an understatement to say that our culture is in the middle of a confusing crisis in the area of sexuality. We have addressed some of this in our study of 1 Corinthians on Thursday nights and seen that there is nothing new under the sun (the culture of Paul's day had issues in this are too). Rod preached from Hebrews 11:3 and Romans 1:18-27 this past Sunday on the issue of sexual ethics as well.

As a follow up to all this, I encourage you to read Al Mohler's article "Biblical Theology and the Sexuality Crisis." In addressing the issues of the day, we need a solid understanding of the overarching story of the Bible and how that story answers the confusion of our day.

In Defense of Marriage and The Rule of Law

Albert Mohler has a great article on the recent ruling by the US 6th Circuit Court. Judge Sutton, writing for the majority opinion (it was a 2-1 decision) explains with amazing clarity and sanity why he and other judges do not have the right to decide the issue of same sex marriage for a democratic nation. The whole article is worth a read.

"Biblical Theology and the Sexuality Crisis"

Al Mohler has a great article over at 9Marks on how understanding the big picture of the Bible is key in understanding human life and sexuality (and in turn dealing with the modern push to normalize all sorts of sexual immorality). Here is a teaser:

As the church responds to this [moral and sexual] revolution, we must remember that current debates on sexuality present to the church a crisis that is irreducibly and inescapably theological. This crisis is tantamount to the type of theological crisis that Gnosticism presented to the early church or that Pelagianism presented to the church in the time of Augustine. In other words, the crisis of sexuality challenges the church’s understanding of the gospel, sin, salvation, and sanctification. Advocates of the new sexuality demand a complete rewriting of Scripture’s metanarrative, a complete reordering of theology, and a fundamental change to how we think about the church’s ministry.

 I hope you'll read the whole thing. 

Who Hates Who? The Barronelle Stutzman Case

Watch this video about Barronelle Stutzman, the florist in Washington State being sued for not making floral arrangements for a same sex wedding. It is not enough for the social elites that same sex marriage be recognized as a legal institution. Rather the push has been and will continue to be for every individual in society to affirm homosexual marriage as morally right. With all this talk of hate and bigotry, I find myself asking who is really being narrow minded? Who is really acting with hate? I am sure every individual story is different. In this case, however, it is clear that Christians must be ready to lose everything for the sake of following Christ and truly loving others.

Caesar and Coercion of the Conscience

Recently there have been several legal cases against individuals who have refused to render their professional services for homosexual "marriages." One is a cake shop and another is a photographer (there are more than 2).

How should we think about this issue? Should Christians have the right to, for conscience sake, opt out of participating in gay wedding ceremonies or is this akin to Jim Crow laws during the days of racial bigotry? Here are a few articles to help you think through this issue. We are in a time of great cultural pressure. Let's think biblically.

Caesar, Coercion and the Christian Conscience: A dangerous confusion by Al Mohler
Refusing to Photograph a Gay Wedding Isn't Hateful by Denny Burk
Is Sexual Orientation Analogous to Race? by Joe Carter

"What Macklemore Got Wrong...and Right"

I didn't watch the Grammys. Actually, I didn't even know they were on. But, in case you or your friends did, here are some helpful thoughts from Denny Burk on the performance of "Same Love" by Macklemore. Below is an excerpt

The lyrics to Macklemore’s song took aim at Christians and their views on marriage. To be more precise, it takes aim at the God that Christians worship and offers another god in His place—a god that bears no resemblance to the God of the Bible. Nevertheless, these performers were obviously grasping for divine approval. All of the trappings of Christianity were invoked to bless “same love”—a stage decorated to look like a church, a “minister” presiding, and a gospel choir singing the words of 1 Corinthians 13. You might say that it had the form of godliness while denying its power (2 Tim. 3:5).

What struck me about the performance, however, was not what Macklemore got wrong but the one thing that he got ironically right. In one line from “same love,” Macklemore says this:

Whatever god you believe in
We come from the same one

This statement is profoundly true, although Macklemore is probably not aware of its true implication. We all really do come from one creator God. From one man, God made every nation of mankind (Acts 17:25). As the Psalmist writes,

Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. – Psalm 100:3

God made us. Every single one of us. And that is true whether or not you believe it. It is true even if you believe in a false god. But that truth does not imply that God approves of everything that His creatures do (as Macklemore appears to believe). It does imply that God is God. And He is not accountable to us, but we to Him (Heb. 9:27).

The Slippery Slope of Same Sex Marriage

Al Mohler has and article about the latest Christian business owner who has been told by a court he must make wedding cakes for same sex couples or close up shop. Below is the situation:

Back in June, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Windsor case, ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act, passed overwhelmingly by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996, was unconstitutional. Six months later, judge Robert N. Spencer, an administrative law judge in Colorado, ruled that Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver must serve same-sex couples by making wedding cakes, or face fines.

On a related note, a judge in Utah has struck down portions of a law that prohibit polygamy. The reason I say it is related is that the reasoning is the exact same as that which was used to by the supreme court to strike down the defense of marriage act. It is sad, but not unexpected.

Must We Handover Conscience for Citizenship?

In an article at his blog entitled "'It is the Price of Citizenship'?—An Elegy for Religious Liberty in America," Dr. Albert Mohler discusses a recent case in New Mexico where a Christian couple  lost a case at that state's supreme court. The couple refused to photograph a homosexual commitment ceremony (gay marriage is not legal there yet) citing the fact that as Christians such particpation would give implicit agreement to the event. In essence, the court's verdict requires Christians to be willing to take pictures at a commitment ceremony for a homosexual couple.

Mohler notes

The court concluded: “When Elane Photography refused to photograph a same-sex commitment ceremony, it violated the NMHRA [New Mexico Human Rights Act] in the same way as if it had refused to photograph a wedding between people of different races.” 

[You may want to read the blog "Is Gay the New Black" if you are wondering about this argument]

Such argumentation is, at this point, "old hat." What makes the decision so breath taking is the fact that the justices recognize that the photographers' religious liberty and conscience are being violated but simply say it is the new price of citizenship. Justice Bosson wrote:

As devout, practicing Christians, they believe, as a matter of faith, that certain commands of the Bible are not left open to secular interpretation; they are meant to be obeyed. Among these commands, according to the Huguenins [the Christian couple], is an injunction against same-sex marriage. On the record before us, no one has questioned the Huguenin’s [sic] devoutness or their sincerity; their religious convictions deserve our respect. In the words of their legal counsel, the Huguenins “believed that creating photographs telling the story of that event [a same-sex wedding] would express a message contrary to their sincerely held beliefs, and that doing so would disobey God.” If honoring same-sex marriage would so conflict with their fundamental religious tenets . . . how then, they ask, can the State of New Mexico compel them to “disobey God” in this case?

 Then he goes on to write,

“At its heart, this case teaches that at some point in our lives all of us must compromise, if only a little, to accommodate the contrasting values of others....In short, I would say to the Huguenins [the Christian couple], with the utmost respect: it is the price of citizenship.” 

Simply breathtaking. Mohler summarizes it well in his article when he says,

So the price of citizenship is the denial of religious liberty when the Christian convictions of this couple run into a head-on collision with the “contrasting values” of others. This is a “compromise” that requires the Huguenins [the Christian photographers] to give up their convictions or go out of business. What does the “compromise” require of those who push for the normalization of same-sex relationships and the legalization of same-sex marriage? Nothing.

Some compromise.

How Should Christians Respond to the Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriage?

As you know, the Supreme court has set the stage for a full legalization of so called same sex marriage. As Christians living in this nation, we must think biblically about how to respond. Here are a few thoughts I've rounded up:

This from Denny Burk "Enemies of the Human Race"

Christians need to beware of going to extremes in the face of today’s news. Some may be tempted to view this in apocalyptic terms, as if it’s the end of the world. Others will be tempted to shrug their shoulders as if this is no big deal. I think that neither of those reactions rings true. If God is sovereign and His purposes unshakable, we can have courage in the face of whatever may come down the pike. Likewise, if we love our neighbors, then how can we be indifferent about things that hurt them and debase the culture? That is why we have an interest in promoting ours and our neighbor’s good in the public space. And that means that we have a continuing stake in the public debate over gay marriage.

I had a reporter ask me today if a hysterical and panicked response from Christians would be helpful to the cause of traditional marriage. I think the question kind of answers itself. We may be unjustly labeled as “bigots” and “enemies of the human race.” But panic and hysterics help no one, much less Christians who profess to believe in a sovereign God. Nothing happened today that diminishes the power of the gospel or the fortunes of Christ’s church in this culture. The Supreme Court found itself on the wrong side of history today. The Kingdom of God marches on, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

This from Russell Moore's article "How Should Same-Sex Marriage Change the Church’s Witness?"

This gives Christian churches the opportunity to do what Jesus called us to do with our marriages in the first place: to serve as a light in a dark place. Permanent, stable marriages with families with both a mother and a father may well make us seem freakish in 21st-century culture. But is there anything more “freakish” than a crucified cosmic ruler? Is there anything more “freakish” than a gospel that can forgive rebels like us and make us sons and daughters? Let’s embrace the freakishness, and crucify our illusions of a moral majority.

This from Mark Dever's article "How to Survive a Cultural Crisis" (If you are going to read one article, this is the one to read.).

The whole Christian faith is based on the idea that God takes people who are spiritually dead and gives them new life. Whenever we evangelize, we are evangelizing the cemetery.

There's never been a time or a culture when it was natural to repent of your sins. That culture doesn't exist, it hasn't existed, it never will exist. Christians, churches, and pastors especially must know deep in their bones that we've always been about a work that's supernatural.

From that standpoint, recent cultural changes have made our job zero percent harder.

...

Each nation and age has a unique way to express its depravity, to attack God. But none will succeed any more than the crucifixion succeeded in defeating Jesus. Yes, he died. But three days later he got up from the dead.

Christ's kingdom is in no danger of failing. Again, Christians, churches, and especially pastors must know this deeply in our bones. D-Day has happened. Now it's cleanup time. Not one person God has elected to save will fail to be saved because the secular agenda is "winning" in our time and place. There shouldn't be anxiety or desperation in us.

Dever gives 7 points in the article mentioned above:

1. Remember that churches exist to work for supernatural change.

2. Understand that persecution is normal. 

3. Eschew utopianism.

4. Make use of our democratic stewardship.

5. Trust the Lord, not human circumstances.

6. Remember that everything we have is God's grace.

7. Rest in the certainty of Christ's victory.

I hope this encourages you and helps you have a biblical perspective.  

"'Waiting for the Other Shoe' - The Supreme Court Rules on Same Sex Marriage"

Here is an article on the Supreme Court's rulings on two "same sex marriage" cases. In both cases, the court ruled in favor of so called "same-sex marriage." Mohler's assessment is worth reading.

Even though the Court did not rule today that all states must legally recognize and allow for same-sex marriages, the handwriting is on the wall. Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion implicitly invites any citizen who resides in a state that does not allow for same-sex marriage to claim that his or her constitutional rights are violated on the basis of the Court’s opinion handed down today. You can count on a challenge of this form arising in short order.

As Justice Scalia noted in his dissent today, “As far as this Court is concerned, no one should be fooled; it is just a matter of listening and waiting for the other shoe.”

The Court’s majority did not want to pay the political price that a decision as immediately sweeping as Roe v. Wade would have cost. Instead, the majority decided to send a clear signal that such a case will now be well received. It struck down DOMA by employing a logic that, as Scalia noted, cannot stop with the striking down of DOMA. It can only stop with the full legalization of same-sex marriage in all fifty states by judicial fiat.