The Christian church does not ask the U.S. Supreme Court, or any other court, what marriage is. Marriage is a pre-political institution defined by our Creator – for His glory and for human flourishing.” – Albert Mohler
A few months ago one rogue federal judge overturned Michigan’s ban on gay “marriage” which was enacted by 59% of Michigan voters in 2004 affirming the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Since that ruling on March 21, numbers of other states have had had their own marriage amendments overturned by other rogue judges. The media would like to convince us that the battle is over. Those pushing the gay agenda have won and the tide of public opinion is on the side of homosexual “marriage,” they claim.
And yet a recent Michigan poll taken in May of this year and conducted by the respected polling firm, EPIC-MRA, revealed a significant drop in support for same-sex marriage in Michigan. The survey was taken two months after Judge Bernard Friedman overturned Michigan’s ban on gay marriage.
The poll, taken May 17-20, found that if a vote were taken that day allowing for same-sex marriage, 47% would approve homosexual marriage and 46 % would vote no to same-sex marriage. Seven percent were either undecided or refused to answer.
Virtually a split down the middle. While that may be discouraging considering that in 2004 59% of Michigan voters said no to gay marriage, there are actually encouraging signs in this poll.
As the Detroit Free Press reported: “That’s a significant change from a year ago. When EPIC-MRA asked Michiganders about same-sex marriage in May of 2013, 51% said they supported it and 41% said they were opposed. Both polls sampled 600 likely voters and had margins of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.”
Those on the side of homosexual “marriage” were quick to claim the poll was a fluke – espousing all kinds of theories for the survey results showing a decline in support for same-sex “marriage.” Even the president of the EPIC-MRA polling firm expressed surprise.
While some dismissed the results of this poll, citing several previous polls between 2004 and 2013 showing an increasing support of gay “marriage’ in Michigan, the difference is that those previous polls were taken when homosexual “marriage” in Michigan was just a theory.
After Judge Bernard Friedman overturned the people’s vote, Michigan citizens began to consider the ramifications. They saw county clerks opening their offices on Saturday and issuing marriage licenses, ignoring the required waiting period. They saw news reports of hundreds of same-sex couples rushing to be “married” – until a stay was issued as State Attorney General Bill Schuette sought an appeal from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court.
Instead of the poll results being skewed, I think it’s more likely that people got a taste of the reality of gay marriage in Michigan, imposed upon the state by one lone judge, and didn’t like what they saw.
This May 2014 poll also reveals some interesting statistics, as also reported by the Detroit Free Press:
“The latest poll showed huge differences on same-sex marriage among age and gender groups, income groups, political party affiliation, education, and regions of the state.
The only voter age group that supports same-sex marriage is the youngest one, 18 to 34, where support is a strong 68% for and 28% opposed. Those between the ages of 35-49 oppose same-sex marriage 49%-46%, while those between 50-64 oppose it 47%-46%, and those 65 and older oppose it 54%-37%, the poll shows.
Breaking down the most recent results further, 43% of those surveyed gave a firm “yes” to same-sex marriage, while another 4% said they were leaning toward voting yes. Of the no votes, 46% were firm and 1% was leaning toward no.
Men opposed same-sex marriage 52%-42%. And women support it, 51%-41%.
Among income groups, only the lowest-paid and highest-paid Michiganders strongly support same-sex marriage as a group: Those earning less than $25,000 a year, which tend to be the youngest voters, support same-sex marriage 52%-38%. And those earning more than $100,000 support it 59%-41%. Those in the three income groups in between are pretty much evenly split on the issue.
Support is strongest in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, where 56% of voters support same-sex marriage and 39% are opposed. The measure is opposed 56%-37% in central Michigan, 52%-42% in western Michigan, and 63%-25% in northern Michigan, according to the poll.
Democrats support same-sex marriage 69%-25%, Republicans oppose it by almost the same numbers 70%-25%, and Independents narrowly oppose it 46%-44%, the poll found.
That’s a significant shift from 2013, when self-described Independents said they supported same-sex marriage, 51%-41%.
Protestants oppose same-sex marriage 56%-39%, Catholics oppose it 50%-42%; but those who identify their religion as “other” or “none” support same-sex marriage 48%-45% and 72%-19%, respectively.
The poll showed little difference among the races, with whites narrowly supporting same-sex marriage, 47%-46%, and blacks narrowly opposing it, 48%-46%. …” http://www.freep.com/article/20140528/NEWS06/305280190/michigan-gay-marriage-same-sex-poll
While pollsters like to remind us that such surveys are “only a snapshot of one moment in time,” this poll is encouraging for those supporting natural marriage of the union of one man and one woman. However, it also gives us our marching orders, showing us the groups we need to reach with the truth about God’s design for marriage – especially those in the 18-34 year old age bracket.
For many reading this, you have children or grandchildren in that age group. These are the ones we need to reach so that they in turn can be a witness to their peers. There is hope that the tide of public opinion may be turned. Whether or not that happens doesn’t change the fact that, as Albert Mohler stated above, marriage was designed by our Creator for His glory and human flourishing. Any phony definition contrived by man or judge’s decree will not result in human flourishing, but instead will bring about “the due penalty due for their error.” (Romans 1:26-28)
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