Statement Background: In a 5-4 decision on June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that one part of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional. Rather than making a logical argument, the high court sidestepped the entire issue and ruled that marriage is a state decision. In one decision the rights of all single individuals were denied while preserving the rights of those supporting same sex “marriages”. In that singular illogical decision, the United States Supreme Court has managed to undermine an entire foundation of the Republic while pretending to uphold states rights, even though the judges did not literally re-define “marriage”, nor did they mandate every State to legalize same sex “marriage”. Consequently, this ruling has encouraged gay couples to challenge bans on same sex “marriage” in states across the country. In California, the state resumed issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in late June. The Court tossed out a challenge to a lower court ruling that struck down Proposition 8. Enacted by voters in 2008, the law had banned marriage for gay couples. The DOMA decision may improve the likelihood for success of earlier lawsuits already working their way through the courts in Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, and Utah. Some produced decisions against permitting same-sex marriage and are now on appeal. Crisis in Illinois: Illinois is strategically important to same sex “marriage” advocates. A Democratic supermajority, supported by President Obama, along with Governor Pat Quinn (D) and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D), has urged the passage of the bill to legalize same sex “marriage”. Given such political winds, many cast Illinois an easy “win” for advocates of redefining marriage. Yet the Illinois legislature as late as August 2013, still failed to pass a much-anticipated same sex “marriage” bill. The New York Times reported that the bill’s failure to reach a vote in the State House was apparently due to a lack of votes supporting the redefinition— a bipartisan coalition opposed the effort. The House Black Caucus also expressed hesitancy on the bill and the African American Clergy Coalition were prominent in their opposition. Legal scholars deemed the bill as the worst of its kind for failing to protect religious liberty. What occurred in Illinois reveals that the redefinition of marriage is not inevitable as it is sometimes portrayed to be. Many Americans have concerns about redefining our most basic social institution. It’s time for a serious, robust debate about marriage. Attorneys with the Thomas More Society issued a letter to members of the Illinois House of Representatives in May, warning that the state’s pending same-sex “marriage” bill (SB 10) would prove a disaster for religious liberty, no matter which side of the same-sex “marriage” debate one supports. The letter warns that, should the current same-sex marriage bill be voted into law, Illinois’ religious hospitals, schools, organizations and businesses owned by people of faith would face an onslaught of court battles: “SB 10 will force religious people and organizations into years of legal fights, likely against the Illinois government, to defend their rights to practice their faith.”
Chicago Chinese Churches’ Stance: On this particular issue, Chicago Chinese Churches so far have not reached a common ground, or openly articulated our position. Some churches choose to enact their own statements, while the others encouraged their congregations to show support and participation in a marriage rally held in Washington D.C. in March, sponsored by The National Organization for Marriage and other organizations.
But overall, Chinese churches lack a platform, coalition and concerted efforts to galvanize our views on traditional marriage as we should; either as a Chinese Christian community, or as an ethnic community that prides itself so much in upholding our family traditions. It appears we fall short of heightening our awareness of the devastating impact upon our lives and the lives of our next generation, if this social engineering process to re-define marriage would succeed.

The Marriage Statement: Purpose and Objectives
The definition of marriage should not be interpreted only in the realm of theology, because it also affects the foundation of moral and ethical stability of our society. It is every Christian’s moral and civic duty to uphold this fundamental principle. Therefore, the Chinese Christian Churches of Metropolitan Chicago, hereby, for the purpose of preserving the integrity of our traditional definition of marriage, declare through this Marriage Statement the following objectives:
 To affirm our beliefs in the infallibility of the Biblical principle regarding the definition of marriage and family instituted by our triune God.
 To recognize marriage only between a man and a woman, as the true definition of marriage, accepted in all human civilizations, which is an institution that cannot be changed, modified, or compromised in any way.
 To educate our next generation to uphold this principle, as well as to bring to their awareness, the devastating impact of same sex “marriage” upon society.
 To collaborate with churches and Christian organizations; working together to formulate policies, take appropriate actions and to provide support in counteracting the radical movement of “same sex marriage”. Content of the Statement
Marriage Statement of Metropolitan Chicago Chinese Christians
The Marriage Statement of Metropolitan Chicago of Chinese Christians was initiated by the Defense of Traditional Marriage-Chinese Christian Coalition in Metropolitan Chicago (DTM-CCCMC); then, invited UCCC members to sign up at monthly meetings on August 06 and September 03, 2013. We, the undersigned, have reached a consensus to adopt the provisions of the declaration, which represent our common goal to foster a united front to promulgate its full content, and to articulate our collective position in public, so that the Chinese church congregations, and Chinese community in general would clearly understand the church’s stance and attitude toward “same sex marriage”. Below are the provisions of the Marriage Statement: 1. We affirm that marriage and family is a sacred institution designed by our creator God, a marital relationship that solely exists between one man and one woman, and such relationship is the most fundamental basis of human civilizations and must not be changed. 2. We pledge to defend the institution of marriage and family between one man and one woman with our unwavering position and principle. 3. We affirm that marriage is ontologically between one man and one woman, ordered toward the union of the spouses, open to children and formative of family. This concept is not an exclusive view in Christian teaching, but rather a universal understanding and the most fundamental of all human social institutions. 4. We affirm marriage between one man and one woman is the most vital relationship that constitutes a family. Any self-proclaimed, experimental form of sexual relationship, including homosexuality is unhealthy and destructive. Thus, we do not accept such sexual behavior or relationship as equivalent to a normal marital relationship. 5. We believe any abnormal, immoral sexual behavior such as adultery, homosexuality and all forms of sexual deviations should be regarded as “sinful” according to the Biblical interpretation, and is therefore in violation of God’s moral law.

6. We affirm that “same sex marriage” is not a civil rights issue, but a false proposition. Research indicates that homosexuality is a choice and changeable as testified by former homosexuals who have given up such a lifestyle. There is no good science to support the claim that one is “born homosexual” and no gene has been linked to homosexual behavior. Chicago’s African American church leaders denounced the analogy of “same sex marriage” to the black civil right movement as inappropriate and insulting. 7. We believe once “same sex marriage” is legalized, society and the general population will suffer various kinds of concrete and particularized injuries caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. The legal adoption of a homosexual lifestyle and “same sex marriage” would encourage homosexual indulgence which is dangerous in every community, especially among younger people. This leads also to the spread of HIV/AIDS, already an epidemic in the United States and further becoming a serious public health problem. 8. As citizens, we abide by the law and submit ourselves to the authority of the government. But, we believe that government should defend marriage and not seek to undermine it. Redefining the very institution of marriage is improper and outside the authority of the State. The Supreme Court has no authority to redefine marriage. This will bring an inevitable collision with religious freedom protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution. 9. We are committed to pray for America, our beloved country and its people. We ask for God’s mercy to motivate people’s hearts to return to his path, to become alert to the destructive impact homosexuality and “same sex marriage” have upon society, and to pray that Christians will stand firm on our uncompromising principles. Let us be united to oppose this radical movement that would alter the entire landscape of human civilization.