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Saturday, June 27, 2015

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide

Image courtesy of www.www.edition.cnn.com


In a landmark opinion, a divided Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage, establishing a new civil right and handing gay rights advocates a victory that until very recently would have seemed unthinkable.

The 5-4 ruling had Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority with the four liberal justices. Each of the four conservative justices wrote their own dissent.

The far-reaching decision settles one of the major civil rights fights of this era -- one that has rapidly evolved in the minds of the American public and its leaders, including President Barack Obama. He struggled with the issue and ultimately embraced same-sex marriage in the months before his 2012 re-election.

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family," Kennedy wrote. "In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were."

"Their hope," Kennedy wrote, "is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right."

In a dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia blasted the Court's "threat to American democracy."

"The substance of today's decree is not of immense personal importance to me," he wrote. "But what really astounds is the hubris reflected in today's judicial Putsch."

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the decision had "nothing to do with the Constitution.

"If you are among the many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today's decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal," he wrote. "Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it."

After the ruling, Obama called Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the case, while he and his supporters celebrated the ruling outside the court.

"I just wanted to say congratulations," Obama said as CNN broadcast his warm words to Obergefell over speakerphone. He added: "Your leadership on this has changed the country."

Speaking at the White House later in the morning, Obama said "Americans should be very proud."

The U.S. is now the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. Married same-sex couples will now enjoy the same legal rights and benefits as married heterosexual couples nationwide and will be recognized on official documents such as birth and death certificates.

The decision affirmed growing public support in the U.S. for gay marriage, with about two-thirds of Americans now in favor. And it comes as gay rights groups have seen gay marriage bans fall rapidly in recent years, with the number of states allowing gay marriage swelling most recently to 37 -- that is, until this ruling.

There were two questions before the Court, the first asked whether states could ban same sex marriage, the second asked whether states had to recognize lawful marriages performed out of state.

The relevant cases were argued earlier this year. Attorney John Bursch, serving as Michigan's Special Assistant Attorney General, defended four states' bans on gay marriage before the Court, arguing that the case was not about how to define marriage, but rather about who gets to decide the question.

The case came before the Supreme Court after several lower courts overturned state bans on gay marriage. A federal appeals court had previously ruled in favor of the state bans, with Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals writing a majority opinion in line with the rationale that the issue should be decided through the political process, not the courts.

Fourteen couples and two widowers challenged the bans. Attorneys Mary Bonauto and Doug Hallward-Driemeier presented their case before the Court, arguing that the freedom to marry is a fundamental right for all people and should not be left to popular vote.

Three years after Obama first voiced his support for gay couples' right to marry, his administration supported the same sex couples at the Supreme Court.

"Gay and lesbian people are equal," Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. told the justices at the oral arguments earlier this year. "It is simply untenable -- untenable -- to suggest that they can be denied the right of equal participation in an institution of marriage, or that they can be required to wait until the majority decides that it is ready to treat gay and lesbian people as equals.

The same-sex couples who challenged gay marriage bans in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio were just a few of the estimated 650,000 same-sex couples in the United States, 125,000 of whom are raising children.

The challenges included same-sex couples who wanted to marry, those who sought to have their lawful out-of-state marriage recognized, as well as those who wanted to amend a birth or death certificate with their marriage status.

Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the case, married his spouse John Arthur in 2013 months before Arthur died.

The couple, who lived in Ohio, had to travel to Maryland aboard a medical jet to get married when Arthur became gravely ill. And when Arthur died, Obergefell began to fight to be recognized as Arthur's spouse on his death certificate.

The plaintiffs from Michigan are April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, two Detroit-area nurses who are also foster parents. They took to the courts after they took in four special-needs newborns who were either abandoned or surrendered at birth, but could not jointly adopt the children because Michigan's adoption code requires that couples be married to adopt.

Milestones for LGBT rights

Sgt. Ijpe Dekoe and Thomas Kostura became plaintiffs in the gay marriage case after they moved to Tennessee from New York.

The pair had married in New York in 2011, but Dekoe's position in the Army took the couple to Tennessee, which banned gay marriage and refused to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

97 comments:

  1. It's a huge leap forward. Hopefully, some countries would then follow. Konting kembot pa for PHL (as long as di epal ang simbahan)

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    1. Asa ka pa, kung lgbt leaders sa pinas mabababaw ang issue na nilalakad at social climbing inaatupag.

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    2. Tuwang tuwa ang mga KaF leading men. may paparty daw mamaya. Kajoin din ako :)

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  2. May pag-asa na si Guada at ang bf niyang homeless. LOL

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    1. Nyahahha, kasama na rin si manggalina!

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    2. Ekat, kayo rin ni Sis Glinda mo... LOL. Nagturuan pa kayong pare-parehong mga Baks.

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    3. Natawa ako sa inyo mha hitad! Hahahaha - DD KENYA

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  3. Meanwhile in the Philippines...

    *insert crossdress and LA Paola vs Geena issue*

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  4. Thank you FP. Philippines it's about time

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    1. Asa pa tayo, yung nga population control or birth control, hirap nila ipasa, ito pa!! Dami hypocrite sa bansang toh!! Lalo yung mga nakaupo!! Pero this us good news sa bansa ni uncle sam,kasi sa knla, pag namahal k ng isang tao, at gustuhin m makasama ng habang buhay, walang pinipili gender dapat.. Congrats sa mga LGBT!!

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    2. Long, long, looooooong way to go for Philippines. Ayusin muna ng local LGBT mindset at priorities nila, hindi puro kababawan na club entry. Prove your worthy of it kung gusto niyo yan sa Pinas. If you can't even help your abused co-lgbt in the more noble causes & ways and if you can't even clearly identify & balance rights vs privileges, then that right will remain suntok sa buwan!

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  5. The Highest Judge is on HIS way.

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    1. Sige, salubungin mo ha. Lol

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    2. Hypocrites!! It is easy for you to judge and crucify people of the LGBT but too forgiving of those "STRAIGHTS" that commits adultery. People like you are too forgiving of KILLERS, THIEVES and RAPIST. These so called "RELIGIOUS AND GODLY PEOPLE" judge LGBT's way to quickly pero they still go to salons run by people who are proudly Gay, buy products who are designed by people who are gay. Wake up people! One of the most important basis/guide of your religion is the 10 commandments. Does it states anywhere that you have to HATE GAYS?!
      -angry lesbian

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    3. oo. parating na para sunduin kayong dalawang ipokrita!

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    4. Yes, He is on His way to support gay marriage. Equality for all because all of us was made by Him kaya wag ka na nega dyan! There are no rooms for homophobes dear! ;)

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    5. In defense kay 12.36 bakit may nasabi bang hate niya ang LGBT? Wala.

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    6. @1:10 Mabuti na yung sasalubong kesa sa lalabanan at imomock!

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    7. 2:05 Puso mo borj! Baka atakihin ka sa galit mo. Chill lang no! May opinion din ang iba kaya wag kang mapikon.

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    8. Wag nalang talaga natin pagusapan. Ang religion, kasi in all fairness naman, may iba silang paniniwala, respect nalang natin, same din sana sa mga religious people,hindi man tayo nag agree or naniniwala sa gusto nila, respect din natin..

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    9. HAHA! BAKIT ANG CANADA MATAGAL MAY SAME SEX MARRIAGE SA KANILA PERO HANGGANG NGAYON HINDI NAMAN SILA BINIBISITA NG DELUBYO AT HANGGANG NGAYON, MAUNLAD NA MAUNLAD SILA? SIGE PA-RELIGIOUS PA MORE! HAHAHA!

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    10. Totoo namang hindi dapat maging mapanghusga, pero huwag rin nating kakalimutan na dadating talaga ang araw na huhusgahan lahat tayo.

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    11. @anon 1:32 haha true naman.Actually I witnessed a same sex marriage here sa Canada.Legal na legal dito.haha

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    12. Anon 8:35 - Grabe. Ang babait naman ng mga leaders diyan. Bawal din pala idiscriminate ang mga trans diyan.

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    13. @Anonymous June 27, 2015 at 2:05 AM, lahat ng sins na nabanggit mo que sa straight pa yan o LGBT eh pare-parehong may pananagutin kay Lord.

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    14. well said Anonymous June 27, 2015 at 4:00 PM

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  6. Yey! Yan ang TAMA!!!!!!! Keber sa bible bible na yan!

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    1. Antichrist ka teh?!

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    2. Kilabutan ka naman sa sinabi mo. Pwede kang mag saya ok lang yun pero para banggitin mo pa ang bible eh over ka na!

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    3. Grabe ka naman... Mangilabot ka sa sinabi mo. Sana kapag final days na natin ikaw lang ang parusahan.

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    4. Oo, pagdating sa pansariling kagustuhan, keber na. :)

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    5. CHRUE. ANG BIBLE AY SINULAT NG TAO (NA HINDI PERFECT AT NAGKAKAMALI), HINDI NG DIYOS.

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    6. 1:33 PM, Iyan ang alam mo, obviously, hindi mo pa kasi nabasa. Tsaka mali siguro ang interpretation ng Bible sa'yo. LOL

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    7. I'm Catholic and read the Bible everyday. It gives me a lot of wisdom. But i also read a lot of books that opened my mind to a lot of things like being more accepting of gay marriage. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. But it also says that God does not look at our sins. God is merciful and forgiving. Roman 5:8 says "God shows his love for us, in that while we are still sinners, Christ died for us." And Christ did not die just for the straight, also for the gays.

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    8. Pag hindi naniniwala sa bible anti-christ na agad?

      Anon 5:15, wishing for that kind of thing to a person... Wow, your god must be proud of you condeming people like that.

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    9. 4:02 If the Bible came down straight from heaven, baka maniwala pa ako e kaso hindi nga kasi sinulat ng mga tao. Also, kayong Christian lang naman gumagamit ng Bible. LOL

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    10. anon 2:03am, kung hindi ka naniniwala sa bible di ka namin pinipilit pero di mo na kailangan gamitin sa comment mo na nakaka-bastos.. LGBT member ka ba? kung ganon, rumespeto karin sa aming mga Katoliko na parehong respeto na gusto nyong ibigay namin sa inyo :) ganon lang yon ka-simple..

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    11. Hindi naman talaga ninyo paniniwalaan dahil yung gusto niyo lang ang gagawin niyo. Kayo rin nagpapaka closed-minded. Di niyo lang pansin. LOL.

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  7. Only backward countries don't appreciate diversity.

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    1. So nahiya naman ang china, korea and japan and other developed countries sa sinasabi mo... take note.. western countries ang usual na may same sex marriage law.... so anong pinagsasabi mong backward countries? Sino ngaun ang backward magisip?

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    2. LIKE OUR COUNTRY THE PHILIPPINES. KAYA KAHIT ANONG GAWIN 3RD WORLD COUNTRY NA TAYO FOREVER!!!

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    3. 8:10 Maka-pera ka ba? "Developed" also means society. Each country you listed, I can also say Sweden, UK, Ireland... come out of the darkness and enjoy the light na lang!

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    4. Kaya nga what im saying is.. di dahil di sinusupport ang gay marriage backward country na agad.. that is why i listed china, korea and japan... kaya sino ngaun ang backward magisip at di open minded? Anon 3:58....

      Ur in for respect and yet you call these people not open minded and backward thinking? Sino ngaun ang hypocrites?

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    5. Please: a country that limits civil rights is comparatively backwards.
      At oxymoron naman yung dating mo, 8:03. Respect closeminded people to be openminded? Nope. In this case, the win for civil rights is more towards "enlightenment" than and pera-pera prosperous nations that limit citizens' rights. I'll tolerate backwardness maybe as a tourist pero not as a citizen.

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    6. 9:38 - Kahit bumali-bumaliktad tayo sa kakaexplain sa mga mangmang na ito ang difference civil rights at religious rights ay hindi nila maiintindihan kasi ang turo satin sa Pilipinas, relihiyon muna bago ang lahat. Which is of course not the case in progressive countries like Canada, US, Great Britain, Ireland, and the linkes.

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  8. Sa Cebu dami nagproprotest for the proposal of same sex marriage pero yung mga nagvivigil mukhang mga chismosa at nasa loob ang kulo. anyway congrats sa USA.

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    1. Keber sa mga protesters. Hahaha! They, like me, don't matter anyways.

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  9. See you tomorrow at San Francisco, lets celebrate.LOVE WINS.

    Pinay pie

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  10. And i thought this is in the Philippines, boom panes, America pala 😁

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  11. Well, the Philippines should recognize DIVORCE and same sex marriage! pareho silang civil right!!! Wag nyo sabihing may annulment naman kaya d kailangan ng divorce. Iba ang annulment sa DIVORCE! kung artista ka or marami kang pera you can afford the costs of paying for annulment pero kung wala kang pera, goodluck! stuck ka sa asawa mong binubogbog ka at di mo ma divorce. Yun lang!

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    1. E alam mo naman dito mas importante ang relihiyon kesa sa civil rights. At dito hindi nirerecognize ng mga tao ang separation ng state at church.

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    2. #TeamCivilRights

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  12. God created Adam and Eve, a man and a woman and they were united to bear children. Sana puro lalaki na lang or puro babae ang ginawa ni Lord kung pabor siya sa same sex union.

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    1. Good comment.

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    2. The Lord gave us a brain to make choices to love or hate. Don't be a hater! Join the love parade!

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    3. Not all believe that honey. Respect others who don't. We don't need your acceptance just tolerance on what is written in the law.

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    4. Eh di sana kung ganon, di inallow ng Diyos ang baog. If granting equal rights to fellow humans scares the foundation of the institution of marriage that you hold so dear, maybe you should start looking at how strong your faith is rather than questioning that of the others who support same sex marriage

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    5. Sabi nga nila, if you repeat it long enough, it will become real to other people. Actually, pareho lang ang bible thumper at ang LGBT community. Both wants to impose their agenda on each other but neither wants to accept each other. Ironic diba?

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    6. Some say god created adam and eve not adam and steve. But I suppose god created adam, eve, and steve. Chill teh!

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    7. ANONG MANGYAYARI SA MGA STRAIGHT PEOPLE NA BAOG? ISIP-ISIP DIN BAGO MAG-COMMENT. LOL

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    8. @Anonymous June 27, 2015 at 4:00 PM, God also gave us the freewill if we're going to follow his commandments or not, so if you chose to live as LGBT which clearly God doesn't approve, then you're living in a rebellious life which is a sin, bukod pa ung ibang sins na naccommit sa araw-araw.

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    9. Anon 3:25PM, read the Bible, yan ang situation nila Abraham at ng wife niyang si Sarah, si Sarah barren pero "God opened her womb to bear a child" kahit pa matanda na siya...

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  13. Sweet victory for the LGBT community!

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  14. Long, long, looooooong way to go for Philippines. Ayusin muna ng local LGBT mindset at priorities nila, hindi puro kababawan na club entry. Prove your worth kung gusto niyo yan sa Pinas. If you can't even help your abused co-lgbt in the more proper causes & ways and if you can't even clearly identify & balance rights vs privileges, then that right will remain suntok sa buwan!

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  15. I can't wait for the Philippines to have laws protecting LGBT rights... someday! #dreaming

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    1. Genuine freedom of the press din. Gosh! Worst place tayo for journalists!
      Pero No.1 ang Pinas for being hypocrites!

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  16. Let people do what makes them happy. In the end, only God has the right to judge. Gay or not, we will all be judged for our doings here on earth.

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    1. That's true. And if there's really a God and if hell really exists, I bet all people will go to hell.

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    2. your right anon 3:36PM, pero it's our responsibility to spread God's Words/warnings

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    3. God is perfect. He did not make the soul of a man in a woman's body and vice versa. Conscious mind yan, It is a decision to practice homosexuality. So yung pagpapakasal, pambabastos yung sa sacramento ng kasal. Huwag naman.

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    4. I'm with you June 27, 2015 at 3:36 PM
      Even the Pope said this:"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?"

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  17. Not all thigs that makes us happy is right

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  18. They paid taxes, they should also benifit the rights of being married, as for up above it's not for you to judge, leave it to the creator.

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    1. sa yo na rin nanggaling na let the CREATOR be the Judge WHO MADE ONLY MAN AND WOMAN

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    2. The creator will also judge the Christian bigots out there. Hahaha!

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    3. Clearly the "Creator" is flawed kasi may ginawa syang "defective".

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    4. Anon 9:42PM, CHOICE natin kung sasalungat tayo sa utos ng Diyos, God ONLY cretaed MAN AND A WOMAN, so if we chose "to live" as an LGBT, then it's our choice, not God. If we chose to live or act out being an LGBT then we're being rebellious to God.

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    5. 9:42 - Or maybe the 'Creator' does not consider the LGBT people 'a mistake.' Wala naman kasi talagang nakakaalam kasi wala pa namang nakakakita sa Diyos.

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  19. Not a hater of LGBTs but I don't think the US Supreme Court should redefine something that they didn't define in the first place. Marriage is from God with a main purpose to procreate. Kaya nga sinabing "humayo kayo at magpakarami". In a homosexual marriage, life ends already...

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    1. Exactly, the purpose of marriage's sanctity is broken.

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    2. Hmm do you understand what youre saying. There should be separation of state and religion thus US Supreme Court is defining marriage as a legal union, its not redefining church marriages FYI. One reason why the Philippines is not a progressive country due to the fact that the leaders cannot separate the religious and state ideologies.

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    3. Are you serious with that ignorant comment? The SCOTUS didn't redefined marriage. It is human rights and civil rights that the LGBT community in the US are fighting for. Religon does not have anything to do with the passing of marriage equality! It will never affect them at all! Do you realize that in the Philippines, gay people do not have any rights at all? And the Catholic church condemn LGBT people? Yet, filipino gays are not recognizing that the church you worship, does not even recognize you?

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    4. US recognizes the separation of the State from the Church. Mas importante ang civil rights sa kanila kesa paniniwala sa mga ek-ek. Basa basa din pag may time. Lol

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    5. Halo-halo Church and State....only the Philippines!

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    6. Ako, I will believe and follow what God says (His Law, His Word),

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    7. Research-research din te. Bago pa inangkin ng relihiyon ang marriage eh ilang siglo ng mayroong civil union! Ibig sabihin, labas ang relihiyon nung nagsimula ito, at hanggang ngayon! Pwede ba ihawalay niyo ang sarili niyo sa state!

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  20. parang signs of time is coming as written in the revelations sabi nga ng Diyos heaven and earth will pass away but my word will not pass

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    1. I wonder kung may nakalagay na ganiyan sa Quran, books of Bhuddism, Hinduism, Hebrew, etc.

      You have to understand na hindi lahat ng tao sa mundo ay Katoliko or Christian. Ibig sabihin, hindi mo pwedeng i-apply sa kanila ang paniniwala mo.

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    2. I dont care if the world will end and live in hell as long as all of my lgbt friends are happy.

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    3. agree ako sa'yo Anon 1:19AM! God forgive us from all of our rebellions/sins.... :'(

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    4. Ngek hindi naman gumagamit ng Bibliya ang Muslims and other religions kaya iyang pinagsasabi mo applicable lang sa'yo and your fellow Catholics.

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