Robert G. Wilkerson: Vote “no” on Amendment One

  Amendment Number One on the November 4th ballot prohibits Alabama Courts from considering foreign, international or religious law, which in turn could interfere with the freedom of many religious groups. Alabamians who believe in religious freedom should vote against it because:

·It would make it against the law for some religious leaders to perform marriages according to their own religious traditions.

·It poses potential threats to international adoptions, marriages performed overseas, and could cause nightmares over questions of property rights.

·It could be applied to the by-laws and rules churches use to hire and ordain, and restrict how they govern themselves.

·It would contradict federal and international laws concerning the rights of persons married in other states and countries. This would lead to many unnecessary lawsuits for which taxpayers would be forced to pay the legal costs.

·It is unnecessary. The Supremacy Clause in Article 6, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution states, “The U.S. Constitution, federal statues, and treaties are the supreme law of the land” and therefore take precedence over any foreign laws.

·As Americans, we believe in freedom of religion, not just ours, but others as well. As Christians, we believe we should “love our neighbors as ourselves.” This amendment does not reflect either belief.

·It is a violation of an old established truism: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”

  The real danger in this bill is that it is an intrusion on religious freedom. It may be someone else’s religion today, but once the precedent is set, it could be yours. Vote “NO!”

  About the author: Dr. Robert Wilkerson is a minister and Christian writer. He is president of People For the Christian Way, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the use of Christian principles and ethics in all areas of life. He can be reached at drbobwilkerson[at]bellsouth.net.