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+ Transcript of Dr. Joseph Mattera’s speech for Traditional Marriage Renewal Day

We are here because the institution of marriage is under attack in contemporary society. Although we agree with the historic position of the Judeo/Christian tradition—that all sexual relations outside of the bounds of traditional marriage are wrong, including heterosexual and homosexual relations—this is not an anti-gay rally, but a pro-traditional marriage and family values rally. Without question, every man and woman, regardless if he or she is a homosexual, is a child of God and therefore deserves protection from violence.

We are here to repent for marital infidelity and to renew our commitment to this sacred institution both as clergy and as married couples. (Heterosexual infidelity, adultery, unfaithfulness, and fragmented families have opened the door for marriage to be under attack from activist judges and liberal politicians.)

We are here to encourage clergy, Christians, and people of all faith, and all those traditionally married to renew their vows and renew the covenant they made with both their spouse and with God. We are here to encourage clergy to require premarital counseling so that those who engage in this sacred covenant will not enter into it lightly and ignorantly, and so that they will have counted the cost and made this commitment “till death do us part.”

In regard to the church, it is time to “come out of the prayer closet” and to speak to this culture. Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. He also called us salt and light to the world. Many are used to the church staying silent in matters of politics and culture; they think it is strange when we speak out because liberal activists have framed the issues by using their radical beliefs and vocabulary in our society, to propagate an erroneous view of the separation and church and state—a phrase nowhere to be found in the Constitution.

But now the Church is out of the closet with regard to society. We are here to confront. We are here to engage. We are here to say that we will not stand back and watch society decay any longer. We will not allow the institution of marriage to become denigrated, maligned, and spat on by radicals. Today, we come before you to say that we are here to speak to every facet of society; no longer will our mindset be only on the things above, but our focus will also be on the earth. We shall be a cultural watchdog to this city and our nation.

We are also here to call public officials to account for their actions regarding the legalization of same-sex marriages and to send them this caveat: we are a large voting block who will remember where they stand on this issue. No longer will the church be divided according to our denomination and race. As one body we will vote for those who have sworn to uphold the sacred covenant of marriage.

Currently, Hillary Clinton said that she would not vote for a constitutional amendment to protect marriage because she said it would divide America. In fact, many or most of our NY/NJ representatives in Congress are undecided or against the constitutional amendment. Attorney General Elliot Spitzer said that he is probably going to recognize the same-sex marriage ceremonies performed in Massachusetts. The New York City Council, in total disregard to freedom of association and freedom of religion, passed a law called the “Equal Benefits Bill” that forces all contractors doing business with the city or receiving money from the city to offer domestic partnership benefits.

Drawing from a mere puddle of information, City Council member Christine Quinne said that “all new Yorkers are in favor of same-sex marriages.” Openly gay City Council member Philip Reed says that same-sex marriages are inevitable and that they will become a law; that we should just “get over it and move on,” adding also that same-sex marriages would strengthen the family unit.

Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, and our city councilmen: Listen carefully. You don’t have to be right on every political issue, but if you follow the path toward same-sex marriage, your legacy will be tainted for you will have helped lead the way toward societal decay.

As for our part, City Covenant Coalition will soon announce the formation of a new political organization led by key bishops, pastors, and marketplace leaders to ensure that our efforts won’t die out after this one event. Until today, this city has never seen such a diverse coalition of clergy speaking with one voice. As congregations, we will no longer vote in destructive patterns; we will no longer be used as pawns. If you do not represent our values, you will not get our vote.

Though laws such as SONDA violate the U.S. constitution, make the bible illegal in New York, and threaten our religious liberty as a people, we are not worried about the survival of the church but about the destiny of this great city and nation. Jesus said that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The church has always outlived and outlasted nations, kingdoms, and empires. From the persecutions of The Pharaoh against the Jews, to the persecution of Rome against the church, to the consequent fall of Rome, to the dark ages, to the enlightenment period, to the French revolution, and to the philosophies of Darwin, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, the Church has not only survived, but has thrived during those times and outlived all contrary “-isms”, nations and empires.

Today we are here for the sake of the stability and survival of our great nation and of the American people—our city and nation will not remain great if we do away with the traditional moral values upon which our country was built. In the Nordic countries where the legalization of same-sex marriages has watered down the institution of marriage—more than 85 percent of the population has dismissed marriage as archaic and irrelevant and they just cohabitate. In fact, married heterosexual couples hide their wedding rings for fear of being castigated in public. Just as counterfeiting money will bankrupt an economy, counterfeiting marriage will cheapen, weaken, and detach the fundamental building block of society. The concept of same-sex marriage is at war with family values. There can be no reconciliation.

There has never been a generation in Western civilization that has faced such a moral and cultural crisis. In comparison, this is a much bigger threat to our national culture than the threat of terrorism is. All this has happened in our lifetime. The church has been called for such a time as this. Mark my words, we will make a difference. And for all those politicians who would dare legalize same-sex marriage, you had better think twice, ’cause we will remember you on Election Day.

We are here before you vowing to engage this cultural fight. Though the fight may be long, though the responsibility may be heavy, we will leave this world better for our children. Twenty years from now they will rise up and call us blessed for defending the principles that Americans have venerated and revered for generations.

We will not tolerate this radical agenda. More than ever we need people to stand up on principle. We need men such as William Wilberforce, who defeated slavery in England. Men such as Martin Luther King, Jr., who said that race and ethnicity should not be used as sources of power, and women such as Mother Teresa, who led the fight against poverty and scolded our political leaders for favoring abortion. We need more Winston Churchills, a man who stood up to the threats of communism and fascism, and fewer Neville Chamberlains, a man who cowered to the face of Hitler. As Thomas Jefferson noted in the Declaration of Independence, we are a people “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” also adding that our elected officials derive their just power “from the consent of the governed.” Poll after poll shows that Americans do not favor gay marriage. It’s time that our politicians start to represent mainstream America, and it’s time that as a society, we turn back to the moral compass on which we were founded.

Sincerely

Joseph Mattera