Reinforcing the Foundation

This is a particularly critical issue to me, because in nearly thirty years of prison ministry, I?ve seen the disastrous consequences of family breakup. More than half the inmates in prison come from broken families. Inmates typically lack male and female role models (a dad and a mom) who are the moral influences that inform their consciences early in life. Anything that causes family breakdown will increase crime and social disorder. Only a society that has abandoned reason would knowingly undermine the family.

I?ve asked Mark Earley, former Attorney General of Virginia and now president of Prison Fellowship, to address another issue that is vital to us that has been raised by this same-sex ?marriage? drive?that is, the rule of law. So be sure to read ? BreakPoint? tomorrow.

Many times on ? BreakPoint? I have asked you to get involved in issues, important ones. But never has there been one as important for Christians as this. Marriage is not a partisan issue. This has to do with protecting the most fundamental institution of human life, one of the three institutions ordained by God.

If you?ve called before and have material about this issue, that?s fine. But if you haven?t, please call us today (1-877-322-5527). And then call or e-mail the White House and thank the president for his courageous stand. Urge your senators and congressman, as well, to get moving on this amendment, the most titanic struggle of the culture war to date.

Take action:

Thank President George W. Bush for supporting a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. E-mail president@whitehouse.gov. Call 202-456-1111. Or write: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500.

For further reading and information:

?President Calls for Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage ,? White House Office of the Press Secretary, 24 February 2004.

Debbie Reichmann, ? Bush to Back Gay Marriage Ban Amendment ,? Associated Press, 24 February 2004.

Cal Thomas, ? Reflected Virtue ,? Jewish World Review, 19 February 2004.

BreakPointCommentary No. 040218, ? Ward and Ward Cleaver .?

John Fund, ? Marriage of Inconvenience ,? Wall Street Journal, 23 February 2004.

Visit Maggie Gallagher?s website on the Marriage Debate .

Sign BreakPoint?s online petition in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

Call 1-877-3-CALLBP to request the complimentary Marriage Amendment information packet, which includes articles on marriage and family by William Bennett and Stanley Kurtz, the Evangelicals and Catholics Together statement on marriage, the text of the Federal Marriage Amendment, and a chart from the Alliance for Marriage  articles, and more to help you speak effectively and compassionately on the issue of homosexuality and marriage.

Visit One Hundred Thousand Ministers  for information on what pastors can do.

Visit BreakPoint?s Sanctity of Marriage resource page .