Now that Gov. Chris Christie has dropped his appeal on the same-sex marriage case, gay and lesbian couples can legally wed. Executive Director of the League of American Families John Tomicki told NJ Today Managing Editor Mike Schneider that he thinks that the allowance of same-sex marriage is not good for society and will cause polygamy in New Jersey.
While Tomicki said he understands Christie’s decision from a legal point of view, he added, “The error in there is the fact that the New Jersey Supreme Court in Louis vs. Harris never dealt with the issue of defining what is marriage, what is the purpose of mother, what is the purpose of father and what is the sociological out there that supports why the natural marriage of a mother and father is better for a culture, better for a society.”
Marriage has been defined as between a man and a woman for thousands of years, Tomicki said. He said he thinks that no judge or court has the moral or constitutional right to define marriage and it is up to the legislature to define it. The legislature has redefined it, but in a way that Tomicki said conflicts with natural law.
Supporters of legalized same-sex marriage have said New Jersey’s civil unions didn’t offer equal rights and protections for gay couples. Tomicki said individuals involved in civil unions weren’t treated unequally according to the statute.
Tomicki said he believes legalized same-sex marriage will lead to polygamy. “Once you change the definition of a marriage from a conjugal marriage — mother, father, children construct — to a consent — whoever you feel you love to be married to — all the barriers to the number of the people, the age and the gender there goes away. There is no way to restrict it,” he said.
According to Tomicki, polygamy has become an issue in other states with legalized same-sex marriage, though when asked which states, he could not specify.
Tomicki said that he does not support same-sex couples adopting children and he never has.
According to Tomicki, religious liberties will be under attack with the legalization of same-sex marriage. He said bakers and photographers have been sued in other states for refusing to work with same-sex couples for their weddings.