Mexico’s Religious Conservatives Seek Anti-LGBT Constitutional Amendment

By Julie Brown Patton 6 Sep, 2016 16:25 EDT

Mexico For Life and Family — Evangelicals from the organization, For Life and Family, recently gathered 300,000 signatures in support of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex couples from getting married in Mexico. They organized a march prior to delivering the signatures to government officials. Facebook

An evangelical organization, For Life and Family, recently gathered 300,000 signatures in support of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex couples from getting married in the country. The signatures were presented to the Chamber of Deputies after a march. The initiative also would add bans against abortion and sex education in schools into the constitution.

Marriage equality has been spreading steadily in Mexico, thanks to a long-term legal strategy by activists who have brought case after case to the federal courts to win injunctions for couples, leading to legal and state-level legislative victories, reports Religion Dispatches.

From a report in El Norte: "Hugo Eric Flores, who is also leader of the PES, considered that God must become the focus of national policy. Once a spiritual government for all of us, seeking the face of the Lord asking him to have mercy on this nation is established, you know what will happen? That just be lifted to govern," he said. Evangelical leaders added that mobilizing to San Lazaro was historic because never before has a religious organization succeeded in presenting a bill. This, they said they felt, was a miracle.

Catholic bishops reportedly have been vocal opponents of the initiative, though the Archdiocese of Mexico put out a statement that it is not among the organizers of the anti-marriage rallies planned by the National Front of the Family.

President Enrique Peña Nieto this week reaffirmed his support for his own effort to have marriage equality guaranteed in the Constitution, a move he first announced in May and which some activists believe is responsible for the current backlash.

A national gathering of LGBT rights activists that took place August 25-28 released the "Cuernavaca Declaration," which calls on the government to protect the rights of LGBT people and preserve secular government.

LGBT activists have announced a march planned for Sept. 11.

Another group of activists called on government officials to prevent religious organizations from taking actions they considered "hostile to human rights."

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Mexico’s Religious Conservatives Seek Anti-LGBT Constitutional Amendment

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.