To the editor:

On Tuesday, Aug. 3, the citizens of Missouri will be asked to vote on two constitutional amendments.

Amendment 1 would allow a gambling boat near Branson — bad idea, in my opinion.

Amendment 2 states: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended so that to be valid and recognized in this state, marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman?”

Why would we need such an amendment? Because activist judges have been overruling state laws that restrict marriage to one man and one woman. In Massachusetts, the state Supreme Court has mandated that homosexuals be allowed to marry. Should we be concerned?

Here are some words from Stephen Bennett, a former homosexual now working to bring people out of this destructive lifestyle.

Speaking Thursday, June 26, about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Texas sodomy law, Bennett said, “As a former homosexual, I am deeply saddened about today’s ruling. I have lost many ‘gay’ friends who are dead today because they contracted AIDS from sodomy. To think the United States Supreme Court has actually sanctioned sexual perversion — just amazes me.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Page 566, states, in part: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementary. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”

There is in the works a Federal Protection of Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This would also restrict marriage to one man and one woman. This has not as yet cleared the Senate, but both Missouri senators support it.

Allowing homosexuals to marry certainly does them no favor.

With help, many thousands of individuals who were involved in the homosexual lifestyle have been able to overcome this problem and live normal lives.

Three organizations that provide help are: COURAGE, the Evangel Society and the American Family Association.

The passage of Amendment 2 restricting marriage to one man and one woman will be a small step in the right direction.

Howard Brandt

Concord