Welcome to G3 Weekly—a summary of this week’s top news stories on Christianity and the public square.
This week, members of the Senate advanced a bill that would codify so-called same-sex marriage into federal law. The global population exceeded eight billion people for the first time in history. Meanwhile, exit polls showed that unmarried women are among the most reliable voters for the Democratic Party.
Senate Advances So-Called Same-Sex Marriage Bill
“Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28).
A measure codifying same-sex marriage into federal law passed a procedural vote in the Senate with the support of every Democrat and twelve Republicans.
According to a press release from Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, the Respect for Marriage Act would establish the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges into law such that Americans are “free to marry the person they love, regardless of sexual orientation or race, without fear of discrimination or fear that their marriages will be invalidated.”
The new legislation, which is expected to pass the House of Representatives and garner the endorsement of President Joe Biden, will overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, said in a statement that he voted against the motion to advance the bill because “religious liberty protections” offered by the legislation “were severely anemic and largely illusory.” The lawmaker added that religious individuals and organizations could be exposed to litigation and the loss of nonprofit status.
Among the Republicans who voted to advance the legislation were Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Senator Rob Portman of Ohio.
Global Population Surpasses Eight Billion People
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28).
There are more than eight billion people on the planet as of this week, according to a projection from the United Nations.
Even as birth rates diminish in the wake of the lockdown-induced recession, portions of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America will constitute the bulk of population growth in the coming years. The nations of Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will account for the majority of population growth over the next three decades.
“This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres remarked.
Some have claimed that a larger global population reflects added burden to the planet rather than resources to innovate and render economic activity more efficient. United Nations Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin commented that “rapid population growth makes eradicating poverty, combatting hunger and malnutrition, and increasing the coverage of health and education systems more difficult.”
Such outcomes, however, have drastically improved following the spread of global capitalism and concurrent population growth after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Unmarried Women Break Heavily for the Democrats
“Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing” (1 Timothy 2:14).
Unmarried women were among the most reliable voters for Democratic nominees in the recent midterm elections, according to exit poll data from CNN.
As many as 68% of unmarried women voted for progressive candidates, contributing to overperformance from the Democrats in comparison to pundits’ expectations. Meanwhile, 56% of married women voted for Republican candidates, while 59% of married men and 52% of unmarried men likewise cast ballots for Republicans.
Beyond concerns about the economy and soaring inflation, voters cited abortion as one of the most pressing issues on their minds. Democrats relied upon a pendulum effect as voters reacted against the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade earlier this year.
