Nine Iowa lawmakers think same-sex marriage violates the separation of church and state

A group of Iowa lawmakers released a statement this week saying they opposed a Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide because of the "separation of church and state."

"Today a group of my colleagues and I sent out a press release in response to the baseless opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court concerning marriage. We will have to stand up the the excesses of all three branches of our federal government," Republican state Senator Jason Schultz wrote on his Facebook page.

Nine state senators and representatives signed the document, which proclaims that "the rights of mankind are anchored in Natural Law."

The statement claims that same-sex marriage violates natural law because same-sex couples cannot reproduce.

"It is self evident that only a sexual union of a male and female naturally creates a human life. Once created, the natural father and mother have a genetic bond to nourish and insure that the child's unalienable rights are supported and protected. These obligations are carried out in a relationship between one man and one woman which balances the strengths and weaknesses of each sex in childrearing. This is the time-tested, societal definition of marriage. Therefore, any marriage relationship other than between one man and one woman violates Natural Law."

The Iowa lawmakers suggest in their statement that same-sex marriage violates the separation of church and state.

Separation of church and state means the government cannot interfere with religion, the statement claims. "At the same time, in order for the United States to function at its best, the people who represent the citizens in government must reflect a strong Judeo-Christian ethic in all we do, including having a solid, unmovable moral basis in our laws," it adds.

The statement concludes: "Therefore, we the undersigned will use every Constitutional tactic possible to ensure the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence are protected. Those principles are what have made America truly exceptional for 239 years."

State Representative Sandy Salmon, who signed the document, said the Supreme Court's ruling violated God's law.

"Disastrous decision today by the Supreme Court granting same-sex couples the right to marry! This goes against the law of God, the laws of nature, and thousands of years of history! This court has clearly lost its way!" she wrote on Facebook.

The other signers of the statement include state Representative Greg Heartsill, state Senator Dennis Guth, state Representative Steven Holt, state Representative Larry Sheets, state Representative Tedd Gassman, state Senator Randy Feenstra, and state Representative Stan Gustafson.