Look up the word marriage in The American Heritage Dictionary and the first entry reads “the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife.” Read a little further and the following definition is found: “a union between two persons having the customary but usually not the legal force of marriage.”

While the dictionary can’t provide a definitive explanation of marriage, 68% of Likely Voters take the traditional approach and define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that only 29% believe marriage can be the union of any two people (see crosstabs).

Still, defining marriage has been the source of much recent debate and recent Court rulings have put the issue back on the nation’s agenda.

On July 6, 2006, decisions from the highest courts in New York State and Georgia dealt news-making blows to same-sex marriage advocates in those states. The New York State Court of Appeals rejected a bid for same-sex marriage rights when it ruled that marriage is constitutional only when it unites a man and a woman. That same day, Georgia reinstated its ban on same-sex marriage, after challenges to the language used on voters’ ballots in the 2004 election were rejected.

Same-sex marriage opponents also hailed two subsequent court victories in Nebraska and Tennessee handed down on July 14. In Nebraska, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reinstated the ban on same-sex marriages that was originally approved by voters in 2000. The Tennessee state Supreme Court cleared the way for a ban to be included on voters’ ballots.

However, the falling domino trail toward banning homosexual marriages slowed in Massachusetts when the state legislature voted to recess on July 12 before they could debate a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in that state. That decision tables the debate until the legislature reconvenes in November. Massachusetts, acting under Court orders, is the only state to legally recognize same sex marriage at this time.

Adding to the frenzy of recent activity, the U.S. House of Representatives again rejected a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage on July 18. Although 236 Members of Congress voted for the ban and just 187 were opposed, a Constitutional Amendment requires a two-thirds vote for passage and supporters of the Amendment fell short of the required two-thirds majority by 47 votes.

Despite all the legal and legislative maneuvering, just 12% of Americans believe that judges should determine issues like same-sex marriage. Only 5% think that elected officials should make those decisions. Overwhelmingly, 67% think that voters should make such decisions. Even among avid church-goers (those attending services at least once a week), 64% believe it’s voters and not the church who have decision-making power over the marriage question.

A related survey found that Americans found that 86% of all voters believe decisions about gay and lesbian pastors should be left to churches to resolve.

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