Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee sign pledge saying Supreme Court can't decide gay marriage

Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee are among the more than 50,000 people who have signed a pledge promising to disobey a Supreme Court ruling striking down state bans on gay marriage.

The nation's highest court is within days of handing down a ruling in a case challenging bans in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan. The decision could lead to nationwide marriage equality.

Launched in March, the Defend Marriage pledge was co-authored by Rick Scarborough, a prominent evangelical pastor.

(Related: Rick Scarborough pledges to "burn" fighting gay marriage.)

"We will view any decision by the Supreme Court or any court the same way history views the Dred Scott and Buck v. Bell decisions," the pledge states."Our highest respect for the rule of law requires that we not respect an unjust law that directly conflicts with higher law. A decision purporting to redefine marriage flies in the face of the Constitution and is contrary to the natural created order. As people of faith we pledge obedience to our Creator when the State directly conflicts with higher law. We respectfully warn the Supreme Court not to cross this line."

Allowing gay couples to marry undermines the institution and hurts children, the pledge argues: "Authorizing the legal equivalency of marriage to same-sex couples undermines the fundamental rights of children and threatens their security, stability and future."

"Neither the United States Supreme Court nor any court has authority to redefine marriage and thereby weaken both the family and society," it adds.

According to its website, more than 50,000 people have signed the pledge, including GOP presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.

(Related: Only insincere candidates would sing NOM's anti-gay marriage pledge, AFER says.)