Now I don't want to get off on a rant here...

Gay Marriage: Civil Rights or Morality?

Is gay marriage an issue of public policy, civil rights, morality or religion? Is it relegated to simply a legal issue or does it transcend the U.S. Constitution? Who really has the final authority on where we should come down on this issue – President Bush, U.S. Supreme Court, Massachusetts Supreme Court, Congress, American people? Why is it such a big deal for proponents to win the right to get married or for opponents to prevent this from happening in our country?

There are so many questions and so many “action groups” to get involved with to support, defend, defeat, this that or the other. There is so much hate and rhetoric to go around for all parties. So much misunderstanding and so much confusion. So many voices and so many points of view. As an evangelical Christian, the Bible is my ultimate guide to right and wrong, my faith in Jesus Christ is what my life is centered on. So the issue of whether gay marriage should be legal or not is a simple matter for me. The Bible condemns this behavior, it is a vice, it is a sin, it is unholy to act out in this way.

Why is this such a complicated issue than? Why is our country so divided on this issue? One obvious reason, is that not everyone in America is Christian, not everyone in America believes in the God of the Bible. The issue at hand in biblical terms is a morality, right or wrong, godly or ungodly issue. God has shown us that homosexuality is wrong and is sinful. How does this relate to those non-believers? How does this convince them of anything? Quite simply it does not and that is a stumbling block to relate this ideal to people who do not believe in God. Why should they care what God has to say on the issue, why should they care what Bible thumpers have to say?

By in large, the Christian community has not done a good job of winning over the support of the homosexual community. This is a due to a breakdown on both sides of conflicting self-righteousness, finger pointing and pride. How much pride must exist in the hearts of man, which they need to reduce one another to a single group? It is easier to use groups because you can remove some of the humanity from the other point of view, rather than deal with real people with real hearts.

The fact of the matter is, that homosexuality speaks more to the breakdown of the family than the over-arching evilness and sin of the homosexual him or herself. Heterosexual couples that are living together out of wedlock or engaging in pre-marital sex or divorcing over selfish reasons leaving their children behind to fend for themselves are just as much to blame for this breakdown. We need to repair the family; we need to repair the hearts of our nation. We need to lift one another up in love and with encouragement.

This by no means deals with God’s righteousness or holiness for either the homo or heterosexual sinner. God’s love is immense, but so is His justice. However, until these issues are met head-on and with real honesty, founded in love we have no hope of understanding one another. The homosexual will continue to walk in the face of God’s word and the Bible thumper will continue to assail those that do not believe.

Should there be a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution, stating that marriage is between a man and a woman? Yes I believe there should be, to protect the family. Gay marriage is not a civil rights issue because homosexuals are not prevented from the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They are in search of recognition; they are in search of love and understanding. That can be provided without changing the definition of marriage. Ultimately this issue does transcend the U.S. Constitution, whether it ends up there or not. It goes beyond a document and enters our hearts, whether the Holy Spirit is living there or not. We must learn to turn towards one another for understanding, correction and love without having to always take it to court. Homosexuals should be welcomed into the church, because it is a house for sinners after all. And they must be prepared to come to an understanding of God and His holiness.

To fall short of these goals and the recognition and understanding of each point of view, will only end in more hate and more misunderstanding. There must be a breakdown in the pride of hearts and minds and a build up of love and family. This is essential for the future, for the children of our nation. No matter what the sexual orientation of their parents is.

Defending Marriage by Glenn T. Stanton

Four Key Points:
1. Same-sex families always deny children either their mother or father.
2. Same-sex family is a vast, untested social experiment with children.
3. Where does it stop? How do we say "no" to group marriage?
4. Schools will be forced to teach that the homosexual family is normal. Churches will be legally forced to perform same-sex ceremonies.

All of the family experimentation over the past 30 years – no fault divorce, the sexual revolution, cohabitation, fatherlessness -- have all been documented failures, harming adults and children in far deeper ways, for longer periods of time, than anyone ever imagined. Why do we think that this radical experiment will somehow bring good things? All we have is (opponent’s name’s) promise that everything will work out fine. Well, the advocates of each of these other experiments assured us the same thing. Their promises were empty. We all know that men and women are necessary for the family and that no child should intentionally be denied her mother or father in order to fulfill your adult desires. That is why we cannot accept the same-sex family. It serves no public purpose.

New poll shows 67% support Federal Marriage Amendment

Take action in support of the Federal Marriage Amendment:
Contact your legislators
Sign the petition

Posted by price at May 19, 2004 11:30 AM