I don’t post often, so you can
gather the level of importance I place. North Carolina just
voted for a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. I have friends & family on both sides of
the issue, so in many ways I feel in the middle.
In just a
few words I want to “splane myself Lucy”. Do I support gay marriage; I do not know. Am I against gay marriage; no. I know many will say I’m being two faced, or
ambiguous, but my answers are genuine. I
can say this because I have looked at the issue from many angles. I have asked questions from those I respect, I
have prayed, I have researched, and I have lived with friends from both sides.
First the
civil. Do I have a problem with the
state acknowledging a partnership between two persons of the same sex? Of course not. If we are making marriage about the money, we
have already cheapened it beyond and easy repair. Never about the money. However, if the state wishes to reward a
couple who have pledged to each other because it is good for society. If loving couples, with or without children,
create a more stable society, then it is only right to reward. Two men, two women, or one of each – this does
not effect the premise. If it is about
improving society, then we should encourage such unions.
Second the
observed. The only difference I find
between my friends who are gay and my friends who are straight is how they act
in public. Gay coupes are not accepted
in public just yet. Not in the south
anyway. But we do accept straight
couples acting badly. I see issue with
this. I know two gay couples who for all
purposes are married. They are as
committed as any others. Seeing them
together, to deny them union, wrong. Just wrong.
Third, biblical. Does the bible say that homosexuality is
wrong? Yes it does. I would be lying if I said otherwise. The bible is against homosexual life. What does God say? This I do not know. This is my quandary. The bible passages are clear. My “do not know” comes from the other stuff
the bible says. It is also where my
anger comes from.
I hear
people say they are against gay marriage because of religion. How do they rectify the ambiguities? Gay marriage is bad, but divorce is okay. I don’t see a ground swell of support for
banning recognition of second marriages.
By the by, a divorce for anything other than infidelity if biblically unfounded. Anyone remarrying from such a divorce is considered
and adulterer. Leviticus says to kill
adulterers. Deuteronomy requires the
woman to be a virgin. I can just see
that test before a marriage license. Biblically
it was verified by the town elders at the gate entrance. It would certainly liven up Main Street on a Saturday night. Paul thought everyone should be celibate. Only those who could not restrain their urges
were admonished to marry. Putting
marriage aside for a moment, did you know it was biblically illegal to wear a
polyester cotton blend?
Offerings to God were made in the
form of animal sacrifices. Somewhere
that changed, but I don’t see it in the Bible. Polygamy was common, but again I don’t see the
change in the Bible.
Can I be a Christian
and not follow everything in the Bible? I believe so.
So does everyone else. No one can
follow a straight biblical life. So it
is a matter of personal interpretation and social acceptance. And so that is why I can say, I don’t know if
I support gay marriage, but if I must make a decision, I choose love. So though I do not know if I support, I would
NEVER stand in the way. Jesus first
commandment, love God. His second
command, love your neighbor. The older I
get, the more I rely on these two for guidance.
