I've never been all that vocal about same-sex marriage on either side. Yes, I'm a Christian. Yes, I believe that the Bible is God's Living Word and I do my best, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to abide in its truths. But, here's why I'm not all that angry about the decision the Supreme Court made last week concerning same sex marriage:
I'm a sinner.
Yet, I have certain rights afforded to me regardless of my sin. I can get married. I can have children. I can adopt children. I get a tax break for my marriage and my children. I can rely on my husband's health insurance while I'm in school (and for all those years before that while I was a stay-at-home mom). My husband is allowed to visit me in the hospital and make decisions for me, regardless of whether or not I have an advance directive or a living will (I have neither--I need to get on that!). Why am I afforded these rights while other citizens of our country are not?
You see, I'm not looking at this as a sin thing. I'm looking at it as a citizen thing, as a human right's thing. Does that fact that I'm ok with the gay community receiving these types of benefits mean that I'm ok with their lifestyle? No, it does not. I have many family members and friends whose lifestyles I don't agree with; but, I don't picket outside their homes, demanding their civil rights be taken away.
Where is the outcry against bacon? (Deut. 14:8)
Where are the angry mobs picketing outside tattoo parlors? (Lev 19:28)
Where are the churches denying services to formerly divorced people who are getting remarried (or to ANYONE who has slept with a person other than their spouse)? (Mal 2:16, Matt 19:9, 1 Cor 7:10-11)
Where is the outrage against each and every Christian church in this country on Sunday mornings, with women in attendance, wearing jeans and T-shirts, and heads uncovered? (Or, God forbid, the churches where women are actually teaching?) (Deut. 22:5, 1 Cor 14:34-35)
See my point? You can't pick-and-choose which sinners should be denied which benefits. It's all sinful, according to the Bible. So, while I may not agree with the lifestyle, I also don't agree with denying these civil rights to the gay community (separation of church and state, yo). Right now, I'm seeing the majority of Christians walking a fine line between "defending traditional marriage" and oppression. And, I'm not down with that. We have more important things to do with our time and energy than start a civil war with the gay community.
I remember reading something when I was raising toddlers that has stuck with me over the years: Choose your battles. And, I follow that mantra in many areas of my life aside from parenthood. This is one of them. I'm choosing my battles. Denying rights to the gay community isn't one of them. This decision doesn't affect us, our marriages or our faith. We need to keep on keepin' on. We need to share the message of the Gospel in love, without judgment or condemnation. That is our battle.
2 comments:
I actually have an even more progressive position than you do. When my granddaughter was born with her enzyme genetics all mixed up, I starting coming to the conclusion that maybe people's gender genetics could also get mixed up. I think there is enough evidence in very young transgender children to prove this is not a choice, but something inborn. I can't imagine having MY soul and personality, but being locked in a male body. I believe that is what has happened to transgender people.
And if transgenderism truly exists, then why not a genetic pre-disposition to homosexuality? Again, I can't imagine being attracted to women like I am attracted to men but being prohibited from acting on that attraction. Therefore I no longer believe it's wrong for gay and lesbian couples to be allowed to form a legal committed relationship.
If this position means I don't believe in the bible, then so be it. I think the bible is no longer right on this. I think it's possible this biblical law was put in place when heterosexuality was the only way to populate the earth. We clearly don't have that concern anymore; in fact, quite the opposite. Or maybe homosexuality used to be only rampant in the degraded criminal community, and was strictly associated with that, thereby necessitating God forbidding it. Again, that's no longer the case.
Christians better get over it and figure out how to live in this new world, because this is not going away. (But don't worry, I'm still against abortion.)
Interesting perspective. Since I've been studying genetics and human anatomy for several years now, I grow more and more fascinated by our creation. Because of Ezra, I also have a perspective that God creates us and some with more imperfections than others. I've constantly asked why Ezra was born the way he was, and why he had to die so young. I'll just say that I would much rather have had him grow up and be gay or transgendered than born with his anomalies. At least he would have grown up....
And, I am also staunchly against abortion, except in extreme cases. :)
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