So, about this question of gay marriage...
I don't like it. I don't think I will ever vote in favor of it. That said...
I'm a Christian, and I believe the Bible. And my reasons for the above sentiments on gay marriage come from it (the Bible, I mean).
Now, here is my challenge for all you readers: can you come up with any verifiable scientific or otherwise substantiated reason against gay marriage that doesn't have anything to do with the Bible?
My first reason for asking is this: America is not a theocracy, and while many of its founding ideas are based on Christian principles, it is not a "Christian" nation per se. Which is why there are some things are not outlawed even they may be wrong by Biblical standards. Adultery is not outlawed, for example. Neither is getting drunk. Neither is lying, so long as you're not defrauding someone or committing perjury. You're allowed to bow down to whatever god you choose. And so, outlawing gay marriage doesn't seem right if that ban is based solely on the Bible.
My second reason is that if I'm debating someone who believes that gay marriage is a good thing (and yes, I know people like this), he/she probably doesn't place a whole lot stock of in the Bible. So it would behoove me to have reasons that go beyond just being Biblical.
The argument can (and will) be made that if you legalize gay marriage there's no telling where you end up. The "slippery slope" argument. The most common one that is cited is polygamy...I have no doubt that if gay marriage was legalized, Warren Jeffs would immediately take it to the Supreme Court to legalize polygamy. But again, if we're not a "Christian" nation per se, by what authority can we declare polygamy illegal provided that the people involved are of age?
The argument can also be made that children need to be in a two-parent, mommy-and-daddy home. Again, I totally agree. But we already have a zillion single-parent homes in this country, and they're not exactly illegal. So...you see where I'm going with this. If single-parent homes are legal, why not two-parent same-sex homes? I don't like it one bit, but I don't have a good answer to that question. Research may show that kids in same-sex homes don't do as well, but what of it? Lots of research has shown that kids in single-parent homes don't do well either, and they're not outlawed...
As a Christian, I believe quite strongly that both polygamy and gay marriage are wrong. As an American, I don't like either one in the slightest but I am somewhat hard-pressed to find a reason why either one should be illegal. Bear in mind, I am not in any way endorsing gay marriage. Like I said earlier, I will never vote in favor of it. But the conversation I listened in on and wrote about
here kind of got me thinking about this.
So, back to my original challenge for all you readers: can you come up with any
verifiable scientific or otherwise substantiated reasons against gay
marriage that don't have anything to do with the Bible?
Bonus question: I believe God ultimately judges countries for good or ill, depending on the choices that those countries make and the choices that the people within them make. So in terms of gay marriage, what will be judged more: the legality (assuming it was legal) or the homosexual behavior itself?
Because I'm pretty sure that legalization wouldn't make more people gay, so if the behavior is what gets judged...then legalizing gay marriage doesn't really change anything.
In any case, if current trends in the under-35 generation hold, gay marriage will be legal in most of the US by the time I die. Not much I can do about that in terms of a vote.
Anyway, this is long. Leave your thoughts, comments, questions, complaints, and all that. You know the drill. Good night.
Comments (7)
hmmm, interesting. I haven't thought about gay marriage legality as much as abortion but I think the principles may be the same. What if instead of demonstrating and trying to change laws we put our energies into mentoring teenagers and volunteering at CPC's and caring for the poor and modeling healthy marriages/families??
The fact is that the church has dropped the ball on marriage, and if we would all have lived by one man/one woman/one time, husbands loving wives, wives respecting husbands, I don't think the gay marriage movement would have much power/appeal.
Sermon over, benediction, go home.
Let the states come up with something like gay marriage and legalize it if they want to. Civil unions which would allow a gay couple (or, for instance, a mother and daughter) to live together and enjoy tax benefits and whatever else makes sense to me. Just don't call it marriage, because it's not. I mean, if you want to change the definition of the word, I guess that's fine. It's not marriage as I define it or as my religion defines it or as God defines it. It's hard for me to see that what the government does will matter a whole lot. It's much more important what people do, and I would be for attempting to influence people, through the power of God and His kingdom.
Ron
You're tagged, if you feel like playing.
You said what I've thought and not been able to put into words. Thank you sir.
Well I think that gay marriages are very unhealthy for children being raised therein. A child has a better chance of being a balanced adult if he was raised with a father and mother. I just shudder when I read how these gay couples are adopting children..
I know this doesnt answer your question..but. :)
I think gov. should be neutral on the issue of gay marriage. Not punishing, but certainly not encouraging of it. The reason for tax benefits, etc. for married couples and couples w/ children is because, while our society has fallen far short of perfection, 1 father/1 mother families are still the best way for kids to be raised...gov. should do all it can to encourage that.