Should Gays be allowed to marry?

SHOULD GAYS GET MARRIED?

                As I said previously, we fear what we do not know or understand. When I first learned about gays, I experienced a tremendous “ick!!” moment. When I saw outlandish male homosexuals in parades and such on television I was really distressed. It colored my thinking and was a very negative influence. These people seemed to almost be from a different planet to me. Additionally, the Bible, in spite of gay claims to the contrary, clearly indicates a strong dislike of the gay lifestyle.

                However, I’ve since discovered that gays are just people like you and me. Most of them are not outlandish in dress; they have normal jobs and came from families with a mother and father and siblings, who usually at least, are not gay. I know a few gays, inside and outside of my family, and all that I know now or have known in the past are good people. They struggle with the same things we do, plus a little/maybe a lot extra. We need to love them like our brothers and sisters; they are also God’s children.

                Clearly there are two points of view here. From my church’s viewpoint, the lifestyle is not acceptable to God. Marriage is out of the question. Many churches see it this way. From a political point of view, however, the opinion is the opposite. The declaration of Independence declares that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are endowed to all of us by God. While perhaps not having the full strength of the constitution behind these words, it is obvious that the founders meant these words to be part of how America works.

                What to do when the two conflict? I think we fight with all of our hearts to have our opinion known, to pass laws that reflect our opinion and hope that they are declared constitutional. That is the right of the people in a democracy. But we must realize that the minority also has rights; they have their liberty to pursue happiness. As conservatives, we must also protect that right. Frankly, we are no longer in the majority in this area. My kids and the rising generation have been desensitized. The “ick” factor is gone. They have been raised with kids who have gay parents and they know the kids are pretty much like them. As the younger get older, some will join our side, but not most. Eventually, barring the second coming, they will win.

                Should we all move? Where would we go? We need to teach the truth of God to our children and still live in this world. We need to get along with and love its inhabitants. We need to respect freedom of choice, a gift from God. Perhaps it’s even true that genetics plays a huge part in being gay. What then? Did God then also create gays? What if? Is it a test to see if we will love all others, no matter who they are? We can love gays and still not accept their lifestyle. We can state that our religion will not allow them to marry in the church. That is our right under the constitution. But, can we claim that they are not allowed to civilly marry under the rules of the constitution or enjoy the rights of a domestic partnership? Only until the majority declares that gay marriage is OK and that time is coming quickly. For now, I think we should extend the rights of marriage to them, without calling it marriage. That may hold them off for a season. I don’t think we can ever let them marry in the church.

                I now speak to the gays (as if many of them are reading this blog). Many of you believe that God exists and that the Bible is true. You have been told that the Old Testament condemnation of homosexuality is the same as the condemnation of eating pork or the uncleanness of leprosy. Perhaps so; maybe it was to avoid something like AIDs. Peter’s injunctions in the New Testament – perhaps we treat them the same as Peter’s statements about wives obeying their husbands when we know that men and women are equal partners. Has God changed to be more modern? Maybe the translations were bad or scribes added their own interpretations. Maybe Sodom and Gomorrah weren’t really destroyed. But – can you afford to bet your eternal life on it? If it was me, I wouldn’t. Maybe you can’t have sex for the rest of your life. Many people face that problem. If it were me I would gladly trade sex for eternal life.

Elmer Grubbs

A semi-rational conservative