Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Aren't we all people?
Hello again. I hate to deal with such a heavy topic already on the second post, but there is a controversy in America that is bothering me. It concerns the rights of homosexuals to be married. It seems to me that those who wish them to be denied this are missing a few important points.
First of all, Christianity does not own marriage. Cultures since the begining of time have had marriage ceremonies. Therefore why is the practice limited to the morals of Christianity? If the USA is not officialy a Christian nation, then why do we let Christianity define our laws of appropriate behavior? Shouldn;t we be looking into such things in a more detached and scientific nature? Does homosexuality harm society? Does it harm individuals? I can only think that it can no more harm America that the many poor heterosexual couplings that occur daily. We MUST not allow our judgment on such matters be controlled by our religious romanticism.
Second of all, the state does not belong marriage. For whatever reason we feel the need to affix bureaucracy to the practice of joining married partners. This is fine, but marriage is more about the heart than a seal on an official document. It is the heart that links souls and lives together.
Lastly, these people are being discriminated against. They have rights as citizens of this country to do everything anyone else can do. Vote, pay taxes, and marry. There are many benefits of marriage; it is a public declaration of love, a reminder of commitment, and of course, there are issues with taxes and insurance. These are things we should not be holding back from human beings.
So, if your personal morality sees homosexuality as sin, that is fine. We have the freedom to believe as much. But it is wrong to force that morality on others. As a Christian, I find this approach poor anyway. The true key to helping people is love, not exclusion. We need to allow these people to be a part of our normal society, and deal with them on a personal and real basis. We need to treat it in an anthropological way; they are a part of a society that we may not understand. We need to reach out and learn about these men and women, and truely care for their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. All of this must be done per Christ. What is not needed is a scarlet letter situation, where homosexuals are branded unnatural and unworthy of state recognition.
This a nation built on freedom, and I believe that sin or not, you cannot deny love. Sins have occurred between heterosexuals, but the state allows marriage to continue there. We are talking about real people, with families, feelings, hopes, fears, and dreams. Why do we see the need to deny them recognizable as couples? In the end, what we want is a society where people can be themselves. Where ideas can be exchanged, and growth can be achieved. If we continue to make policy that forces men and women to hide in fear of persectution, we have learned nothing. We are stewards of our time here on Earth. We should not be using the law of the land to force our personal understanding of morailty and sanctity. We should not be using our actions to hinder the happiness of our neighbors. A person is a person is a person. Let these men and women marry, and stop treating them as we treated African Americans in years past.
Christians: Do not crush these men and women with the Law. Allow them, as God has allowed you, to make your own way in life, and be responsible for your own actions. Do not deny them the right to love.
First of all, Christianity does not own marriage. Cultures since the begining of time have had marriage ceremonies. Therefore why is the practice limited to the morals of Christianity? If the USA is not officialy a Christian nation, then why do we let Christianity define our laws of appropriate behavior? Shouldn;t we be looking into such things in a more detached and scientific nature? Does homosexuality harm society? Does it harm individuals? I can only think that it can no more harm America that the many poor heterosexual couplings that occur daily. We MUST not allow our judgment on such matters be controlled by our religious romanticism.
Second of all, the state does not belong marriage. For whatever reason we feel the need to affix bureaucracy to the practice of joining married partners. This is fine, but marriage is more about the heart than a seal on an official document. It is the heart that links souls and lives together.
Lastly, these people are being discriminated against. They have rights as citizens of this country to do everything anyone else can do. Vote, pay taxes, and marry. There are many benefits of marriage; it is a public declaration of love, a reminder of commitment, and of course, there are issues with taxes and insurance. These are things we should not be holding back from human beings.
So, if your personal morality sees homosexuality as sin, that is fine. We have the freedom to believe as much. But it is wrong to force that morality on others. As a Christian, I find this approach poor anyway. The true key to helping people is love, not exclusion. We need to allow these people to be a part of our normal society, and deal with them on a personal and real basis. We need to treat it in an anthropological way; they are a part of a society that we may not understand. We need to reach out and learn about these men and women, and truely care for their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. All of this must be done per Christ. What is not needed is a scarlet letter situation, where homosexuals are branded unnatural and unworthy of state recognition.
This a nation built on freedom, and I believe that sin or not, you cannot deny love. Sins have occurred between heterosexuals, but the state allows marriage to continue there. We are talking about real people, with families, feelings, hopes, fears, and dreams. Why do we see the need to deny them recognizable as couples? In the end, what we want is a society where people can be themselves. Where ideas can be exchanged, and growth can be achieved. If we continue to make policy that forces men and women to hide in fear of persectution, we have learned nothing. We are stewards of our time here on Earth. We should not be using the law of the land to force our personal understanding of morailty and sanctity. We should not be using our actions to hinder the happiness of our neighbors. A person is a person is a person. Let these men and women marry, and stop treating them as we treated African Americans in years past.
Christians: Do not crush these men and women with the Law. Allow them, as God has allowed you, to make your own way in life, and be responsible for your own actions. Do not deny them the right to love.
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