Every once in a while the people over at Nation of Change agree with me. Such is the case in this OpEd by Dekker Dryer, "Marriage is Already Ruined and Gay People had Nothing to do With it".
I do think Mr Dryer is a little more harsh than I have been, but he gets the point. The Government should be about contract things and Marriage should be about spiritual things. "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's."
Regards — Cliff
5 comments:
Look back to Greek Mythology, the Greek Gods belonged on Jerry Springer.
http://www.mythweb.com/gods/hera.html
What a mess.
Spiritual or not, marriage had the potential to be good public policy if we choose it to be. It could of been a concept that promotes the ideal a person's own mother and father should parent as one unit.
Not a bad idea to accept and put into practice.
But the way things are going now, I'm nothing but a stupid, ignorant, bigot for believing in such a silly idea. Why not sterilize me now so I don't breed my homophobic hate any further. It's people like me, and my thinking that's wrong with society.
Yes, straight people ruin everything, look at the Adam and Even couple. All they had to do was NOT EAT THE APPLE.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
Sorry to be so negative. Over in England a Family Judge with 30 years experience, makes the point clear on what those who disagree think the potential of what marriage could be.
http://www.marriagefoundation.org.uk/Web/Default.aspx
The launch of The Marriage Foundation is rooted in the vision and concern of Paul Coleridge. He was appointed a High Court judge in 2000 after 30 years as a family law specialist barrister. He deals with complex cases of family break up, especially those which involve children. Paul Coleridge has been outspoken on this issue for some time, receiving widespread media coverage and rising levels of public interest and support. For example, in its leading article for January 3, 2012 The Times commented: “His aim of strengthening the institution at the heart of personal relationships and the raising of children in love, stability and security is surely to be applauded.”
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I'm with Cliff here.
There are tons of threats to families in America these days (some external, but most internal). Gays have nothing to do with either type of threat.
Homosexuals deserve all the same rights and privileges that heterosexuals enjoy. The state has no business saying otherwise.
Actually, it is the STATE that is dabbling in things spiritual because the LGBT community is rejected in its beliefs about rights by the church. So, the state is trying to compel the church to confer rights. Same problem with abortion.
Beyond that, the Scripture is relatively silent on the matter of homosexual behaviors...other than to say it is an abomination before God. Where the church goes off the trolley is when it gets into the judgement business...and the Scriptures go to great lengths about NOT judging...leaving that little matter up to God.
So really, in God's eyes, what is the greater sin, homosexuality, gender switching, adultery, lying, or judging those who do and shaming them into banishment from the church?
We know all about those people outside the churches....but what about those inside? Who...or more important...WHAT are we?
Finally, how can the LGBT folks "destroy" marriage as an institution if they can't marry? I would suggest that the wanton destruction is more the responsibility of and result of misbehavior's on the part of those ALREADY married...but then...acceptance of responsibility for bad things is just so damned hard to do when we have so many convenient targets of convenience which to blame.
I can think of few things less "Christian" than shaming, shunning and condemning others for being exactly what they were made by their creator to be. I can also think of few things less aligned with our founding ideals (though the 3/5's thing does trump it, as would the lack of women's suffrage for so much of our history as well) than governmental intrusion into private lives for purposes of treating people differently under the law.
Which is all to say, this is a great piece, and I feel grateful to have been able to read it via the link here.
I will also add that I read the first two comments here as a complete conceit--there have been more children's lives ruined by dysfunctional heterosexual two-parent families than ever could be imagined by two-parent gay ones, and wishing and hoping and pretending it ain't so just ain't gonna make it ain't so.
However, in contrast:
A close high school friend, with his male partner (their marriage being prohibited in the state where they live), is raising an incredibly warm, sweet, gifted and beautiful (adopted) daughter--and I am ashamed to be a shadow of the parent he is, despite my "advantage" of heterosexuality. (Which is no advantage at all in parenting from first-hand experience). I thank providence every day such a girl, abandoned by her heterosexual parents, could be given such a gift of love, nurturing and stability by any two devoted parents, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation. It's immaterial to her and to me and to everyone else who loves her that she has "two dads". It's a shame others can't see it that way.
I will also add that two close female friends are marrying this summer here in Massachusetts, and I could not be prouder to be counted among any other wedding's guests. It's not by coincidence that they are raising (together) ones son by a "traditional" and completely failed (heterosexual) union, failed via a deadbeat dad who embodies a stereotype that's an embarrassment to all men everywhere, and to the bogus concept of "heterosexual" marriage having any particular advantages over any other kind.
Marriage depends on the character of the partners. I love the way it's put in this piece, that stripping away the convenient dodge of the word ("marriage") leaves only illustration of the unjust, unjustifiable and unfounded hatred of homosexuals simply for being as they were made by their creator.
You show me two people who love each other, and who possess the strength of character to be worthy of each others' love and commitment to each other and the family that they create together, and I'll show you the right environment within which all children should be raised. It has absolutely nothing to do with sexual orientation. It has everything to do with character. I take my hat off to these four better examples, as parents and loving partners, and I hope one day to be able to live up to achievements of their lives in mine.
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