Below is a post I just put up at my own blog. With GWB coming out in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment, it is more important than ever to be able to talk to my fellow Christians about homosexuality and same-sex marriage. I'm interested in hearing how some of you are debating this and would appreciate comments and critique, either here or
at my blog.
Here's what I've written so far:
Hi! I'm one of you. Born-again at age 13, in 1973, at music camp at the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana. My favorite psalm is 73, I believe that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, and I have most of Romans 8 memorized. I have quiet time, a prayer list, and a church. Ok? Let's chat.
There are lots of sins mentioned in the Bible. I'm sure you could point out to me that homosexuality gets a few verses. Adultery gets some, too. Lying, stealing, coveting, worshipping idols -- you know them. Jesus seems to focus on hypocrisy quite a bit. He doesn't mention homosexuality at all, by the way.
Do you get the idea this post is about homosexuality? Of course it is. But let's talk about something else for a second.
What is the greatest gift God gave us, after life? That's right -- free will. Our Omnipotent God could easily have created us to worship, without question, without hesitation -- but God gave us a choice -- free will. Whether or not you believe in Adam and Eve literally, the story is clear on that point. God gave us a choice -- a safe, beautiful, perfect world in which we would automatically worship God and live forever -- or the opportunity to be tempted by something else. And because God created us with free will, we were able to be tempted by the idea of knowing as much as God, and we chose that. We still do.
Now, I believe in a Creator God and I think we were originally conceived -- or created to evolve -- into heterosexuals. But hello? The world has changed and we've changed it. We've been making our own choices and look around! Pollution, cancer, clear-cutting, nuclear weapons...this world is not the same place God gave us. We also have done amazing, loving, creative things with our choices -- and we've shown compassion and adaptation to the changes that have arisen.
When a child is born with a learning disability, God doesn't say, "whoa -- I didn't create people with learning disabilities. That's just wrong. That kid's gotta straighten up, stop sinning." And neither do we. When a child is born with a skin tone that is uniquely hers, a product of a heritage rich in varied color, God doesn't say, "Hey! I created a certain palette and you've been messing with it. Stop that. Fix this child." Why is it so hard to believe that over all that time, with the myriad of changes in our environment and in ourselves, that some people are born with a desire for those of the same gender? Why do so many Christians insist on believing that homosexuals are making a choice about who to love?
Sure, there are people who have sex with people of the same gender because they want to experiment, or because they're desperate for love and will take it (or an approximation of it) anywhere they can. Sure, there are homosexuals who are promiscuous. There are just as many heterosexuals who are promiscuous -- and we are not writing amendments to prevent them from getting married.
Ok, yes -- this post is about marriage, and specifically about the insistence some of you have that our government make legislation that prevents gay people from getting married. And that's not godly, nor Christian. Look at the facts: Liars, thieves, adulterers, hypocrites, alcoholics, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, child molesters -- if they're heterosexual, they are allowed to participate in what our President calls "the sanctity of marriage." But a person who all their lives has had a sexual attraction to a person of the same sex? Who, in many cases, has remained faithful to one person for decades? Nope.
What is it that you are objecting to? Is it simply homosexuality's listing in the Bible? Well then, get busy and add adulterers and all those other sinners to the Marriage Amendment. Because there is no case -- NONE -- that God considers homosexuality a greater sin than any other. Is it anal sex? (cue horror music) Well, I hate to break it to you, but heterosexual couples have anal sex too. Should we find them and make sure they're included (excluded) in the FMA, too? Is it that homosexual marriage can't result in the procreation of children? Well, list me, too because I did not have children in my first marriage and I don't intend to have them. Yes, I can and might adopt, as a single mother -- and I would make sure that my child had steady male influences in his life. Just like same-sex couples who adopt make sure that their child has both male and female support.
I could go on. I may go on later. But for now, I leave you with this: I am certain -- certain -- that God does not condemn homosexuals and that God rejoices in two people who love and commit to one another, creating family and community. So even if you don't believe in the separation of church and state, and therefore believe that civil marriage must meet "Christian" guidelines? I believe -- I am certain -- that same-sex marriage should be celebrated. Maybe you disagree. I challenge you to find the scripture that proves me wrong and you right. I'd be happy to debate it with you. In the end, as you and I know, God is the ultimate judge and really, all we can do here in this earthly life, is do our best -- in our own lives -- to follow Jesus. And I think Jesus would weep at how selfish and judgmental many Christians are on this subject.