What is it about us that we want to rebel so much? Not necessarily talking about my parents here; in fact, I don't think I'm really talking about parents at all. But why do we continually want to rebel against each other? It seems that those who support one idea to an extreme point-too-far are in fact the reason that people to go the other extreme direction one those same continuums. Whenever I read an article like this one, for example, I am suddenly compelled to side with the victims, regardless of their moral convictions. It could be that I see an injustice, and want, more than to agree with them, to support them. Or maybe I'm just appalled at the actions of someone who probably agrees with most of my ideas, and I am therefore repelled to what I see that we both have in common. Regardless, I am finding more and more that my desire to support people is outweighing my desire that they would agree with me. It's a tough balance between cowardice and sympathy. I can't lay down my ideas in order that I can just get along with other, yet I can't let my ideas get in the way of getting along with others. Trying to get along with everyone is near impossible though, and it seems I like to side (at least in my mind) with the underdog. I've been thinking a lot about gay rights and the bible.
It's funny that we'll condemn homosexuality as a sin using the Bible. Mostly funny because it wasn't too long ago that people were using the Bible to support slavery and male dominance (and may still use it today). I guess I've been pondering how our convictions are shaped so much by our immediate context. I grew up in a house that was against homosexuality, not necessarily gays. Not that the topic came up that much, but it probably did a few times. I'm not so sure anymore where I stand on this topic of homosexuality. I would say now, though, I'm a firm believer in equal rights for gay people. I have no right to deny any human being equality, regardless of lifestyle choice. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the church ought to be mandated to perform gay marriage ceremonies, because that would make no sense - forcing one group to give up their rights so another group could have those rights once owned by the former. But anyway, I guess I just don't know where I stand on gay marriage. I have heard every argument under the sun against homosexual practice, but haven't ever really read anyone who legitimately argued for gay theology.
Which makes me think of how (at least in the UK), adoption agencies are not allowed to turn down a gay couple adopting a child, even if that agency is a church. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, can I really deny someone the right to have a child? But on the other, can I live with the fact that people are being forced to do something completely against their will? That's a toughie.
-Mark.
4 comments:
Just curious, from what you've typed, are you saying that homosexuality isn't a sin?
Not necessarily. But, there are plenty of arguments out there for homosexuality not being a sin.
I'm not sure where I stand. Mostly because I haven't looked into it all that much. I'd still probably, at the end of the day, lean towards saying it still is a sin. But I've got a few books lined up to read over the summer that are fairly pro-homosexual, Biblically speaking.
Thanks for asking though. Nice to know someone reads this blog!
-Mark.
Hey Mark, I was reading through the archives because I haven't been on here in a while and this one piqued my interest. I'm curious as to which books you're reading on the pro-homosexual side, I'd love to read them as well. I would say that I stand pretty firm on homosexuality being a sin and I think it's pretty hard to make a concise case for it not being a sin. However, I see no reason (politically or as a Christian) why gay marriage shouldn't be allowed. All of the arguments I hear against gay marriage (from Christians at least) focus on the fact that the Bible has a different picture of what marriage should look like and that a gay marriage doesn't match up, therefore it should be banned. However, there are millions of marriages, in America and otherwise, every year that don't fit with the Biblical definition of marriage. A lot of it has to do with how you define biblical marriage though. I think that the most common example found among evangelical Christians today is a man and a woman coming together, before God, in Holy matrimony. When you look at marriage in this context, does it really surprise you that there are so many divorces? I've been thinking through this and I wonder if, in the eyes of God, two nonbelievers are even married. How can they come before God if they do not know or believe in Him? And if they do not come before God, only man, then they don't fit the biblical definition of marriage.
Look at it this way, biblical marriage is an orange and a purely legal marriage is an apple. Apples exist, they are all over the place. Are they oranges? Of course not. Some people might call them oranges, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still apples. A gay marriage is just another kind of apple.
We shouldn't be so hung up on the one man and one woman clause. That's like frantically trying to fix the paint job on a car but neglecting the engine. Aesthetics should not be our first priority, but rather whether or not the car is roadworthy.
So, in summation, I think that (in this context) gay marriage makes sense and I see no reason why it should be outlawed. The current setup already allows all of these other apples, so I don't see why this one shouldn't be allowed. We, as Christians, know what a biblical marriage really is; why be bothered by a gay marriage but celebrate a marriage between two heterosexuals who do not know God? We should be more worried about teaching people who God is, not how or who they should be having sex with.
Anyhow, let me know your thoughts, I'd be interested to hear your response.
-Chris Cambell
PS: In addition to teaching people who God is, we should also teach people why and how to have a relationship with Him (just for clarification's sake).
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