Prop 8 was upheld in California, when the state voted to ammend their constitution in order to bolster the traditional definition of marriage. It seems to me, that the heat surrounding the issue of gay marriage is more about the definition of marriage than anything else. I have heard many evangelicals who are fighting to ban gay marriage say things like, “I believe in everyone having equal rights, I just don’t want homosexuals to be able to be ‘married.’” While this seems like a contridiction, I have heard similar things from the pro-gay marriage side of the aisle, “We don’t care if it’s called marriage, just give us equal rights.” Even Elton John weighed in on the level of semantics, saying that if the U.S. of A. weren’t so hung up on the word marriage, this wouldn’t be such a difficult issue for the gay community to get passed in legislature. So I honestly wonder, do most homosexual people want equal rights, or do they want the label of marriage pronounced over their relationship? Are the two tied in such a way as to not have one without the other?
As a Christian, I believe in the scriptual definition of marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. I also believe that homosexuals should not be ridiculed, judged or persecuted. I believe above all else that everyone is in need of a relationship with Christ. Outside of that relationship, we are not fully experiencing the life that we were created to live. No one can earn a relationship with Christ, and no one is deserving of grace - that’s the beauty of it.
I know that I went from gay marriage to semantics to grace, but I think there is a process our society is going through right now that needs to be funneled through a healthy dose of grace.
So, for you Christians who are reading this, stop cheering and have a conversation with someone who is affected by this ruling. Have a real conversation about real issues with a real person, complexities and all; nothing is black and white. And, for you homosexuals who are reading this, please know that God loves you no matter what Christians have said, and I would love to extend love and grace and peace to you in any way that I can.
Marriage is not just a religious thing. Athiest couples dont get “civil unions” or “domestic partnerships.” They get MARRIAGE licenses. You dont have to be religious to get married. Couples elope all the time. Couples get married in Las Vegas drive-thru's.
Think of common law marriage, where if you live together for a period of time, then you're automatically married. Legally married. Nothing to do with religion.
What you're suggesting is that there be a caste system where heterosexual couples can be legally MARRIED but gay couples must be relegated to a generic and meaningless legal status such as “unionized” that is set up to parody marriage.
This invites further discrimination against gay couples. When the Sarah Palin's of the world want to ban gay couples from something, all they have to do is pass a law saying “only MARRIED couples are allowed (fill in the blank).” How convenient.
This has already happened. In Arkansas, they passed a law saying “only MARRIED couple can adopt.” So even if gay couples get civil unions someday in that state, they would still be banned from adopting because they are not legally MARRIED, they are only “unionzed.”
There is no such thing as “seperate but equal.”
Marriage is not just a religious thing. Athiest couples dont get “civil unions” or “domestic partnerships.” They get MARRIAGE licenses. You dont have to be religious to get married. Couples elope all the time. Couples get married in Las Vegas drive-thru's.
Think of common law marriage, where if you live together for a period of time, then you're automatically married. Legally married. Nothing to do with religion.
What you're suggesting is that there be a caste system where heterosexual couples can be legally MARRIED but gay couples must be relegated to a generic and meaningless legal status such as “unionized” that is set up to parody marriage.
This invites further discrimination against gay couples. When the Sarah Palin's of the world want to ban gay couples from something, all they have to do is pass a law saying “only MARRIED couples are allowed (fill in the blank).” How convenient.
This has already happened. In Arkansas, they passed a law saying “only MARRIED couple can adopt.” So even if gay couples get civil unions someday in that state, they would still be banned from adopting because they are not legally MARRIED, they are only “unionzed.”
There is no such thing as “seperate but equal.”