So the debate that has been stirred
in America most recently is GAY Marriage. So I have felt that I needed to not
just listen to talking heads, politics, or the internet. I felt that if I was truly
going to make a decision about what I believe in Gay marriage, I was going to
my moral barometer, the bible. The old black and white of the written word. So
here is what I have found that Jesus Christ, the one I model my life after had
to say about Homosexuality and Marriage.
1)
2)
3)
So after Rereading all of Matthews,
most of Mark and Luke, and finally diving into John, I found all of these
verses in which Christ, my model for life, had absolutely nothing to say about
homosexuality, marriage, and how Christian believe should be enforced at the
state level. I couldn’t find a dang
thing. Yet , I have had many people try and convince me that Gay marriage is a religious
atrocity, that their god demands that we keep marriage a holy and sacred
institution.
Now I am
in a happy, loving, and sacred marriage. I understand the commitment I have
made to my wife, my God, and myself to hold this relationship in the highest of
regards. I understand the bond that I have committed to. What I don’t
understand is why someone who has been divorced and remarried multiple times is
trying to tell my how SACRED marriage is (Rush, Newt, Regan ßya). I am only going to
be married once in my entire life, I understand the sanctity of marriage. I
know many families who have been married for multiple decades. They have earned
the right to tell me the sanctity of marriage. Yet none of them can put it in a
biblical context for me. No one is able to accurately quote my lord and savior
against gay marriage. Mainly because he had nothing to say on the matter.
Instead
I get men holding signs saying God hates Fags, and women holding signs saying
save traditional marriage. The only verse of course to back this up would be
Leviticus 18:22. Well if they get to pick and choose bible verses to support
their beliefs maybe I, a middle of the
road, grace centered human being should do the same. For all women not wanting
to let “the Gays” get married as an abomination to the sacred bonds of matrimony
I humbly request you attention to 1st
Timothy 2:12. As for men who think
that god hates fags please take a quick peek at Matthew
6:1.
As a
matter of fact, throughout my exhaustive search only found one direct
connection to marriage and Jesus. Christ told us that if a Man and Woman or divorced
they are not to remarry for it is nothing more than adultery in the eyes of god
(Matthew
19:7-8).
So here I stand on the wrong side of the cross looking at the words of my
lord and trying to figure out what my heart and mind believe about this divisive
issue. I find myself at the feet of Christ in humility realizing one thing.
That God does not bless the self-righteous for they have gained their reward.
The Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21:
28 “What do
you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said,
‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’29 “‘I will
not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.30 “Then
the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will,
sir,’ but he did not go.31 “Which of the two did what
his father wanted?”“The first,” they answered.Jesus said to them, “Truly I
tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the
kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to
you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but
the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw
this, you did not repent and believe him.
It is not what we say in this world but what we do. When we preach
the sanctity of marriage but divorce is at 60%. When we as Christians ask for
peace, grace, and humility but tell others that their sin is greater. When we
start Legislating Christ, we have truly lost our way. I understand in my heart
the purpose and need I have for marriage. It isn’t a joke to me, it isn’t
something to be casually kicked around, and it is important to my faith
Journey. What it is NOT is a political weapon. I believe that our government
should legislate marriage. If you want to be married go to a CHURCH. If you
want tax exemptions, visitation rights, and power of attorney, go to the government.
Please don’t legislate my church. I understand some people don’t want Gay
marriage because it is against their religion. I bet Muslims don’t want you to
eat pork and Hindus don’t want us eating cow but that is not the job of Government.
Religion asks us to live holy lives not force our righteousness onto others. We
are given the key to the door, we were not given the right to force others
through the door. Do I support Gay Marriage?
I am not sure 100%. I believe in equal rights and treatment. Do I think
it there should be laws condemning it? Absolutely not! Christ calls me to
compassion and love. Telling others that their relationship is completely
invalid or a blasphemy is not Christian. I will support and love those who find
love in others. That is Christian. Acting for love when others breath hate,
acting with compassion when other bread contempt, and demanding justice when
others bring devastation. That is a Christian life, one that fights what the
social order demands. Even if that social order claims to be Christian. I will
fight like Jesus fought, against what the religious hierarchy demands be the
norm. Man is flawed and twists God to meet the needs of what makes them feel
Yucky. Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were no longer preacher God’s message but
their own. Much like the political machine is no longer preacher God’s message
but their own agenda. Christ calls us to understand the heart of God which is
Love, Compassion, Humility, and Relationship. Hating a group of people because
you think they are yucky makes you nothing more than the people in the Good Samaritan
parable, and NOT THE SAMARITAN. Please world, let us be more like the Samaritan.
Let us understand that our government shouldn’t be in the marriage business and
the church shouldn’t be in the legislation business.
Sorry for
the long post.
