The Good Book and Gay Marriage

Most telling is Miller???s use of Psalm 139:14, which reads, ???"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made,??? to excuse homosexual behavior. It betrays an a priori equating of ???what is??? with ???what is right,??? something we cannot do in a word where sickness, distortion, and evil exist. Our joy comes from living in alignment with the will of God and with the way he has designed us, even if it is not what ???comes naturally.???

Dr. Randy Working
Chesterland, Ohio

I find it odd that Lisa Miller would write an article involving the Bible. After reading the article, it is quite obvious that she knows very little about the content of the Bible, and clearly has no concept of the meaning of any of its passages. Her distortions, omissions, and misleading statements are much more appropriate for an election campaign, not the work of a serious journalist. Are the articles in Newsweek not supposed to be objective, rather than a platform from which to further the author's personal agendum?

To the Editors:

It is clear that you wrote your recent religious defense of same-sex marriage with the whole spectrum of religions in mind. Please allow me to express my personal gratitude for the clarity and conviction you brought to this issue, and to respond to your case as an individual Christian.

We Christians tend to be a lot like the ancient prophet Jonah. We are often reluctant to fulfil the mission or to proclaim the message that we know God has given to us. Then, when we finally do carry out what God has asked of us and, as a result, thousands seek to be in closer communion with God, we rant and rave at God that these folks should not be allowed entrance into so sacred a relationship. Like Jonah, we are angry with God for being far more merciful than we are willing to be. Jonah said: ???I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." (Jonah 4.2-3, NIV). If we can???t have God on our terms, and if we have to share God???s love with others whom we believe to be unworthy of that love, then we don???t want to be part of the resulting relationship with God, or with these persons whom God has chosen to love.

God???s Spirit is clearly working, well in advance of the church, to invite thousands of GLBTI persons to find a closer relationship with God, and to seek their place within the church. The presence of these persons at the doors of the church and the doors of our hearts makes God???s intention clear. They already believe in Jesus. They already entrust their whole selves to the gracious, forgiving love of God. They already are willing to invest their gifts and their energy in the mission to which the Spirit calls all who believe. What additional proof do we need that God intends, in God???s great mercy, for the Church to open the doors and let them in ??? to welcome and embrace GLBTI persons, and to offer to them all of the means that the church has been given ??? Baptism, Lord???s Supper, marriage, ordination ??? to recognize them as authentic followers of Jesus Christ.

I pray that your clarion call, asking us to listen carefully and openly to what the Scriptures really do and do not say, will find a powerful response within the church. May your words enable us to stop bearing false witness against the Scriptures, as well as against any who honestly seek to follow Jesus. It???s time for us to give up being like Jonah

Norman J. Kansfield
East Stroudsburg, PA

Why is our government involved in marriage anyways? The role of a secular government should be to legalize civil unions involving consenting adults without pre-existing civil unions. And of course to be there when those unions are dissolved. Legal rights of visitation, inheritance, custody, medical benefits and insurance plus the other perks of the coupled as given by the government should all that they are involved in. A wedding or marriage is to be determined based on what your religious or cultural institution bestows upon you.
This would mean that two single and straight moms who lean on each other for support could form a civil union so that the children of one are taken care of if something happens to their mom. It could be a way for people to create their own families. Government should only take into account wehther or not the people involved are A: over 17 B: mentally able to make their own choices and C: not in a civil union with someone else. Children, animals, and some of the mentally disabled would not be able to participate.

Why is our government involved in marriage anyways? The role of a secular government should be to legalize civil unions involving consenting adults without pre-existing civil unions. And of course to be there when those unions are dissolved. Legal rights of visitation, inheritance, custody, medical benefits and insurance plus the other perks of the coupled as given by the government should all that they are involved in. A wedding or marriage is to be determined based on what your religious or cultural institution bestows upon you.
This would mean that two single and straight moms who lean on each other for support could form a civil union so that the children of one are taken care of if something happens to their mom. It could be a way for people to create their own families. Government should only take into account wehther or not the people involved are A: over 17 B: mentally able to make their own choices and C: not in a civil union with someone else. Children, animals, and some of the mentally disabled would not be able to participate.

heromommy: It is such a good feeling to hear the likes of you. Praise God. Thank you Jesus.

Sixteen years ago, I became an unwed father. Lucky for me that the United Methodist Church had already confronted women's rights, slavery and other modern topics by that time. The support of my church was still present, even when I thought it should not be. The enemy, it seems, was my opinion of myself. I needed the church to remind me I was OK. Thank God it did.

Unfortunately my gay or gay questioning friends in the pews were driven to near suicide by the lack of acceptance for their plight. I could have used a condom, tried abstinence, or even gotten married if the mother had gone along with it. They, on the other hand had no choices, nothing but leave the Church, and maybe even God to look for love an acceptance. All that bible thumping led them to do little more than hate themselves. I counseling them where I could.

For no reason at all my Mother, a life long Methodist still married 53 years, has protested the church's opposition to homosexuality. Well, one reason. She is rightly very proud that her family opposed slavery, and supported a women's right to vote. This was no difference to her. I offered to pretend to be Gay and come out in the pulpit as a layspeaker upon a return visit home.

Bottom line for preachers and Christians:

No matter what phrase you use to oppose same sex marriage, you may not be preaching hatred, but you are most definitely generating lots of it.

People like "HisMercy" and "Kattar" need to realize that, while they may have a religious obligation to try to ram their beliefs down the throats of others (or think they do), they have a civil obligation as American citizens to strive to behave in a civil manner. So within your church, you can proclaim my sinfulness all you want. It makes no difference to me what some moron thinks. But when you bring your ignorance and superstition into the public realm, it DOES matter.

I suspect that both God AND the Constitution have the same requirement for you: strive (though it will be difficult, I know) to become a decent person yourself before you try to impose your lifestyle on others.

??? Posted By: cre8ov @ 12/17/2008 3:34:54 PM
From all the discussion pro and con about the bible and marriage, it seems clear that marriage is a part of religion. Since marriage is a part of religion and there is a separation of church and state than the state should have nothing to say about marriage. All couple joining should be referred to as civil unions for governmental, medical, and insurance purposes. Marriage should only be a term used in a religious context. The definition of marriage stays the same and everyone is treated the same under the law.
What has happened to the concept of ???separation of church and state???? Many times I have read vote responses from the Republican Party, or maybe I should say from any politician or any political party. The #1 difference from 1 vote to another; 1 politician who lets the influence of their church and beliefs interfere with what they know is wrong. For example Prop8 in California; it was not that the people of the state weren???t ready to make a huge part of history of change, BUT of the person or people who wrote the Amendment. The wording of anything can be manipulative to confuse the reader and in this case the voter. I say the help of blind sidedness and propaganda was a key factor in the vote that took place across this ???Great Country??? that blocked adoption rights, marriage; which caused more heartache for many.

First of all, I would like to preface this comment with the disclaimer that I am a gay teen, so perhaps my views are jaded.

In my lifetime, I have seen people become more and more accepting of gays and lesbians. I have seen my friends come out in a helpful and supportive environment countless times. I have seen parents who understand and relationships that are allowed to flourish. It gives me hope for my future and the futures of people like me.

However, for every person I've seen or heard of having good expiriences, there are two others who have been insulted, forced out onto the street, beaten, or even, (in very extreme cases,) raped. Lives are ruined every day because certain people won't let others be happy if it involves something they don't fully understand.

The grounds for their arguments? Their slander? Their hatred? The Bible. I can't understand how a kind and loving god would condone such behavior. Their words and have led to the deaths of countless teens, be it by suicide or outright murder. It's sickening to think of the effects these people are having on my friends, and even, admittedly, myself.

There are rights denied to gay couples because they aren't allowed to be married. This is true. But the real problem, for now at least, is the hate and the discrimination that we face on a daily basis. Allowing gay marriage won't solve this problem, though it's a goal I hope to see achieved in the future. As long as there are still people dying due to the ingrained cultural distaste for the LGBT community, I feel that marriage is an ideal that should come second.

Now I remember why I left the Southern Baptist church and became an Episcopalian.