Politiks/Religion

Rethinking a Federal Marriage Amendment
Gay Marriage: Essential to American Survival
Kevin Brocksieck

Watching the news, the protests and growing up in a traditional, conservative, Christian home, it is no mystery to me why there is so much opposition within the Evangelical church against same-sex marriage. There’s lots of rhetoric on both sides, but I want to share with you some thoughts that Christians can sink their teeth into.

You see, among other things, this argument is about civil liberties, or the taking away of liberties. There are plenty of instances where the government legislates morals: murder, stealing and so on. But to legislate a ban on such a small and specific practice or group of people is dangerous and stands against the constitution which grants us the right to be Christians.

Civil liberties are all about allowing other people to live freely, even if you don’t like or agree with it.

It is essential for the American church to hear this because the church’s very existence stands firmly upon this country’s freedoms. When we start taking them away from other groups of people, we can only assume that they can (and will) be taken away from us.

By and large, the constitution and its amendments are about GIVING freedoms to our citizens, not banning them. They are about GIVING women and 18 year olds the right to vote, and GIVING power and freedom to the American people.

The things the constitution bans are things like slavery, cruel and
unusual punishment, and racism. Frankly, in my view, same sex marriage just doesn’t stack up with the evils of slave trade and torture.

This all of course has nothing to do with being Christ-like, His free-will policy being the ultimate in GIVING human liberty. Who are we, or who is the government to take away free-will?

There is also a (hopefully small) minority of people whose speech and actions say nothing but, “I hate you!” to the gay community. On the news I saw a guy with a protest sign that said, “I want to marry my dog.”

If you don't see the difference between the marriage of two gay adults and somebody marrying his dog, please contact me immediately.

At the 2004 ceremony which gave the Episcopal Church its first gay bishop, there was another protest sign pointing to the building where it was held that said, “This way to Hell.” I’m sorry, but how can this person judge everyone who walked through those doors? Seems ludicris to me.

But back to the point at hand, civil liberties are absolutely essential to the survival of our religious freedom. And an amendment banning someone’s liberty, even if you don’t agree with them, sounds very scary to me.