thomascwaters.com

As nice as it seems to read that “no circumstance should any Christian attack the character of a person who claims to be homosexual,” the opinions expressed here are little different in content and not that different in tone. There are a few fundamental comments that I’d like to make.

1) Through out history, the bible has served as the basis for many decisions about things. An earlier example was the way that Galileo was condemned for suggesting (correctly) that the Earth moved around the Sun instead of the other way. In more recent history, the Bible has been used to support slavery, and the oppression of women. The Bible was used as the basis to oppose inter-racial marriages. To use the Bible as the basis for any argument is counterproductive to the health and well being of our society. The Bible’s rightful place is use within a religious community, not within the framework of public policy.

2) In our current culture, Marriage has two parts. There is a Civil part where a marriage license is issued by the government and bestows on the couple a set of rights, priveleges and obligations of a legal nature. The other part is for some couples a religious ceremony. We have culturally come to understand these as one thing, when in reality they are not. One is about the legal side of marriage, and the other is about the religious side. Couples do, even today, enjoy one as opposed to both. I know same sex couples who have had ceremonies in a church, presided by a minister, but who lack the legal part of the marriage license. I know straight couples who have been marriage by a justice of the peace and have not had a religious ceremony. The Iowa decision and al other Marriage Equality actions are designed to provide only the legal side of marriage. No religious denomination has to begin to perform same-sex religious ceremonies unless they want to. So this legal decision does not intrude on religious beliefs in any way. It does however draw the distinction between civil marriage and religious marriage. Some are afraid that this will trivialize marriage, but in reality if it does anything it is the exact opposite. It provides another avenue to recognize long lasting committed relationships. For example, my partner and I have been together for 10 years. Additionally straight society has been trivializing marriage for years through the high divorce rate, and through such gimmicky marriages as the proverbial Las Vegas marriage by Elvis.

3) It is incorrect to claim that Iowa has been thrown into an “out-of-control tailspin.” In fact there has been no change in Iowa overall. The only possible change has been an activation by many to attempt to codify bigotry into law. Because of the way Iowa’s government is structured, it isn’t as easy for mob rule as it was in California, so those who oppose equality are working extremely hard to create chaos because there is no other way to derail progress.

4) It is an outright lie to claim that “someone like me (a Pastor) may in the future face criminal prosecution for not being willing to perform a same-sex marriage.” It is appalling first because it is such an outrageous claim, and second because lying is a sin and as a pastor you ought to know better. The law as passed only provides Civil Marriage to same-sex couples. Nothing more.

Lastly, all I can say is that it is offensive to me to read that “homosexuality is a dangerous lifestyle.” This remark suggests that you really don’t know much about gay, and lesbian people. Is this not an attack upon my character- something you spoke against at the beginning? There is no such thing as “the gay lifestyle.” Nor is there anything about my life, my relationship with the man I love or the way we participate in society,than my heterosexual neighbors. My ancestors arrived a year after the Mayflower to Plymouth Colony. They came here to flee religious persecution in England and Europe, and our country formed with a sound basis of the separation of church and state. We live in a democracy and not a theocracy. Our governmental structure has been formed over time, and developed to assure a check and balance system to act in ways that are best for all and still protect the rights of the minority.

Masterpastor’s Blog: Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa.