Tuesday, May 05, 2009

The Gay Thing

The gay marriage issue obviously isn't going away, and we are all going to have to deal with it. I wrote what I believe here back in 2006 and nothing has changed that belief.

The bottom line to me is that sexual sin is sexual sin. Whether you are having pre-marital sex, looking at pornography, committing adultery (that includes most divorces btw), or participating in homosexual sexual acts, it's all sin. I think MANY of us are very hypocritical when we point our fingers at gays and say "SINNER." We all need to look in the mirror on that one. It's the "get the plank our of your own eye before you get the speck out of theirs" sort of thing. (Luke 6:42)

Honestly, I really believe that changing the definition of marriage would open a Pandora's box we would never be able to close and marriage would mean nothing. It's barely hanging on as it is. I doubt gays could screw up marriage any more than heterosexuals have, but once the door of the barn is open, so to speak, all the animals come out. We would have lawsuits from polygamists, brother and sister, niece, uncle, and brother, uncle and brother, mother and son. Come on. Be honest. We all know it would happen.

Civil unions are the answer and most every one agrees, but the gay activists want nothing less than "marriage." So this issue will be as divisive, if not more divisive, than the abortion issue for years and years to come. Just as in abortion, making it legal won't make it go away.

"Joe the Plumber" was interviewed by Christianity Today and you might as well get ready, this is gonna be everywhere.

Q: In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?

A: At a state level, it's up to them. I don't want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it's wrong. People don't understand the dictionary—it's called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we're supposed to do—what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we're supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing.

Most of that answer is on target, but the thing about not letting gays near his children is what you will hear. Maybe the "queer" part too, although heaven knows that is a term that gays themselves throw around quite often. It's that same double standard with slurs. If you are friends you joke and hollar "you homo" or "faghag" or "gay pirate" or whatever you wish. I mean, you people did watch "Will and Grace," right?

I personally think Joe the plumber is wrong about his kids. I would never have a problem with my kids being around my gay friends. I wouldn't be friends with anyone I wouldn't trust around my children. But guess what? Joe the plumber has a right to say what he feels. Miss California has a right to say what she feels. This thought police thing is getting WAY out of control and I can tell you right now, it's going to backfire on the radical gay activists.

Bottom line? You aren't a "hater" if you oppose gay marriage.

If you really want a good look at my perspective then you can look at The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on pastoral care to gays here.

The document makes clear that practicing homosexuals (as well as heterosexuals involved in the sins I mentioned above) "are not in accord with God's purpose and plan for human sexuality."

I think I can say with all certainty that we, as a society, have completely screwed up God's purpose and plan for sexuality.

But the document goes on: (emphasis mine)

"God has created every human person out of love and wishes to grant him or her eternal life in the communion of the Trinity. All people are created in the image and likeness of God and thus possess an innate human dignity that must be acknowledged and respected."

"In keeping with this conviction, the Church teaches that persons with a homosexual inclination must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. We recognize that these persons have been, and often continue to be, objects of scorn, hatred,and even violence in some sectors of our society. Sometimes this hatred is manifested clearly; other times, it is masked and gives rise to more disguised forms of hatred. It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in actions. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church pastors wherever it occurs."

This is sort of a longer version of hate the sin, love the sinner. But don't imagine for one moment that you aren't the sinner too.