Last night we received the news that President Barak Obama had changed
his mind about same sex marriage. He had always advocated domestic
partnerships, but had the same problem that at least half the country
does in affirming the union of two persons of the same sex as marriage.
Because that half of the US population represents a slight majority of those who traditionally vote in Presidential elections, President Obama will go down in history as one of the most criticized, scrutinized and effective Presidents of the United States. By this affirmation, he exemplified the courage that former President John Kennedy evoked when he stated in his inaugural, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country."
Nevertheless, he has taken a great risk with respect to his re-election. As an evangelical Christian, it was painful to listen to some of the comments that came to me from people I dearly love and highly respect. They do not hate homosexuals. They sincerely believe that homosexuals are born that way, as is all sin-laden humanity. Their theology has required them to enter a recovery process whereby drug addictions, sexual addictions, pedophilia, pornography addictions, alcohol addictions, victim addictions, anger addictions, OCD, BD, ADD, etc., have all required them to pray for transformation, affirm a power higher than their malady, and follow rigid programs (which sometimes include drug therapy to recover their humanity).
They just do not understand why people born with a "proclivity toward the same sex" are not engaged in the same process of transformation that they have chosen. In fact, some of the critics of same sex marriage in this religious community are "former" gays and lesbians, who have entered the "Transforming Movement" or process outlined for persons of homosexual orientation.
Many gay, lesbian and transgender people would not only affirm that they were born that way, but also that change is not a real option, but an exercise in futility that leads to frustration and sometimes suicide. Even those who choose to remain celibate because of their religious convictions, will insist that it would be dishonest and unfair to a person of the opposite sex to be in relationship with them, because their desire to persons of the same sex will always be there.
The good news for President Obama is that 60% of Americans under age 40 agree with him. The challenge is to get this group to come out in full numbers and vote for him (if like me, Obama is your choice). This is complicated by the fact that for some strange reason, a majority of that age group is very conservative on other matters like the need to reform social security, the need to have a strong military, the need to drastically cut taxes, an antipathy for unions, etc. Yet this group is very progressive about the need to legalize same sex marriage and the need to legalize drugs. On all of these latter matters, except same-sex marriage, they will have problems voting to re-elect President Barak Obama.
My point is that this act of courage should require more than short-lived celebration or conservative hand-wringing. This is about people. People should not have to hide who they are, and as long as this is America, should not be prevented from loving who they choose and formalizing such relationships fully if they choose to do so.
Our faith values, whatever they happen to be, must never be imposed on others. Same sex marriage does not impose anything on those who do not want it, nor will it destroy the institution of marriage. Heterosexuals are doing a good job of destroying marriage all by ourselves.
Peace out,
Donald F Guest
Because that half of the US population represents a slight majority of those who traditionally vote in Presidential elections, President Obama will go down in history as one of the most criticized, scrutinized and effective Presidents of the United States. By this affirmation, he exemplified the courage that former President John Kennedy evoked when he stated in his inaugural, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country."
Nevertheless, he has taken a great risk with respect to his re-election. As an evangelical Christian, it was painful to listen to some of the comments that came to me from people I dearly love and highly respect. They do not hate homosexuals. They sincerely believe that homosexuals are born that way, as is all sin-laden humanity. Their theology has required them to enter a recovery process whereby drug addictions, sexual addictions, pedophilia, pornography addictions, alcohol addictions, victim addictions, anger addictions, OCD, BD, ADD, etc., have all required them to pray for transformation, affirm a power higher than their malady, and follow rigid programs (which sometimes include drug therapy to recover their humanity).
They just do not understand why people born with a "proclivity toward the same sex" are not engaged in the same process of transformation that they have chosen. In fact, some of the critics of same sex marriage in this religious community are "former" gays and lesbians, who have entered the "Transforming Movement" or process outlined for persons of homosexual orientation.
Many gay, lesbian and transgender people would not only affirm that they were born that way, but also that change is not a real option, but an exercise in futility that leads to frustration and sometimes suicide. Even those who choose to remain celibate because of their religious convictions, will insist that it would be dishonest and unfair to a person of the opposite sex to be in relationship with them, because their desire to persons of the same sex will always be there.
The good news for President Obama is that 60% of Americans under age 40 agree with him. The challenge is to get this group to come out in full numbers and vote for him (if like me, Obama is your choice). This is complicated by the fact that for some strange reason, a majority of that age group is very conservative on other matters like the need to reform social security, the need to have a strong military, the need to drastically cut taxes, an antipathy for unions, etc. Yet this group is very progressive about the need to legalize same sex marriage and the need to legalize drugs. On all of these latter matters, except same-sex marriage, they will have problems voting to re-elect President Barak Obama.
My point is that this act of courage should require more than short-lived celebration or conservative hand-wringing. This is about people. People should not have to hide who they are, and as long as this is America, should not be prevented from loving who they choose and formalizing such relationships fully if they choose to do so.
Our faith values, whatever they happen to be, must never be imposed on others. Same sex marriage does not impose anything on those who do not want it, nor will it destroy the institution of marriage. Heterosexuals are doing a good job of destroying marriage all by ourselves.
Peace out,
Donald F Guest
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