Gay and Marriage

Go together like a horse and carria... Oh, whatever. I have had a long day so I might as well do something truly stupid and attempt to write down my opinion on gay marriage, which likely satisfies no one on any side of the issue.

First, science. It's hard to talk about gay marriage without addressing homosexuality in general. More specifically, addressing whether it is a product of nature of nurture. My answer is both. Like most attributes, say athleticism, melanin content, or hereditary predisposition to diabetes or alcoholism, there exist people along the entire spectrum from pretty much 0 to 100%. At the same time, each of these attributes is more or less able to be manipulated by environment and behavior. I see no reason why this does not hold true for homosexuality. There is no reason to reject the stories of those on the "more gay" side of the spectrum that have always known they were gay and could not imagine an alternative, and there is also no reason to reject the stories of those "less gay" who feel that failed relationships or external influences led them to identify as homosexual. There are even stories of those that have "become straight" after a changed environment, and that may well be possible for those close to the middle of the spectrum. Each of these experiences can reasonably be believed accepted by those that share them.

Second, religion. Far too many use the Bible to hide behind their homophobia. There are indeed difficult passages to consider, but those passages are certainly open to interpretation, as people including Tony Campolo have addressed. Still, all those passages are secondary to the instruction given to love our neighbor as ourselves without exception. Even IF you compare homosexuality to diabetes or alcoholism, we do not keep alcoholics and people who eat poorly out of the church, and neither should we restrict our love or church communities from homosexuals. At best, God has created everyone to express love in their own way, and at worst, the fallen nature of man provides challenges, temptations, and limitations for every life, but the cross and Christ's love is for everyone.

Third, politics. I say the whole gay and gay marriage issue is mostly a product of a flawed government approach to marriage. Marriage was historically a family-based social contract. Christian tradition also holds it as a religious sacrament. In an ideal secular government with full separation of church and state, the government should have no role in either of these practices, except for as a record keeper.

Alas, in an age of big government, with taxes and benefits tied to marriage law, the question becomes equality under the law. And in this respect, government should make no moral claims that would deny one group of people benefits while denying it to another. My first preference then becomes to remove all government laws dealing with marriage altogether, specifically tax incentives and government benefits, and let private legal contracts, private institutions, and private employers deal with people's social contracts as they each desire. Since that is in no way possible given the political trajectory of ever more intrusive government, my second preference would be for government's power in recognizing unions be limited to the term "civil union," both for homosexual and heterosexual couples. Then, if a church or other social institution wants to perform a "marriage," they can do so according to their beliefs. Finally, if that is not possible, gay marriage should be legalized, and those that object can find another term to add on or use.

I am posting this as is, but have links and quotes that I hope to add when I get some time. Also, I am purposely not addressing specifics to focus on key concepts - "Love thy neighbor" for Christians, and "Equality under the law" for Americans. Neither perfect love nor equality occur naturally, but they are key ideals when it comes to God and justice.