As I sat down to write this post, I was heavily debating if I should write about Osama Bin Laden's death or the issue of banning gay marriage. I am glad that everyone else decided to write a blog on Bin Laden today, because that gives me the excuse to shy away from such a difficult topic. So, on to the easy topic of gay marriage then.
As Minnesota (and many other states) pushes to bring the issue of banning gay marriage before the voters in next year's election, many gay couples are praying for the same freedom and acceptance that women received in 1920 when they got the right to vote, and the same freedom that African Americans began to have in 1865 (I realize that in our history, African Americans did not really gain full freedom until the 1960s; and I realize that there are some parts of the country where they are still trying to gain acceptance).
If you ask most supporter of a ban on gay marriage, why they support the ban, they will say it is because of religious grounds. The Christian right and the Church of Latter Day Saints are the greatest opponents of gay equality in the United States and they justify their opposition on Biblical grounds. I have proved elsewhere why this thinking is based on a poor interpretation of the Bible, and you can find that at, Is Homosexuality a Sin. Well, you know what they say: "those who do not know history are bound to repeat it." Apparently all of these supporters of the ban on gay marriage forgot that our institution of slavery was also supported wrongly from a misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the Bible. And if I am not mistaken, those who were against women's right to vote also supported their beliefs on a biblical basis. That is why it is important for us not to proof text (taking a passage out of its context) or to read things into Scripture, manipulating it to support our beliefs, because it always results in the subjection and exclusion of a particular group of people.
Jesus was a person who broke down boundaries and included instead of excluding people. Jesus opposed the religious leaders because they were then they way today's Church leaders are: they patrol the community looking for people that do not fit the mold they have designed and they exclude them from their group until they are willing to change to fit the mold.
The religious leaders of Jesus' time would not associate with prostitutes or tax collectors, they would exclude those who "broke the Sabbath" or ignored the laws for ritual cleansing, simply because they did not fit the mold. Then Jesus came. He, being one who, in contrast to the religious leaders, had authority, welcomed everyone into his fold. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, he allowed the breaking of the Sabbath and the ignoring of the cleansing laws because he understood the human need. Jesus never devalued any group or excluded them on any basis or for any reason, and when we start reading Scripture and using it to justify inequalities and exclusion, we need to read it another way and know that our interpretation is wrong.
God himself ordained the institution of marriage, and my gay brothers and sisters should not be held back from enjoying that institution. And please do not quote to me that "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." That was a different time and God needed to create a man and woman in the beginning for the purpose of procreation. I think at this point the world is well populated and what matters most to God is that two loving people, are allowed to enjoy the institution that so many straight couples have been able to enjoy for many years.
So how does the LGBT community go about doing that. It certainly begins with prayer. Paul tells us that we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us." Second, we need to enlighten people to the true way of reading Scripture so they do not continue to repeat history by using the Bible to restore boundaries that Jesus tore down long ago. And finally, you need to be courageous, and find a courageous leader who will stand up and advocate for you, who will help bring a resolution once and for all that brings about gay rights. Remember what God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." God will be with you and will fight on your side. But remember, this cannot be done with a hateful attitude. We need to do this with the attitude of love and compassion that the other side is so unwilling to give you. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths." Do what Abraham Lincoln did with slavery, do what Susan B. Anthony did with women's suffrage. Fight hard for your freedom and you will earn it. Say what Paul was able to say at the end of his long hard struggle: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."
God bless,
-Brandon
Related Posts
Is Homosexuality a Sin
Reaching Out to the LGBT Community
Homosexuality, Robert Schuller, the Crystal Cathedral, and What Jesus Did
Being Compassionate without Ulterior Motives
Jesus Shows Compassion to Outsiders
Manipulating Scripture
Gay Christians
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