Another point raised by the Rev. Warren in his questioning of Obama and McCain about religious matters was the GAY MARRIAGE issue.
I just happened to read a great article in the USA TODAY paper entitled “Gay marriage: A way out”, Oliver Thomas, August 4, 2008. All we need to do is change the way we marry; a little.
My new European in-laws showed me how marriage takes place in Europe. All couples go to the County Clerk’s Office or European equivalent and sign a civil union agreement that is a binding agreement recognized by the government. They then can go and have a wedding, if they want. They can have a celebration or a church ceremony but their union is made official only by the government.
In this country, a couple buys a license from the clerk’s office and then gets married by whomever the state allows to marry people, be it a judge, ship captain, priest, minister, etc. The official signs their marriage certificate to make it legal. Here is where the problem lies.
Evangelicals have a problem with the “marriage” of gays. They hold that marriage, as performed by a religious official can only be between a man and a woman. They hold that the Bible somehow condemns homosexuality, calls it a sin, and therefore they cannot abide by it or even allow it. I have argued against that in previous blogs but let us say here that it is their belief and we will go along with it – “marriage” is only between a man and a woman.
IF all couples, gay and straight, are legally joined in civil unions ONLY by the government and can get “married” ONLY by a church, priest or minister of their choosing; the problem is solved.
In this way, we can have legal unions between men and women or gays, with all the legal benefits that such unions bestow without any theological issues. The government stays out of religion as it is constitutionally mandated to, the religious people keep their beliefs and principals and gays get what they want; a legally recognized union of two people.
Now all we need is to get some legislation to make this happen. I know that people would appreciate this easy way out of a dilemma that cannot be solved any other way.
I just happened to read a great article in the USA TODAY paper entitled “Gay marriage: A way out”, Oliver Thomas, August 4, 2008. All we need to do is change the way we marry; a little.
My new European in-laws showed me how marriage takes place in Europe. All couples go to the County Clerk’s Office or European equivalent and sign a civil union agreement that is a binding agreement recognized by the government. They then can go and have a wedding, if they want. They can have a celebration or a church ceremony but their union is made official only by the government.
In this country, a couple buys a license from the clerk’s office and then gets married by whomever the state allows to marry people, be it a judge, ship captain, priest, minister, etc. The official signs their marriage certificate to make it legal. Here is where the problem lies.
Evangelicals have a problem with the “marriage” of gays. They hold that marriage, as performed by a religious official can only be between a man and a woman. They hold that the Bible somehow condemns homosexuality, calls it a sin, and therefore they cannot abide by it or even allow it. I have argued against that in previous blogs but let us say here that it is their belief and we will go along with it – “marriage” is only between a man and a woman.
IF all couples, gay and straight, are legally joined in civil unions ONLY by the government and can get “married” ONLY by a church, priest or minister of their choosing; the problem is solved.
In this way, we can have legal unions between men and women or gays, with all the legal benefits that such unions bestow without any theological issues. The government stays out of religion as it is constitutionally mandated to, the religious people keep their beliefs and principals and gays get what they want; a legally recognized union of two people.
Now all we need is to get some legislation to make this happen. I know that people would appreciate this easy way out of a dilemma that cannot be solved any other way.
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