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Saturday, June 27, 2015

SSM-understanding

I spent many hours last night and some time again this morning listening to the angry and disappointed responses to the SCOTUS decision from yesterday. I am nothing if not versed on both sides of important issues. I even listened to Fox ?News? for an hour. Really listened. Really read hundreds of comments and statements from those opposed to gay marriage being made a national issue, at all. Btw, I learned Federalism is dead as of yesterday. I thought it was dead as of the Civil War, but I was wrong.
Trying very hard to comprehend the outrage. The sadness. The fear.
I come to this conclusion for my own understanding and my own need to be happy about this new freedom while still maintaining some kind of understanding for those who cannot accept it:
Because state bans on SSM (same sex marriage) are now unconstitutional, many Christians firmly believe that churches will be required to perform weddings that go against their basic beliefs.
---thirty-three years ago I went to the Catholic priest in our home town to discuss marrying my Catholic fiancé in that church. I was not Catholic, but I knew others who had done this so I thought it was right for us. The priest was very compassionate and I liked him. We talked for some time about why I didn't care to convert and he seemed to understand, though hoped I would come around. I thought we were good to go.
Then he started pulling out the paperwork. First thing on the list was dissolving my first marriage.
After many questions and honest answers, I told him that I had married in a church before God and many loved ones and no way could I sign a paper saying it was an unholy or non-sanctioned union. It was a failed marriage that produced two children who were legitimate and nothing could change that. He pulled back the paperwork and suggested we go to a courthouse and understand that our marriage would not be recognized by THE church.
I didn't sue. I didn't even argue. The church refused to marry us based on their beliefs and church laws. They didn't lose their tax exempt status for refusing to house or bless our marriage.
We were married in another church, a Congregational Christian church that welcomed and blessed us.
I see no difference now with SS couples.

I fail to comprehend the homosexuality is an abomination according to the Bible outrage because none of the other abominations are causing outrage. I'm not seeing restaurants who sell shellfish picketed or the people who eat there stoned. I'm not seeing women in slacks being targeted. I may have missed it, but I'm not seeing polygamy rising in popularity. I'm not seeing women stoned for disloyalty nor for serving their families pork, the dirty meat.
Feels a lot like abortion and SSM are the only two really big sins from which there is no coming back. I honestly don't get it. If you believe in the word of the Bible, if you know it's the word of God and you're willing to stand tall and stand for God, then why not on all things biblically sinful? Why on only issue you aren't part of?
I can only conclude that the outrage is mostly fear mongering for things to come or not to come. That it's much more about judging and hate than about God's law. And mostly it's about losing a fight the right was sure they had sewed up.
It's much more about not caring about people who think differently. If you are not on the train of righteous indignation over this SSM decision, you are on a fast trip to hell. Your moral decay will ruin you and now the entire country.
It really is about hate. It really is about not accepting anyone's beliefs that differ from the fundamentalist beliefs.
If some other religion (we have hundreds with legal rights here) were to decide to be THE religion of America, would we all have to drop our own beliefs to follow them? That's what you're asking for if you are still fighting this fight on this team. Because you are demanding it's your way or the highway to Hell. There are countless organized religions who believe just as strongly as you do that they are the only way to heaven. They believe just as strongly as you do that you are going to Hell with all your doctrines and judging and hate.
The truth is, no one knows for certain what IS and what ISN'T the way to Heaven or even if there is one or many or none. What we do know is that this country was founded on freedom to worship your own way in your own beliefs. That freedom requires that we all accept each other and each other's doctrines not as our own, but as valid.
Once again I am left with this...Love is the answer and kindness works. Judging is not for us. It is for God, alone. Living in your own beliefs the best you know how without insisting other people live their with you is the only American way. This is not a country of ONE religion, that was England and that is why the pilgrims came HERE.
Peace and LOVE to all.

Jo

2 comments:

  1. Love or fear, those are pretty much our choices and I know that I personally bob back n' forth with both. Acceptance is difficult. I struggle with it daily but what I've found I can't accept is stupidity. Thus my break from FB...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand. My biggest problem now and for many years is "Christian" people reciting Bible verses that fit their point of view and ignoring those that do not. Life is just life. Love is just love. And it's all temporary. God is eternal.

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