Yes, I'm about to ruffle some feathers, so if you aren't in the mood, don't read what follows. I've tried to be respectful in stating my opinions, but suspect I wasn't always successful since I'm passionate about this. Should you decide to continue, please continue all the way to the end. You've been warned.
A comment was made about my Sunday post, regarding the Catholic video. I've decided to post my thoughts, knowing they will be unpopular with many. The commenter disliked the view of marriage:
I gave them the right to their opinion, and posted it. Now, I'm exercising my right to disagree.
Nowhere in the Bible anywhere does God sanction same-sex marriages. I don't pretend to understand how it all works in the end. I will not condemn someone else. It isn't my place. God is the final judge, but we are expected to adhere to the laws God has set, not rationalize them away. We are not to commit adultery. Marriage has been established as a union between one man and one woman. Perhaps it is tradition, but until God -- not fickle man -- reveals it is something else, I prefer to err on His side. And before you question it, please continue reading.
Have you considered the nightmares created by "redefining" marriage? What about marriage between multiple partners? What about marriage between adults and children? What about marriage between a person and their pet? Where do you draw the line, or do you prefer the line be removed altogether? Considering the fact that God laid down 10 specific laws, He has drawn lines. Who is man to change those lines? I know, I know, man decided on the one man/one woman. Really? God started with Adam and Eve. One man and one woman. God's house is a house of order, not chaos.
Please do not insult me by saying that uncommitted relationships are encouraged by the laws established. It's a weak argument. Being single, I'm held to God's laws, including not committing adultery. I do my best to obey His Commandments. Frankly, I'm sick to death of having men/women -- not God -- demand I accept their terms and definitions because they want to feel better about themselves rather than bite the bullet and obey the 10 Commandments. I'm not saying it's easy. It isn't, but there are only ten. If it were easy, why bother? And those who don't believe in God have cut the first four, so there are only six, most of which are treated as optional or at least flexible.
You say the Catholic church wouldn't need to change. Do you understand the tenants of the Catholic church? I'm not Catholic and I'm pretty clear on quite a few of their tenants, including the one on the Sacrament of Marriage. You don't like what the Catholics believe? Fine. Choose a different church that conforms to what you want. There are plenty to choose from. If you don't believe in the tenants of the Catholic church, then you aren't Catholic. Really. Stop lying to yourself. Find out what you are and quit demanding others bend and twist to fit you.
And don't you dare try to throw the label of hater at me. You don't know me. You don't know my history, except what little I've shared here. You don't know my friends, my losses, or my journey. You do not know my prayers or my standing with God.
Am I angry right now? Yes. I resent anyone trying to manipulate me with emotional blackmail. And yes, that is exactly what you're trying to do.
In case you don't see it for yourself, let me show you:
The Roman Catholic video was well-made and beautiful, but a simple review of anthropological liturature and writings on ancient history will show that the word 'marriage' is not used in quite so simple a fashion as the creators of the video want us to believe.
Using "scientific evidence" has you coming across as educated. I don't care if you are or not. You are using education as your weapon of choice. It's a poor choice. Science is all about theories. Theories are disproved every day. In fact, the whole point of science is to disprove the experts.
Over a decade ago I came up with the one argument no one makes and no one takes the time to refute: if we discourage committed relationships between homosexuals, we encourage uncommitted relationships.
This is a blatant lie. If you start with a lie, it doesn't matter how many truths you pile on top of it, it's still a lie. But in case it isn't clear: WE encourage? Since when? No one is encouraging anything. Don't you dare play the it's-everyone-else's-fault card. So it's perfectly okay that I have to live by a different standard simply because I'm single? What happened to personal responsibility? What happened to self-restraint? What about self-discipline?
Some homosexuals will have committed relationships anyway, but those who might have considered it an option have less reason to do so if such relationships are generally viewed (legally, politically, socially) as no better than sleeping around.
And this is different from heterosexuals how? The Catholic church frowns on premarital relationships. Period. For the record, "relationships" and/or marriage are not requirements to survive and thrive. Really.
The position of the church need not change on this, just as Buddhists need not eat chicken as a part of a campaign to promote free-range (as opposed to caged) chicken.
Wait... what? Now you're comparing apples and oranges. The comparison is only vaguely related, at best. Trying to muddy things by false comparisons suggests a desire to hide from the truth. I suspect you're offended by that, but I'm sick of having such ridiculous arguments thrown at me as "evidence" of someone's rightness.
I admit, I am as unhappy about the desire of the makers of the video to deny Unitarians the right to perform 'gay marriages' as I would an effort to force the Catholic Church to perform 'gay marriages'.
And now it's about you. Finally, some truth: You are unhappy. I understand that. I don't agree with your point of view, but I accept you feel that way, and with reasons you haven't shared. I'm also okay with that. I don't need to know your reasons. You are entitled to them.
How could you have addressed this without raising my hackles? "I don't agree with all of the Catholic tenants."
There. Done.
I begrudge no one a loving relationship. I know what it is to live without, and to live with no hope of this changing. Most of my life, all I wanted was to marry a loving man and have children with him, to see his eyes when I look in our children's little faces. My past has made it impossible. There are I things I never learned and things I learned that hamper me in developing healthy relationships. It is with indescribable sorrow I have carefully boxed up those dreams and turned them over to God.
Have I sometimes wished I could change the rules? Just cut loose and live for the day. Do what I want. Yes.
Then sanity returns, and I realize I can break myself against the Commandments God has given, or I can use them as He intended all along: Guidance and protection.
Protection? Yes. I have enough regrets without the additional ones I'd have added if I'd done what I wanted rather than what God commanded.
The real question about that video isn't whether or not the Catholics are right or wrong in their beliefs. Really.
One can look at the video and complain and nitpick, or one can look at that video and examine one's own beliefs.
For me, since I'm not Catholic, the question is: What do I believe? Do I live up to those beliefs? Am I willing to take a stand for those beliefs?
I don't agree with all the Catholic tenants, but that isn't what I'm standing for: I'm standing for their right to believe and practice their faith as their church teaches. I'm standing for freedom of religion, peaceful religion.
If we give up our right to worship God how and where we may, nothing else matters.
The video is asking: Will you stand for what you believe?
The battle before us is as simple and as complicated as that: Do you believe in freedom of religion or don't you? If you don't, then it doesn't matter. If you do, then will you stand?
