prop 8 comedy

backstory: recently, i 'friended' former classmates on facebook. While this is something that most normal people do on facebook, it was an action that I considered for sometime. One, because that's how I roll, and two, because I never quite fit in at the small private school. So, while all was friendly in school, I've maintained contact with my close friends and it's not like I missed anyone. Long story longer, one guy who I barely remembered immediately started jumping on my 'facebook' politics. I chose to ignore most of the comments. But then after the election, he emailed me a genuine inquiry about my views on gay marriage. It seems that he knows nobody else from our 'similar religious upbringing' that shares my views and he's curious regarding what I believe.
Bait...
Hook...
...and i bit like an inbred piranha.
So, here's the letter (crazy diatribe?) this poor dude is getting in response.


Hi, Scott,
I finally had a free moment to put my thoughts on gay marriage on ‘paper.’ For me, there are two separate parts of the argument: 1) Civil Rights and Government and, 2) Biblical Teachings and Religious Beliefs. I’ll try to explain my views as laconically as possible. I must admit that I feel some reservation about engaging in the discussion due to past experience dealing with similar differing views. I hope that you prove my fears unfounded. I also hope you forgive what I’m sure is going to turn into a WAY TOO LONG explanation… Here goes:

1. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
   By denying marital rights to some citizens, we deny them medical, financial, legal, tax, property, familial, custodial, etc. etc. etc. rights. When viewing marriage as a civil union recognized by the government and given certain benefits by the government, I have real trouble understanding how a country that separates church and state in all other avenues denies any citizen this civil right. Whether or not any church wants to marry a couple or acknowledge the union, is a completely separate issue for me.
   A homosexual couple does not realize equal protection of the laws when denied the following (short sample) examples of rights given to married couples in the United States: Inheritance Tax Exemptions, Head of Household Tax Advantages, Shared Social Security Benefits, Insurance Benefits, Leave Time Benefits, Child Custody and Visitation Rights, Medical Decisions, End of Life Decisions, and Immigration Rights. I believe there are over one thousand big and little ‘rights’ that are given to legally married citizens of the United States.


2. In regards to the sanctity of marriage argument, many things violate the sanctity of marriage; yet, we do not limit a person’s right to remarry any number of times. Scott Peterson murdered his wife and unborn child, yet has the right to remarry. Britney Spears married a friend for hours, yet has (exercised) the right to remarry. Any numbers of people have committed adultery and/or abuse (in all forms) yet they retain the right to marry (sometimes 6, 7, 8, or 9 times). In order to get married, the State does not require proof of love, intent to procreate, or monogamy. Likewise, the State does not require any citizen to marry in the case of love, commitment or procreation. Many religions do have rules on such issues. These rules differ from religion to religion and even church to church within an organized religion. They have no bearing on the legal right to marry.


3. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Thank God that we live everyday under his immeasurable grace. Christ freed us, while we are still sinning, from the law that we could never fulfill. I’ll list the verses that I’ve heard commonly used to discuss the issue of homosexuality.
   a. Genesis 1:28, KJV "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
   i. We are not required to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ – at least, I don’t believe we are. Additionally, creating a man and woman makes sense in order to populate the planet. I don’t believe it was a judgment upon homosexuality.
   b. Genesis 19, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah
   i. I believe that the condemnation of the four cities was caused by repeated actions offensive to God. In reference to specific homosexual acts, the abhorrent act is homosexual rape, not relationship. If only they had found it just as abhorrent to rape women and girls – perhaps Lot would not have offered his own daughters.
   c. Leviticus 18:22, KJV “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination”
   i. Using this verse as God’s law for us today, while ignoring its neighbors is simply hypocritical and wrong. Other abominable activities from the same chapter include sexual activity with a menstruating woman. When considering the verse in the context of other chapters, it is a part of God’s orders for His people to separate themselves from any Pagan idolatrous behaviors.
   d. Leviticus 20:13, KJV “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
   i. There are a number of transgressions in the Old Testament which require immediate capital punishment. They include gathering sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers 15). Again I believe these verses apply to God setting his people, the Israelites, apart from Pagan temple rituals (which included homosexual prostitution).
   e. Deuteronomy 23:17, KJV “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.”
   i. From the same chapter, “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” And more, “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” These are laws of the Israelites that we do not consider applicable to the church today.
   ii. Additionally, the word “qadesh” is more often translated to mean a cult/temple prostitute.
   f. Judges 19, the story of a Levite visiting Gibeah and being welcomed by an old farmer. A gang of men appear and demand the visitor in order to rape him. The farmer instead offers his own virgin daughter or the visitor’s concubine. The gang takes the concubine and repeatedly rapes and abuses her. She makes it back to the home where she collapses dead. i. Seriously?
   g. I and II Kings, KJV, several verses
   i. Again, the word “qadesh” which is more commonly translated as cult/temple prostitute. The verses condemn temple prostitution.
   h. Romans 1: 26-27, KJV “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”
   i. This is Paul’s letter to all Christians living in Rome and therefore exposed and possibly caught up in all sorts of Roman culture, which included worship of Pagan gods, creation of idols, worship of same idols, sexual orgies, and fertility rituals. Paul condemns all of the Pagan rituals and worship.
   ii. Verse 28 – 32, NIV “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
   i. I Corinthians 6: 9-10, KJV “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
   i. My first response is to question who would NOT be on this list?
   ii. The term ‘arsenokoitai’ has been translated as homosexuals; however, no record of the word being used appears before this use. Paul did not use more accepted terms for homosexuality; such as ‘paiderasste.’ Some scholars have translated the term as masturbators, pimps, prostitutes, boy sex slaves, male prostitutes, or abusive pedophiles.
   iii. Verse 11, KJV “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
   j. I Timothy 1:9-10, KJV”Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine."
   i. “Arsenokoitai” – see above.

There are other verses that I believe show God’s inclusion of his children into His kingdom, but I don’t want to bore you with another page (if we’re lucky). I can’t believe this has become so lengthy and was started by a Facebook comment! LOL.
I look forward to your response.
Sarah

People who you barely know can not have you committed.

Can they?