Mare's Mess

This issue isn't necessarily timely, but it's been on my mind for months now and I haven't had an outlet to let my thoughts out - UNTIL NOW! (lightening, thunder, maniacal laughter)


Do we really need a constitutional amendment to keep marriage between a man and a woman? A constitutional amendment? First of all, the Social Studies teacher in me would like to point out that marriage falls under the domain of state government so it should be up to each state to decide. But since the federal government has decided over and over again for some time now to get involved where it shouldn't, I'll let that go and just explain why this amendment is a really bad idea in and of itself.


The idea for said amendment is backed by what's known as "the religious right" - it seems they want to protect the sanctity of marriage in this country. What no one seems to be saying is that marriage, as carried out by the government, is not a sacred institution. It's a state function - like getting your driver's license. Two pagans can get married and even have a pagan ceremony. Couples can run off to Vegas for a quicky wedding and get married, giving it as much thought as what they'll wear the next day. Clearly, not everyone who marries is forming a holy covenant with God. Christians know this and yet I bet the thought never occurred to anyone to create an amendment to protect it. . . until now. This is where we have to admit that Christians are a bit freaked out by homosexuals. We never gave a flying fig what two people got legally married until people of the same sex wanted to. No wonder Christians are so often viewed as bigoted and hateful. Now all of a sudden we've got to keep marriage holy? State marriage has never been holy.


The justification I've heard some Christians make for such legislation is that if homosexuals are allowed to legally marry then it will make that lifestyle appear acceptable. Do we really want Uncle Sam telling us what is moral behavior and what isn't? I think adultery is reprehensible. It is selfish, cruel, and it often destroys families. Will I teach this belief to my kids as they grow up? Yes. Do I need such behavior outlawed to back me up? No. Do we want laws against sex outside of marriage, or lying? I don't, but it's not because they are acceptable behaviors. It's just none of the government's business. The role of the government should be to protect people's rights, not to tell us how to live our lives. I'm not even sure how the government got into the marriage business, but I don't think it's a legitimate governmental function. I guess that's a post for another day.


My recommendation to Christians - be more concerned about the marriages being performed in our churches than the ones the government is performing. These marriages should be holy covenants. As far as state marriages, unless we really want to make every legally-marrying couple sign a contract stating that their union is a holy covenant between them and God then we really aren't trying to protect the sanctity of marriage. We're just being bigoted and hypocritical.


How's that for getting things started? Don't worry. Liberals will be frequent objects of my scorn in the future as well.