I’ve been thinking lately about gayness as it applies to Christian morality and the political ramifications therein. Just some light philosophical thinking between classes. Here’s my dilemma: I have a friend who is a Christian and because of his faith he does not believe in gay marriage/civil unions. I am a Christian who supports gay marriage/civil unions because of my faith.
Now I’m not concerned about who is right or wrong, at least not in this instance. The part that I am struggling with is the label of “bigot”. Much has been made about the nasty label of bigot or hater. Many a conservative Christian has been labeled such because of their positions on gay marriage/civil unions.
I know my friend. He does not hate gay persons. He does not wish them ill. He does not try to stop them from engaging in their relationships. He simply does not believe that homosexuals should marry based on his understanding of the biblical code. Like others of his belief, he has been labeled a bigot for his religious beliefs. I do not believe my friend is a bigot and yet something feels wrong to me.
My friend is not the stereotypical “queer bashers” or “fag haters”. Far from that. So does the label of “bigot” actually fit? I’ve been mulling this one around for months now, trying to figure it out. Frankly, I don’t want to label my friend as a bigot. I just don’t think it fits. The problem is that there are other Christians out there who are bashers and haters, making it hard to find a distinction. I’m sure American Muslims find themselves in a similar situation when compared to their radical brethren.
While the label of bigot does not fit my friend, I do not think that just because someone has a religious belief, that they are automatically exempt from discrimination. It seems that some Christians want off the discriminatory hook because their perspective is religiously based (in their opinion). Something about that is wrong as well. Just because one believes the Bible states it, does not mean that the opinion is not discriminatory.
If your religious belief means that you set up different laws for different people, that the rules are different for one side over another, then that is, by definition, discrimination. The fact that a person bases their discrimination on biblical precepts is irrelevant. It does not and should not matter where they foundation of the belief comes from.
So is my friend a bigot? I still don’t think that label fits because he is not a hater. No, he is not a bigot. He does, however, have a belief that is discriminatory. There is a big difference. In my opinion, buddy, you are not a bigot. You simply have one belief that discriminates against a group of people. There are plenty of Christians who may want off the “bigot” hook too, but they simply would not qualify because of their hater views. I know some of those folks too.
So now for the even bigger question: What beliefs do I have that may be discriminatory? I would be willing to bet that we all have one. The more disturbing question for me is related to my faith. Do I have biblically based beliefs that are also discriminatory toward a group of persons? It is a big question. If so, then either the Bible is wrong or my interpretation of the Bible is incorrect. Time for some introspection.
Now I’m not concerned about who is right or wrong, at least not in this instance. The part that I am struggling with is the label of “bigot”. Much has been made about the nasty label of bigot or hater. Many a conservative Christian has been labeled such because of their positions on gay marriage/civil unions.
I know my friend. He does not hate gay persons. He does not wish them ill. He does not try to stop them from engaging in their relationships. He simply does not believe that homosexuals should marry based on his understanding of the biblical code. Like others of his belief, he has been labeled a bigot for his religious beliefs. I do not believe my friend is a bigot and yet something feels wrong to me.
My friend is not the stereotypical “queer bashers” or “fag haters”. Far from that. So does the label of “bigot” actually fit? I’ve been mulling this one around for months now, trying to figure it out. Frankly, I don’t want to label my friend as a bigot. I just don’t think it fits. The problem is that there are other Christians out there who are bashers and haters, making it hard to find a distinction. I’m sure American Muslims find themselves in a similar situation when compared to their radical brethren.
While the label of bigot does not fit my friend, I do not think that just because someone has a religious belief, that they are automatically exempt from discrimination. It seems that some Christians want off the discriminatory hook because their perspective is religiously based (in their opinion). Something about that is wrong as well. Just because one believes the Bible states it, does not mean that the opinion is not discriminatory.
If your religious belief means that you set up different laws for different people, that the rules are different for one side over another, then that is, by definition, discrimination. The fact that a person bases their discrimination on biblical precepts is irrelevant. It does not and should not matter where they foundation of the belief comes from.
So is my friend a bigot? I still don’t think that label fits because he is not a hater. No, he is not a bigot. He does, however, have a belief that is discriminatory. There is a big difference. In my opinion, buddy, you are not a bigot. You simply have one belief that discriminates against a group of people. There are plenty of Christians who may want off the “bigot” hook too, but they simply would not qualify because of their hater views. I know some of those folks too.
So now for the even bigger question: What beliefs do I have that may be discriminatory? I would be willing to bet that we all have one. The more disturbing question for me is related to my faith. Do I have biblically based beliefs that are also discriminatory toward a group of persons? It is a big question. If so, then either the Bible is wrong or my interpretation of the Bible is incorrect. Time for some introspection.
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9 comments:
Here's a problem that many Christians--perhaps even your friend--do not seem to understand: Many of us who are not Christians, or do not subscribe to certain of the Christian ethics, so-called Christian love feels like hate and bigotry. The individual Christian may indeed feel no hate or intend no bigotry. But the experience of the one "loved" by the Christian is just as real.
An excellent, thoughtful post, Jack. For the life of me, I don't understand how people can object to gay marriage on religious grounds. Marriage is a CIVIL contract: formal solemnization of a marriage in a church is completely unnecessary anywhere in this country. (The Missouri definition of marriage is at http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C400-499/4510000010.HTM)
Religious people of any faith who do not believe in gay marriage are free to practice their beliefs by not allowing gay marriages to be recognized by their religious community.
Jack, good post.
"... and the greatest of these is love". 1 Corinthians 13:13
After that, so what?
Look, people will twist and turn any words... biblical or not... to serve a purpose or agenda. On top of that, the words we call holy and inerrant (some do anyway) are flawed to begin with unless they're reading Aramaic or Greek and I haven't heard.
Love has no bounds. No rules that say love all BUT these. If it's Christian love, it's whole and boundless.
If not... time to run a self-diagnostic.
Finally... Christians, those who follow Christ Jesus... Jesus said NOTHING about being gay.
And as my favorite pastor of all time, Harry Smith of St. Louis said... "Jesus didn't say anything, so neither will I."
Granny is right; marriage is a civil union, often performed as a religious ceremony. But the actual contractual agreement is secular, which is why you go to a courthouse and not a church to dissolve it.
The reason some people consider it discriminatory is because that view is being created by worldly people. Of course the world will say something that's in the Bible that's against what they want to do is discriminatory.
Jason:
No. That simply isn't true. Discrimination has nothing to do with the Bible. Discrimination is about setting up different rules for some people than others. If we have a set of rules for some and a different set of rules for another, then that is discrimination. If our reasoning for setting up the different rules is based on some interpretation of the Bible, then so be it, but it has nothing to do with the definition of discrimination. I would argue that if our religious beliefs are based on discrimination, then MAYBE we have MISinterpreted the Bible.
Jason, please point me to where in the Bible it says that gay people can't get married. And please don't proof text out of Leviticus unless you also practicing the other laws laid out there. I've never had anyone point out to me where in the Bible, when the whole passage is taken into context, that gay people cannot be married. Sniderman is right; Jesus never said it.
In actuallity, though, I don't think that gay marriage, a secular union, should be against the law based on the religious beliefs of one group, anyway. Of course you have seen my post on this.
Jack - excellent, well thought out post. I truly appreciate what you've said here. I am a gay Christian and there are those who seem to believe I can't even believe in God because of my "sexual orientation." What's most difficult about all of this is there are people who seek to define me and others like me simply by who we choose to sleep with. Being gay is not the sum total of my being. I am a person. Do I not, as a human being, qualify to share the same rights other human beings are entitled to? At least in this country, I should. If anyone suggested that a certain race of people or a certain class of people be denied the right to marry there would be an enormous hue and cry. I hear it coming now "But your lifestyle is a choice." Well, no, I beg to differ. I believe my Creator made me who I am and I didn't choose this, I know that with every fiber of my being. And if my Creator made me, my Creator must have a reason for me to be as I am. Who are the rest to judge?
Mary Helen:
Every single reference to marriage in the Bible refers to a man and woman. There is no reference at all to a marriage being between two of the same gender.
Also, there are ample examples where it talks about sexual relations within marriage and how outside of that it is a sin. It also clearly says that homosexual activity is sinful both in the old and new testaments.
And sniderman is being misleading in what he posted on this forum. If you believe the Bible then you believe in a triune God. That means Jesus cannot go against God himself and God himself declared that homosexual activity is a sin. A sin is not something that God can condone and bless. Therefore, Jesus cannot condone and bless it either.
And since God blesses the marriage union...which again, in the Bible is only listed as a man and a woman...you cannot say God would endorse a sinful activity by blessing it as in the case of a gay marriage.
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