My thoughts on "Homosexuality, Marriage, and Religion" (Write-Off) Apr 26 '05 (Updated Apr 28 '05)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Books Mildred D. Taylor - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: A Literature Unit From $8 Olivier Dunrea - Ollie From $7 The Bottom Line Don't people have lives on their own anymore, so they have to intrude into other's? This is an entry to lemon_lime's "Homosexuality, Marriage, and Religion Write-Off". Very interesting set of questions ... 1. What are your spiritual beliefs or religious affiliations? I am raised Christian, specifically Evangelican with all the official fixings. (Note: Germany doesn't have all those sub-groups seen in the US which are the same but different.) However, discrepancies between the teachings and many actions by self-proclaimed 'believers' made me think more about the built-in controversy (i.e. "you shall not seek revenge" vs. "an eye for an eye"), finding its most appalling expression in crusades, inquisitions, and modern-day idiocracies. 2. What is your sexual orientation? Heterosexual (even monogamic ;-) 3. How do you see your own religious/spiritual views as influencing your opinion of sexuality? Society more than religion, since the latter's existence I accept and people's beliefs I respect, but it's more of a rational thing of looking at people as what they are -- people. 4. How do you define marriage? I must admit I have a more traditional understanding of marriage, but at the same time I have no objections to broaden the definition to same sex couples. I mean it sounds a little strange for a guy to talk about his "husband", but so did "girls playing with cars" or "women wearing pants" (At a time where the only respected clothing for women was a long skirt.) To me it makes no difference to call it a marriage or a partnership with full legal recognition. Biologically speaking there is obvious reasons for considering partners of opposite sex the "natural way", but beyond that who is to say society has to be based on primary instincts? 5. What thoughts or reactions do you have to these two pictures? (all completely safe for work, home, etc.) I was raised somewhat as a "farmboy" and homosexuality is a very taboo topic in rural areas. I was never exposed to it, until I moved to the big city (Berlin, Germany), where I got my first (innocent) visuals. But it wasn't until I moved to the US and a friend of mine (a social worker by trade) introduced me to some of her friends. They were nice and just a little bit different. Yep, you are guessing right. Hey, you know what? In a selfish kind of way that was even good since despite their well kept and mostly good looks, gays posed no competition regarding women. Now how cool is that? But seriously none of them ever made a pass on me, nor did I have any other reason to be mad at any of them. So no reason to take it out on them to make me feel 'better'. 6. How does one of Christian faith reconcile these two pictures? Is one “right” and one “wrong”? What reactions do you have to seeing these signs? Freedom of speech. Nevertheless, it hurts to see people excercising their right to be ignorant and prejudice towards people they often don't know. Christianity has often been abused to reach certain goals and to single out a minority for all the wrong reasons is nothing new either. Just please quit quoting the passages of the bible that fit your purpose while ignoring other fundamentals of faith like "love thy neighbor", "you shall not lie" and "forgive your enemy". I mean it hasn't been that long that crusades were done in the name of the father. Or to move more recent, when suppressing your own wife was fine while two same sex people kissing is still wrong! One could extend the same analogy to skin color and many other examples of the past and present. 7. Why do you think the topic of homosexuality is so polarizing in religious communities? It's a great instrument to mobilize the masses for an underlying agenda. Most people live simple lives and don't have the time to expose themselves to diversity. This mono-culture is fertile ground for creating stereotypes -- mostly to confirm your own beliefs and discredit things that don't fit in it. After all, people are vain by nature, and their opinion often overrides facts and action is based on beliefs rather than actual reason. Give them a book that says they're right all the time as long as they follow and you got them where ever you want. ;-) 8. Should the government be in the business of defining marriage? Why or why not? Absolutely. Government is the same instrument that sends you to war and makes you pay taxes. If it's a law, it's hard to ignore and people can have an opinion about it, but for those affected, their dignity (and safety) would preserved -- to some better degree than now anyway. I mean there should not be a need for protecting people's rights, but since there is, government needs to step up to represent all of the people. 9. Would you support the legalization of gay marriage? Yes. What's the harm? I mean, does anybody believe that doing so will turn the society gay? What's there to feel threatened by? It's not like gays steal anything or want to restrict our rights! 10. Would you support government-sanctioned civil unions between homosexual couples? Sure. Call it whatever you want. If it's no harm to me, others or society, why getting all worked up to keep the same rights that "straight" people enjoy from others that don't fit your beliefs? 11. Do you see any way of bridging this current divide in our country over "wedge issues" like gay marriage or abortion? Or should we even be trying? Not sure, but referring to religion, where otherwise common sense and human rights would suggest different, is an ignorant way of trying to preserve your "exclusivity". 12. What do you see America's view of homosexuality and gay marriage being in 100 years from today? What will those future Americans think of us in 2005, as they look back? Not sure, since currently the trend seems backward rather than progressive. Nobody has to embrace it, but I sure hope it will be acknowledged as a form of life style and people quit this witch hunt. Chances for that are good if a constructive dialog can be nurtured. But if America insists on religious morals this will be much harder. However, in the end people of color now got the same right (on paper anyway), and for women I like to think the same. Maybe this becomes a historic time where gay rights were founded. ;-)

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