Having grown up in a fairly conservative family, then attending perhaps the most liberal university on the planet, I've seen the gamut of the polemic political spectrum (except maybe the middle, which is where I ironically place myself). I've discussed politics with aspiring Rush Limbaughs and have personally heard the rhetoric of barefooted, naked tree-huggers named Dumpster Muffin and Squirtle. The point being, I've been exposed to a lot of different political views in my young adult life.
I can usually identify with or at least understand both sides of an issue. Usually. Such is not the case for gay marriage. I can neither empathize nor even begin to comprehend the extreme hypocrisy of the far-right in its disapproval of homosexuals marrying.
To begin, the far-right's entire foundation of homosexuality as sin is unfounded. Those with any shred of legitimate literary and biblical knowledge know that word meanings have evolved in the past 2,000 years, even though the Bible's diction remains constant. For example:
"The longest biblical passage on male-male sex is Romans 1:26-27: 'Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another.'
"The Greek term para physin has been translated to unnatural, when it should read atypical or unusual. In a technical sense, yes, the Stoic philosophers did use para physin to mean unnatural, but the term also had a widespread popular meaning. It is this latter meaning that informs Paul's writing. It carries no ethical condemnation."
-Daniel A. Helminiak, "What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality", CNN.com
Futhermore- and a lot of extreme conservatives seem to conveniently forget this- the Bible actually does name some specific sins. Unambiguously. Verbatim. In the interest of time, let's just focus on the Ten Commandments (super-abridged):
1. You shall take no other gods before the one true God- Money. Hunting. Scotch. Ronald Reagan- all things old white conservatives worship.
2. No idols- See above.
3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain- A lot of conservatives seem to think God's last name is "Damnit."
4. No laboring on Sundays- It's the 21st century and the economy's in the toilet, a lot of us have to work on Sundays. I'll give the 1%-er conservatives this one, but let's be honest- the Fourth Commandment is pretty much a luxury.
5. Honor your mom and dad- I'm sure Rick Perry never did anything to piss off his ma and pop during his boyhood days at N***erhead Ranch.
6. No murder- In unfoundedly sending our soldiers to the Middle East to aimlessly police the whole region, 6,431 American soldiers have perished in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9-11.
7. No adultery- This seems to be the one most forgotten. Newt Gingrich. Herman Cain. Arnold Schwarzenegger. John McCain. Rudy Giuliani. Rush Limbaugh. So much for the "sanctity of marriage" argument.
8. No stealing- Big business presidents and CEOs engaging in financial immorality? Never...
9. No lying- See Commandments 7 and 8.
10. No coveting of others' good fortunes- AKA the foundation of capitalism.
But two people of the same sex wanting to legally formalize their union and receive the benefits of legitimate monogamy? That's just wrong.
Until far-right conservatives prove to the nation that they are as Christian and morally pure as they claim to be, hiding behind the Bible on this one will hold no water for me or anyone else who can recognize hypocrisy. Here are two lines straight from the Bible they should try out: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone (John 8:7), Judge not lest ye be judged (Matthew 7:1). How can individuals so mired in sin have the gall to condemn another's harmless lifestyle choice as God's most frowned-upon? Marriage is nothing but two names on a piece of paper that, when signed, enacts legal implications for the signers. What does that matter to anyone but the parties involved?
Surely, far-right conservatives have enough of a brain to recognize their own religious hypocrisy. My question then is, what the hell are they so afraid of?
To each his own. Live and let live. Just because gays should be able to marry doesn't mean everyone will "turn gay" and have to tie the knot with a dude.
