How We feel vs. What We Think- Part 1

I have been on a local forum that was discussing the same-sex marriage ruling handed down from the California Supreme Court, with a 4-3 vote. Thus ruling against the will of the people to keep marriage as between one man and one woman. Needless to say, this issue is more complicated in some ways and more simple in others than it sometimes seems.

Several on the forum (from either side of the debate) made the mistake of equating disagreement with hate, bigotry, homophobia and/or hypocrisy. Others made disparaging comments about homosexuals as well. The problem is, this is not helpful to the discussion. Calling names is not acceptable on either side.

Part of the reason this is a problem is because when there are charitable and reasonable folks who disagree, some try to mischaracterize the others in an effort to cloud the issue.

What is Not at Issue (or should not be):

• There are people who are homosexuals that are caring, loving individuals.
• There are people who think homosexuality is wrong that are caring, loving individuals.
• There are homosexuals that are commited to their partners.
• The same is true with regard to those that think same-sex marrige is wrong.
• The opposite is also true in that there are unloving, hateful folks on both sides of this issue. [But to all these, I ask so what?- It does not speak to the issue of the morality, or healthiness of homosexuality or same-sex marriage]

What is at Issue (or should be):

1. There are principled reasons, Biblically, for thinking that homosexuality is wrong, immoral, or sinful.
2. There are principled reasons, socially and culturally, for thinking that homosexual behavior is not good for the society and culture as a whole.
3. There are principled reasons for thinking that children could be harmed by destabalizing the sanctity and definition of marriage.
4. How I feel about homosexuality (or individual gays) is different than what I think is best for the society

More later...