Let’s begin this article with a simple fact: homosexuality is not something new to this generation, or even to America. Homosexuals have existed since Biblical and pre-Biblical times all through ancient civilizations detailed in Egyptian, Japanese, Roman and other histories. So the issue of where homosexual men and women fit in society is also not a new one. However, the modern argument of gay rights and gay marriage does pose some interesting questions that participants on both sides of the dialogue should be asking themselves.
To start with another fact; it’s generally accepted in the Bible specifically and in Christianity in general that homosexuality is wrong. This isn’t to say that the interpretation should demean anyone or that you should make policy off of it, but those who are Christian are told by their faith that homosexuality is wrong. Whether that’s because the book was written at a time when Christians were few in number and reproduction was necessary or not is a separate issue. Taking this fact, it makes perfect sense why Christian churches and ministers may choose not to marry homosexual couples... the church is a religious body and therefore may choose what it does according to religion.
There is another side to this coin, however. As part of United States law, there is a separation of church and state. This also plays in nicely with Americans’ freedom of religion, and the fact that the government is not supposed to partner with any faith, and vice versa. This is where the option of a civil union, which is supposed to offer all of the legal benefits of a marriage without the religious overtones comes in. These are government sponsored unions, and as such they should be free from the religious undertones that ones finds in a religious wedding. According to Word IQ’s definition, a civil union should be the same as a common law marriage, with all of the same rights and recognition such as access to healthcare and insurance, along with the legal recognition of a marriage.
Of course there are also other sides to the issue. For instance, those of a religious bent may feel that homosexuality is somehow wrong or immoral. This opinion (I stress opinion because there is no absolute morality) is protected under the 1st amendment, as is the freedom of religion for a person to follow whatever faith they desire. However, it is also generally accepted that your legal rights only go until they butt up against another person’s equally valid legal rights. So you have the right to practice a faith that condemns homosexuality and to speak your mind on it… but homosexuals, as United States citizens, have the equal right to practice another faith that says there’s nothing wrong with being gay, and to express to the extent of the law their opinions on people who insult their lifestyle choices.
The core of the issue of homosexuality is whether or not it’s right. The problem is, there’s no factual basis that you can base “right” off of. No one can say whether domination and submission, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or watching reality TV is “right” either. There aren’t laws against them, and no one can point out how doing one is wrong as long as the person doing it is an adult who made the decision. So, if people believe that being homosexual is wrong, that’s their issue. However, homosexuals are American citizens and they are entitled to the same rights, privileges and protections as other members of the country. It’s important that, during all this debating, we all don’t forget that there are real people behind these numbers and statistics and that these people make up part of America, and that they live in our neighborhoods and our cities.
