Whirl wind
Saturday, August 22, 2009 was a great day to be a Lutheran. I have thought for a while about how I wanted to address the ELCA vote. And I wanted to address it. I thought about being diplomatic and happy but more reserved. But in all honesty, I was ecstatic when the news broke with the results of the vote. Not because the ‘liberals’ won, or the ‘conservatives’ lost, but because I feel that it’s a step that truly opens the doors to all people. As a faithful Christian, I don’t believe God discriminates. And denying someone the ability to be ordained based solely on whom they love has never fit with my understanding of who God is and what God wants for his people. It flies in the face of unity to simply say you can have the passion but not the platform. I have friends in the ministry, who are every bit as qualified as my own pastors, who are not able to be called to their own congregation even if the congregation wants them there. If God himself has called someone who is homosexual to share his word and teach others, then who are we to tell God he is wrong. One of my dearest friends is gay (a Catholic gay). He looked at me one day after a particularly harsh discussion in one of our high school religious classes and said “why would I choose to be gay? Why would I choose to be judged and ostracized because I don’t find the opposite sex attractive? There is no way I would choose to live that way, it just is.” I didn’t have an answer for him. Ironically, none of those who were against homosexuality in the class had an answer either when I brought it up the next day.
I have major issues with people who are homophobic. Why do we as a society place so much emphasis on whom one has sex with? It’s fine for a man to have multiple partners. It’s horrible for women to talk about how many they have had. And if you are a homosexual (even those who have only had one partner) get the lowest rung of the totem pole. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. I think it’s disgusting to listen to people talk about all the people they have ‘been’ within the first place. How rude to those people. But for some, to listen to a gay man talk about how much he loves his boyfriend, or a woman talk about how wonderful her relationship is with her partner bring more than feelings of disgust. If someone is happy, in a healthy relationship based on trust and respect, then who is anyone else to judge?
The argument ‘it debases the sanctity of marriage’ is preposterous. When there are people who marry other people for money, sex, and trophy status…not to mention inebriated people in Vegas, and then get divorced just a few hours/days/months later are debasing the ‘sanctity of marriage’. And who is anyone else to decide what relationships are sacred? I am sure Brittany Spear’s marriages were wonderfully sacred. And don’t even get me started on those who say that because homosexuals can’t bear children, it makes their marriage less sacred. What about those straight people who choose to never have children? Theirs is better because they can? Shouldn’t be we applauding the homosexuals who have reached out to adopt children who are obviously unwanted by someone?
Narrow minded people piss me off!
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