Legalizing gay marriage will have many effects on others besides the gay community. The principles we stand on as a country affect the entire country. If as a country we accept homosexual marriage as an acceptable behavior for all, we are as a country sponsoring that behavior, just as we currently sponsor traditional marriage. What is legal helps define our culture, and it is a stretch to say that culture will not affect anyone but those who were originally sponsoring gay marriage. It is also difficult to say that legalizing gay marriage will not influence future laws and policies regarding the education process, adoption requirements, or who knows what else.
Perhaps this is a classic "slippery slope" argument. Maybe the gay community will be happy with being able have gay marriage sponsored by the state, and they will pursue no further action. Perhaps they will not try to have gay marriage taught as acceptable to our kids, and perhaps they will feel that adoption agencies should not be required to place kids in homosexual homes. Perhaps the gay community will then feel that their actions are no longer looked upon with disdain, so they will no longer try to spread their moral beliefs via policy and legal changes to anyone but those within their own community.
Even if the only effect of overturning Prop 8 is to influence culture, culture affects the people who live in it. We can argue as to whether those cultural changes are good or bad or should be legislated or not, but we can't say that one group's actions will have no effect on anyone who interacts with them in the same society.
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"Charity never faileth." The idea that a moral belief or behavior affects no one but the person committing the deed is a false notion. Our beliefs and behaviors define who we are and what we do. A type of behavior therefore is never solitary. It influences how we act around others. It influences the laws we create and the judgments we enforce. It influences how others believe and act. It influences other beliefs that in turn further influence behaviors. It is right to discriminate against wrongful behavior. The Lord himself discriminates against behavior. The United States and every nation must decide what behaviors they wish to accept into their society as morally just. There is no way to separate government and morality. We discriminate against those who commit murder, theft, and a host of other issues. Even if these people insist that it is their right to steal or murder, we deny them that so-called right. The principles we stand on define our society. Faith and repentance are heavily interrelated. Faith in Christ means we sincerely believe His commandments outline the right way to live. If we sincerely believe that, we can't help but want to repent. Repentance is changing ourselves so that we follow His commandments more exactly. The Lord will forgive as He judges appropriate, but we are commanded to forgive everyone. This can be very difficult at times, particularly when consequences of the offense are long-lasting. Simply trying to convince ourselves that we need to forgive is often not enough to change our hearts. Even for those who had committed serious sins, Jesus most often taught them patiently and with love. Because he suffered for all sins, each sin that is committed is very painful for Him personally. Yet He is quick to forgive and slow to anger against those who unjustly hurt Him. When is it time to be loving and patient and when is it time to be sharp in our criticism? |
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