Evangelical Nonsense

Found this on an evangelical site today and I think it is quite amusing. It lists 5 "reasons" evangelicals should support a ban on same sex marriage.

1 - Evangelicals base their worldview on the Bible, and same-sex marriage is contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible. Furthermore, government approved “gay marriage” goes far beyond extending tolerance to behavior Christians have always seen as immoral, it actually elevates homosexuality to a virtuous status by giving these relationships the exact same status as heterosexual marriage. No government has a right to fundamentally redefine morality.

No one is redefining your definition of morality. If you want to continue to think of homosexuality as a sin, no one is stopping you. However you do not have the right to impose your narrow view of what is and what is not moral on the rest of the population.

2 - Evangelicals historically have opposed various forms of discrimination including slavery, abortion, child labor abuse, violence against women, etc. Same-sex marriage” will establish a new institution that systematically discriminates against children, for in all such relationships children will be denied either a mother or a father. Christians must stand for the vulnerable child, and insist that government has no right to institutionalize systemic discrimination.

This one is cute. It starts by talking about how tolerant evangelicals are then follows a twisted path to show how tolerance in THIS issue would actually hurt children. Oh the children! Whatever shall we do about the children! Much hand wringing here....... Fact is LOTS of kids are denied a mother or a father be it from divorce, death or even compassion (as when a child is removed from their parent(s) for the own wellbeing) I have never heard of even one valid study showing that kids growing up in a homosexual household as being emotionally harmed in any way. Tolerance is not something evangelical christians are very well versed in apparently and they use a strawman argument to try and justify their prejudice.

3 - Evangelicals are bound to fulfill the second great commandment which is, “to love our neighbor as ourselves.” But, to ignore the common good of society by passively allowing the redefinition of marriage is an outright breaking of this command. Christians must not allow society to self-destruct because they are focused only on personalistic piety. True love, and true worship of God demands also love of neighbor.

Thats a pretty big BUT. Nevermind that the evangelicals have no jurisdiction to dictate what is "commonly good for society". Christians are not the caretakers of society at all. There is no evidence whatsoever that society is going to "self destruct" if we allow same sex marriage. Just more fear mongering from the religious right. That they feel strongly about this and see it as their duty to themselves to speak against it is totally justified but they should at least try and get an argument together that makes sense. The religious argument doesn't hold water and is contrary to our constitution.

4 - Evangelicals have always championed, and even died for the freedom to freely practice their religion. Same-sex marriage, albeit covered in the guise of human rights language, is an assault on traditional morality and if it comes to pass portends a future where religious freedoms will be lost incrementally. Indeed, the Supreme Court acknowledged in its recent decision on marriage that religious freedom may need to be limited to accommodate the equality rights of homosexuals.

Personally I think you have every right to practice your religion freely and I have news for you, atheists have died for your freedom to practice your religion as well. However that doesn't give you the right to impose your belief on others who do NOT share your faith. The legislation before parliament contains a provision that would ensure that no religious organization would be required to perfom a marriage ceremony contrary to their faith. Allowing 2 people who love each other to take part in a civil ceremony granting them legal protections under the law that heterosexual couples take for granted, in no way compromises your religious beliefs. Another strawman argument.

5 - Evangelicals believe with the great Dutch theologian, Abraham Kuyper, “There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, That is mine!’ ” Marriage is the foundational building block of all cultures and as such is under the Lordship of Christ. Therefore, Evangelicals should boldly and uncompromisingly defend the only kind of marriage that Jesus believed in. Christians owe it to Christ, before all else, to reject ungodly passivity, and to defend what is true, virtuous, and is the common good for all Canadians.

This isn't really an argument against same sex marriage as much as it is a call to action by the evangelicals which I guess was the point of the article in the first place so I don't have much to add. But I would like to say this ... find me ONE just ONE place in the new testament where Jesus condemns same sex marriage or even homosexuals for that matter. Jesus was all about love not hate. He spoke of tolerance and used phrases like "judge not lest ye be judged". My take is all these holier than thou christian evangelicals out there are not as much like Jesus as they like to think. Pride goest before the fall methinks and there goes that phrase "common good for all Canadians" as defined by whom, I wonder.


IA