“GAY RIGHTS VS RIGHTS OF THE FAMILY”
As May 8th approaches, more and more North Carolinians are making their way early to the polling booths. Unlike earlier primaries, the main issue on their minds is not the various candidates running for office but the referendum on the Marriage Protection Amendment. Those who support the amendment repeatedly warn that failure to pass the amendment will negatively impact businesses and religious organizations. Those who oppose the amendment rebuff such warnings, claiming that nothing will change—life will go on as we know it. If anything, it will bring rights and freedom to homosexuals. Although I agree that every American is entitled to certain rights and freedom, I want us to look at them from the viewpoint of the family.
If the Amendment fails, it will have serious impact on parental rights. Children are not the property of the state to be indoctrinated with the propaganda of some Führer; they are the heritage of their parents to be reared under their guidance, love, and protection. Parents are the rightful instructors in all matters on morality and ethics, especially sexuality. That line has been crossed already by the introduction of sex education into the school curriculum. Such issues should have remained at the sole discretion of the parents. Furthermore, sex-education is based on the erroneous belief that information equals transformation. As if, a thief will stop stealing if he is given courses in safe-larceny and safe-burglary! Some may consider this to be naïve and argue that “kids will do what they want to do.” To them, I will answer, “Kids follow by example.” It is not the principle of abstinence that is at fault but the inconsistent lifestyle of the adults. Abstinence from sex until marriage remains the only approach that protects against STDs, prevents teen pregnancies, and results in well-adjusted people with less emotional hang-ups; it reinforces the values and beliefs of the parents and the society. Such was the case until recently…
For almost 15 years, North Carolina schools followed the Abstinence-Until-Marriage (AUM) law with relative success. Three years ago the General Assembly passed the Healthy Youth Act (HYA) – which expanded sex-education to include information on sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptives. Contrary to what is often assumed, the HYA is not a mandate for a condom-based sex education only. In fact, AUM is still the standard and parents still reserve the right to check the materials that are taught to their children and can choose to opt their children out of anything they find offensive and harmful in the Reproductive Health and Safety Education. Unfortunately, most Parents are unaware or busy and rarely get around to checking on such matters. Consequently, children are being bombarded with mixed messages—on the one hand, they are told to stay pure until marriage; on the other hand, they are given instructions on how to have “safe sex.” Imagine the confusion! In some ways, we are damaging the future citizens of our state and nation.
Back to the amendment issue—if the amendment fails, it will only make matters worse for our children. Special interest agenda groups are still not satisfied with the HYA. They claim that it is not comprehensive enough since it advocates heterosexual marriages as the best way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. It is a matter of time before the current sex education curriculum will be revised to include homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. Homosexuality deals with questions of fundamental identity, morality, ethics, and religion. Children should not be subjected to such adult matters. After all, even movie theaters have age-limits for movies with adult themes. Isn’t it reasonable to expect the same at our schools? Don’t our children have the right to enjoy growing up in innocence, free from the agenda of the few?
Our nation and state is only as strong as our families. Passing the marriage amendment will ensure the rights and freedoms of the American family, especially our children.
So, within the context of gay marriage, you want all rights for some Americans and some rights for all Americans. In other words, you want full rights for heterosexual Americans and partial rights for homosexual Americans.
How far are you willing to go to limit rights for subcategories of people? What groups of people shouldn’t get full rights? Is it just gay people that shouldn’t get full rights?
Of course homosexuals have rights in America; but they do not have the right to redefine marriage.
They’re not redefining marriage. Marriage should be shared between two people love each other. 60 years ago it was illegal for whites and blacks to marry. Did they “redefine marriage?” No, they just opened people’s eyes that love knows no bounds. The argument is ridiculous. We have no right to judge people no matter what their skin color, sexual orientation, or personal life entails. It’s not our business, but as self righteous, nosy Americans we make it our business. This country was founded on separating church and state, and as of lately, we’re letting our personal religious beliefs run the country. It’s not right. We shouldn’t deny anyone’s rights or limit them to anything. In the long run, if you’re a believer in God, we don’t make the final call who gets into heaven and who doesn’t. God does.
Hi Kelley,
Love has bounds. Do we allow child marriages? Do we allow marriages between adults and children? Of course, not.
Furthermore, marriage is more than just two lovers making it official. It is about building a family. At the heart of marriage is the prospect of bearing children. There are times when a couple cannot have children due to medical reasons. That is not their fault. But, in homosexual marriage, there is no such possibility. It is unnatural. It doesn’t work. God has made the final call.
No we don’t allow child marriages,but please inform me what that has to do with this article. Why do you assume that just because 2 people get married and commit to each other they want children? My husband and I got married and made the decision to have children. If it’s not possible, we’ll adopt. If two men or two women wish to commit to each other in such a fashion why do think it’s our place to stop it. It’s people like you that make this country still live blindly. Judging by your name, a marriage between you and a white woman 60 years ago wasn’t possible. Assuming from the pictures you’re of a different race, so people could immediately jump to conclusions that you’re not christian and tell you you’re going to hell. Why is it that we allow single people to adopt, straight couples to adopt, but exclude homosexual couples from adopting? You’re completely missing my point. I do believe love knows no bounds, but that has nothing to do with “child marriages” and I’m not saying we need to support marriage between a man and horse. A 32 year old man saying he’s in love with an 8 year old child, has a problem the same way if a man were to say he wanted to marry his dog. God does have the final call, and I find it offensive that you’re putting yourself in a God like complex and thinking you know what that final call is. The only reason you see it as “unnatural” is because you aren’t attracted to men. I’ve written before about how we are not born to hate, we are taught to hate, and this is a very clear case of that. Thank you for proving my point.
Kelley, I commend you on willing to stand up for the rights of others. Having said that, comparing interracial marriage to “homosexual marriages” is like comparing apples to moon rocks. For starters, the black voters of North Carolina voted overwhelmingly for traditional marriage. Apparently, they don’t consider it to be a civil rights issue! Why? For many reasons. Let me give you the simplest one. At the heart of the civil rights was the equality of all races. White, Black, Hispanic, Asian – we are all human beings and deserve the same rights and privileges. There shouldn’t be restrooms for Whites and restrooms for Blacks. Let’s carry your argument to it’s logical conclusion. If same-sex couples should be eligible for marriage, then gender is irrelevant. If gender is irrelevant, don’t you think we should be fighting for uni-sex restrooms. Before you start on some ad hominen attacks (which you did repeatedly in your response), try to reason with me. Why are we not fighting for uni-sex restrooms? Because we know that there is a fundamental difference between a man and a woman. Gender does matter. We discriminate everyday when we see signs–“For Men” and “For Women” on the restrooms. Stop calling “Same-sex marriage” a civil rights issue. It’s not. But….if you still think it is, why not picket outside some public restrooms tomorrow.
On top of that I’m going to throw this in before you start throwing bible verses in my face and telling me that this and that is a sin. If that was your aim, I know where you going with it, and you’re headed straight to Leviticus. In that book, it also talks about how working on a Sundays is a sin, tattooing is a sin, and playing with the skin of a pig is a sin. In that case we’re all screwed. ESPECIALLY football players. It was a code to live by 3,000+ years ago. While I believe it does still hold some truths, the world is no long the same, and we are no longer forced to hide because we are different. Being a christian, to me anyway, but who knows i’m probably wrong since you’ve taken it upon yourself to try to prove me wrong (but that’s okay, I wasn’t raised by someone who aspired to be a deacon, went through CCD and confirmation, and I don’t frequently have talks with my father about interpretations of the bible. So I probably am wrong.) Back to my point, being a christian means accepting someone for their faults and forgiving them for their wrongs. It means making your decisions based on what you know is morally right and wrong, not what a book tells me I need to believe. I have spoken with my father and with priests, and everyone I’ve spoken with has agreed with me. There is no reason for us to condemn someone because they were born gay, much like there is no reason we should condemn someone for being born of a different race. For the sake of bible verses I’m going to put this one out there. It’s from John. Chapter 8 verse 7 “But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’” Barnum Bailey had you pinned exactly. Your theory is that we should allow some rights Americans and leave the others out to fend for themselves. So, to pose the same questions that he did: How far are you willing to go to limit rights for subcategories of people? What groups of people shouldn’t get full rights? Is it just gay people that shouldn’t get full rights?
Kelley,
Again, I commend you for bringing up Leviticus and the issue of the Law. Most people can’t even bring up those references. Having said that, the NT does not gloss over the sin of homosexuality either.
Romans 1:26-27 26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
And 1 Timothy 1:9-10 9knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
Please understand Kelley – I really think that you are a very kind-hearted person who hates to see anyone being bullied or mis-treated. I wish more people were like you in that regard. Also, I truly sympathize with those who struggle with homosexual feelings. I have a very good friend who was in that lifestyle for many years. For many reasons (which I don’t want to go into here), he lived this lifestyle until God’s grace reached him and he saw the truth about his life. Again, it was not easy but in time he found freedom. God’s grace does not ignore sin but it brings forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
Being a Christian is not learning to love people and accept them for who they are. It is receiving God’s gift of forgiveness and reconciliation to Him in Christ.
As far as the abstinence thing is concerned, I think we need to have sex education in our school system that includes education on reproduction, safe sex, and relationships. If we continue in this groove of telling our children to stay abstinent and “sex is a sin” and “if you touch yourself you’re sinning” and all we do is preach “No sex no sex no sex” our kids will do it out of sheer rebellion. Our teen pregnancy rate will rise along with the abortion rate. People need to be educated starting before puberty and into adulthood. Right now there are many people who still think that Plan B is an “abortion pill” when it isn’t. It comes from ignorance because we’re never given that knowledge in the first place.
Kelley,
Again, I find myself agreeing with you and disagreeing with you.
If you tell someone not to do something, they are more than likely to do it more. Case in point: Put up a sign “Wet Paint: Do Not Touch” and people will touch it. You are absolutely right. If we tell our kids “sex is sin” then they will do it even more. I hope we never tell them that. In fact, sex is great. You should scroll down and read my article on sex.
What I am advocating is an abstinence education that teaches our children that sex is wonderful and beautiful in the confines of marriage. Share it with someone who will be your spouse. Don’t throw it away. Teens are listening to that message and choosing to abstain until marriage.
And are you seriously arguing that homosexuals are the only ones that carry sexually transmitted diseases? I think you need to do a little more research before you start adding in your own opinions.I expected more out of someone who has at least a BA in journalism, even if it is broadcast based.
I’d like to remind you of the words you just said “we are all human beings and deserve the same rights and privileges.” And I honestly can’t quit laughing at your inadequate arguments. What do unisex restrooms have anything to do with same sex marriage? Telling me to picket a restroom is the dumbest argument to the same sex marriage argument I have EVER heard. If you don’t like seeing people bullied or mistreated, why are you as a pastor (if that’s what I gather), participating in such an act? Do you see anyone in the homosexual community saying that YOUR feelings are wrong? Do you see anyone telling you that your heterosexual feelings are “a struggle”? No, because it’s natural. Just like their feelings are. I don’t know of a single person that is “struggling with their feelings” because all of my homosexual friends know that God loves them for THEM. He accepts them for who they are.
I understand what you’re saying about Christianity is this and that, but PART OF IT is accepting people for who they are! I don’t see you doing that. When I read these words, all I’m reading is that “you’re going to be punished for this” and “you’re going to punished for that” and that’s not the way it works! God does not damn anyone to hell. He has the final call, not you, and I will argue that to my death.
There is no way for me or anyone supporting civil rights to reason with you because your arguments are ridiculous. Based SOLELY on what the bible says, then according to Leviticus 22:45, we should be able to own slaves provided they’re purchased from neighboring countries. Exodus 21:7 states that you have the right to sell your daughters into slavery. Leviticus 15:19-24 says that women should be quarantined during their menstrual cycles. Leviticus 1:9 says we should burn animals as sacrifices to God. Working on the Sabbath is severe enough of a sin that you should be put to death. Are there “degrees” of abomination because I was taught that a sin is a sin in God’s eyes. Also according to Leviticus, we can’t wear clothes of mixed fabrics, so the shirt you’re currently wearing should probably be burned. If you regularly get hair cuts then you should probably be put to death because that’s a sin too.
Do you see where I’m going with this? Why is it that only some things we’re allowed to change and interpret from the bible, but these kinds of issues are so taboo? Why don’t we stone people anymore? Whatever happened to that?
When people wrote Genesis, they were trying to grasp the concept of God. When they used terms like “gay” they didn’t understand the concept of millions of years. Words were interpreted throughout the years due to our slang. The only concept they were trying to get across was “God created and it was good.” Jesus told us that God has a place for everyone in heaven and we are not the ones to judge which people get into heaven. To say “you’re saved” is not the right interpretation. Every day you wake up you have to make a decision to “be saved.” You have to make a commitment to yourself to live through God. Saying “I’ve been saved because I’ve accepted Jesus into my heart” doesn’t give you the right to continually go on sinning. It’s about acceptance and accepting God’s creations no matter what they are. I feel like you’re playing God and you’re judging people. The only person that can judge anything is God. The concept of Christianity, is acceptance and praise for God and ALL of God’s creations. The only thing you need to be concerned about is yourself and preaching God’s awesomeness not your own opinions and the way you feel people should be judged. God will make that call on judgement day not you, and if they are wrong, they will be judged, if you’re wrong, you will be judged. You may not agree with their lifestyle, but it’s not your place to judge and butt in. We’ll find out on judgement day who is right and who is wrong. The only decision you should make is deciding you will live for Christ and accept his creations.
Having this argument with people like you is a lost cause. Once a close minded person makes up their mind, they refuse to see the points of others. You’re not open to actually listening, you’re open to just arguing what you think is correct, which is apparently judging people.
I had a hard time coming to my relationship to God, and I thank him almost every day for the life I’ve been given. He did save my life, and it’s a level of saving to the point that I should have been dead. Quite literally. You will get no details of the incident because quite frankly it’s none of your business, but the point is, it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that He kept me on this Earth for a reason and I am still searching for what that reason is. I still wake up and am thankful for the day because I know God will love me no matter what I did to myself in the past. I know that he has given me another day. When I realized that was when MY acceptance of the world and all of God’s creations, began.
I pray this happens for you.
Hi Kelley, I have another article for you.
And I, one for you. http://www.westarinstitute.org/Periodicals/4R_Articles/homosexuality.html
But honestly, I’m done with this conversation because you refuse to respect or see my point or the point of over half this country. You’re more concerned with, and I’m sorry but, judging people than acceptance. You preached on here about bullying, but you’re part of it. One of my best friends was seeing a man who was still living in fear of coming out because he felt he wouldn’t be accepted even though he knew he had a strong support system. People like you are the reason I had to talk this friend back into understand that God loved him for who he was, God didn’t hate him, and then quoted Lady Gaga’s song Born This Way. It holds so many truths it’s unreal. I’m sure you want people to accept you for being born the way you were.
This will end my comments on this blog because while I never expected you to change your stance on the subject I at least expected respect and acceptance, and still get none of that. I respect that you have the point of view that you have, but the point I’m trying to make is that it’s neither Christian or can be TRULY backed up by the bible. So one last time, we are not born to hate, we are taught to hate. God doesn’t hate regardless of all the signs your protesters hold up saying that “God hates fags.” The term “fag” is bullying enough on it’s own. It’s even worse to say that God “hates” you when the truth is that God hates nothing.
Kelley, I have read William Walker’s article. It is riddled with hermeneutical blunders. I could write a book on all the errors in it. Here’s the simple principle to interpret the Bible – “If the plain sense makes sense, every other sense is a nonsense.” And, yes – Jesus did talk about homosexuality. I will be glad to show it to you if you are interested.
Kelley – I don’t mind honest discussions and dialogs but many of your statements are misrepresenting facts and mislabeling people. It looks like you resort to throwing mud when you are faced with evidence or you chase some proverbial rabbit when you are confronted with logic. If you really care about this issue and want to make a difference, it is time you do your homework. Please don’t take it wrong. I do admire your passion. That is commendable. Wish more people had that.