Yep this title was to get your attention. I am hardly anyone that people would like to hear opine right now. I would like to share what I think is missing (from my point of view) in the current discussion on same sex marriage issue. After some spirited posts a few days ago I did some early morning meditating on the matter and here is what I would like to share with the KOS brother and sister hood. If you will hear me...
I am a believer in dialogue and getting to an understanding...
First of all I make no bones about being a Christian. This should make it easy for you to know me because all you have to do is take a KJV of the bible and lay it down before you and search it, and you will know what I am (or should be) about.
That being said if you have not clicked off let's get to the point of the matter that I would like to hit on (in this my first attempt at a diary).
As I meditated this morning, the episodes that I had with a few passionate posters on a particular thread: Let the tea-leaf reading commence: [Supreme Court hears arguments on marriage equality] came up. I let it come to my mind raw and naked.
From my comtemplation of the issues we discussed I came to the conclusion that the parties involved (as a whole) are speaking from their passions, their language/rhetoric which does not address the other SIDEs reasoning. I believe that all sides are playing to the media and are really not focused on coming to grips with what we have before us.
The media is trained and led not so much to solve problems and issues, in fact the longer an issue goes on the better it is for them. Reporters as smart as they are sometimes are not at all abreast of all points on the issue and often only on one of the matter. I have seen some asinine and slanted questions asked on TV interviews that are not helping us to do what needs to be done all.
I will now try to make my point that it hope will be helpful in this discussion...
I am a Christian as I said and if you want to know what I think either ask me or look in the Book. On this matter my basic stance is that homosexuality is a sin and therefore I can not support homosexuality which is why when one of the posters tried to get me to discuss equality in marriage he was upset that I did not go there. There is little need for anyone to ask me how I feel about same sex marriage if they already know how I stand on homosexuality. In order for same sexes to marry you have to be involved in homosexuality. Ergo, I can not support same sex marriage. And there is where most will hit the ground and begin the fire fight and not be able to get to the place we need to be. Passions!!!
Because I am not a supporter of the practice of homosexuality does not make me an ogre. I don't have a problem with homosexuals unless they are trying to ply homosexuality toward or at me. Otherwise I can sit next to you on a bus, will hire you to work for me, have coffee with you at Starbucks (which I have done many times), you name it. What ever does not involve homosexuality this Christian has no problem with you. But when you try and dehumanize me, my human nature will usually rise up over my Spiritual nature and before I know it I am in the trenches lobing grenades back at you. Nothing is constructive about that. This is not what is needed from us as countrymen especially in these times.
Now here is where we have not gotten to and where I think we can get to if we get settle the matter that (1) we can not make you not practice homosexuality (2) that we believe that it is a sin (3) you can not change ourminds there... These things may never change with us, so how do we reach a compromise?
As I thought on it this morning after getting to that point I looked at what the homosexuals were trying to say beyond same sex marriage where the barrier barrier is to reaching a workable solution is. The issues are fair taxes and work benefits for all. How do I feel about these issues? I believe that all ought to have fairness and equality in taxes and job benefits, no exceptions. I can stand with you there emphatically.
I will not be made to sign on and vote for acceptance of homosexuality, but I can stand with the above facts of tax fairness and job benefits. It can be worked out with the branches of government and should be. You can work to 'redefine marriage' if you choose to. I am not with you there because it would be against what the bible teaches. God is always right.
I am not trying to dictate what you should do. Only explaining where I stand and how I see it. Tomorrow we will have to get up again and transverse this earth and world system hopefully working for a common ground all the while working through uncommon issues side by side. That is reality.
And lastly I believe that if we can keep our passion from running away and our shouting, and let logic, reason and rationale be at the fore front. Truth will eventually be heard and the matter will then be in the hand of the individuals to do what the truth has shown to be right.
Last last word... I will not compromise because of one of the words I kept hearing posters throwing at Christians...Love. I do love each and every person on this planet. We may have issues that will cause the flame to dim momentarily at times (human nature). But in order for me to work the work of Him who sent me Love must be the essential thing in my life... And love of the truth first...
There are consequences for sin make no mistake about that. As an example, our nation still has a festering sore from slavery that many refuse to let heal. These are people who are more concerned with themselves than the whole or big picture. Beware of these people...
I will say to my people: as Ghandhi said... "I like your Christ, I don't like your Christians, they are so unlike Him... (this pushed me to do better...)