Showing posts with label Oh Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oh Politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
to wed or not to wed...
Let me start with this...I have debated in my mind over posts like this for a long time. While the main point of this blog is to keep everyone up to date with the happenings in "Our Little World"--I also use this blog to keep record of my thoughts, opinions, and of current events occuring in our lifetime, etc. Most of the time, I do pretty well at keeping the opinions soft spoken--to where you may not know what I'm talking about, but I sure do. However, lately, I've found that I have eluded to current events, but not enough, so then I'm left wondering "what was I thinking that day?!?"
So, with that said, I'm going to (not too often--I don't think) make note of my thoughts on major current events, so six months, a year from now, I can remember.
TODAYS TOPIC: Please note--the views below are my own and do not represent any other member of the Our Little World household (as I'm sure Ty and Pippi care and want this disclaimer).
CURRENT EVENT THAT INSPIRED MY RANDOMNESS: Prop 8 in California was declared unconstitutional in a Federal Court this week and homosexual couples can now marry while the appeal process continues.
GAY MARRIAGE.
What is the big deal people? What is the big deal?
As far as marriage goes in the United States, it is simply a piece of paper. Trust me. I have one. It's a piece of paper that allows for taxes to be filed differently and I guess some other government benefits that I have yet to discover.
Why are people so concerned about whether the government says two women or two men can marry one another? It's a piece of paper. If your excuse is that it is against God's will--well, I hate to break it to ya, but we live in a country where Church and State are supposed to be separated.
Meaning--if it is against God's will, so be it, let those people face Him on their judgement day. I'm sure we'll all have to face Him for one reason or another anyway...
But, the State is not God--and the State should not be the one to decide whether these people are morally right or wrong. The State just issues that piece of paper. Churches have every right to acknowledge or condemn a marriage -- but I don't think the State has that right. Different rules, a different Boss.
On a side note:
Did you know that at one time interracial marriage was illegal? In 1967, a Virginian judge ruled that the marriage between people of different races was illegal. He explained his ruling that "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix." Um...that ruling was in a STATE run court--not a church. Well, fortunately, that case made it all the way to the Supreme Court that year. The Supreme Court sealed the legality of Richard and Mildred Loving's interracial marriage (9-0)with this statement in their ruling, "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."(too lazy to hunt down all these sites, so here's Wikipedia).
I think it would be best for us all to accept that the governement is NOT our moral deciders--and just give gay marriages that same piece of paper that heterosexual marriages get to have. The Supreme Court said it in 1967: "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."
I really wish the government would focus on the REAL issues at hand and leave free citizens with the right to pursue their happiness, even if their happiness relies on loving someone of the same sex.
An excerpt from the book "Committment" by Elizabeth Gilbert (same chica that wrote "Eat, Pray, Love"):
"A church wedding is a nice thing, but it is neither required for legal marriage in America nor does it constitute legal marriage in America. What constitutes legal marriage in this country is that critical piece of paper that you and your betrothed must sign and then register with the state. The morality of your marriage may indeed rest between you and God, but it's that civic and secular paperwork which makes your vows official here on earth. Ultimately, then, it is the business of America's courts, not America's churches, to decide the rules of matrimonial law, and it is in those courts that the same-sex marriage debate will finally be settled."
Well said. And yet another excerpt that made me kind of giggle (well, because divorce is so stupid common these days):
"If I were a social conservative...I would want as many gay couples as possible to get married. I would want as many of every kind of couple as possible to get married. I recognize that conservatives are worried that homosexuals will destroy and corrupt the institution of marriage, but perhaps they should consider the distinct possibility that gay couples are actually poised at this moment in history to SAVE marriage."
Ok, enough about that. It's a hot topic, and one that I think should remain in the Churches and out of the States. Just let them get married. Like I said earlier, if there indeed is something wrong with it, they can deal with that on their judgement day.
So, while I believe that gay marriage should be legal --I am a little concerned about a judge overturning a states' decision (52% of the population in California voted against legalizing gay marriage). I don't ever want the "Big Guys" being able to sweep in and tell us "Little Guys (aka the individual states)" what is right/wrong/I could go on and on...Oh catch 22 in my heart!!!
I do not ask that you change your own opinions and views of this matter--just as I won't apologize for having my own opinions, nor will I apologize for expressing these opinions.
So, with that said, I'm going to (not too often--I don't think) make note of my thoughts on major current events, so six months, a year from now, I can remember.
TODAYS TOPIC: Please note--the views below are my own and do not represent any other member of the Our Little World household (as I'm sure Ty and Pippi care and want this disclaimer).
CURRENT EVENT THAT INSPIRED MY RANDOMNESS: Prop 8 in California was declared unconstitutional in a Federal Court this week and homosexual couples can now marry while the appeal process continues.
GAY MARRIAGE.
What is the big deal people? What is the big deal?
As far as marriage goes in the United States, it is simply a piece of paper. Trust me. I have one. It's a piece of paper that allows for taxes to be filed differently and I guess some other government benefits that I have yet to discover.
Why are people so concerned about whether the government says two women or two men can marry one another? It's a piece of paper. If your excuse is that it is against God's will--well, I hate to break it to ya, but we live in a country where Church and State are supposed to be separated.
Meaning--if it is against God's will, so be it, let those people face Him on their judgement day. I'm sure we'll all have to face Him for one reason or another anyway...
But, the State is not God--and the State should not be the one to decide whether these people are morally right or wrong. The State just issues that piece of paper. Churches have every right to acknowledge or condemn a marriage -- but I don't think the State has that right. Different rules, a different Boss.
On a side note:
Did you know that at one time interracial marriage was illegal? In 1967, a Virginian judge ruled that the marriage between people of different races was illegal. He explained his ruling that "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix." Um...that ruling was in a STATE run court--not a church. Well, fortunately, that case made it all the way to the Supreme Court that year. The Supreme Court sealed the legality of Richard and Mildred Loving's interracial marriage (9-0)with this statement in their ruling, "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."(too lazy to hunt down all these sites, so here's Wikipedia).
I think it would be best for us all to accept that the governement is NOT our moral deciders--and just give gay marriages that same piece of paper that heterosexual marriages get to have. The Supreme Court said it in 1967: "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."
I really wish the government would focus on the REAL issues at hand and leave free citizens with the right to pursue their happiness, even if their happiness relies on loving someone of the same sex.
An excerpt from the book "Committment" by Elizabeth Gilbert (same chica that wrote "Eat, Pray, Love"):
"A church wedding is a nice thing, but it is neither required for legal marriage in America nor does it constitute legal marriage in America. What constitutes legal marriage in this country is that critical piece of paper that you and your betrothed must sign and then register with the state. The morality of your marriage may indeed rest between you and God, but it's that civic and secular paperwork which makes your vows official here on earth. Ultimately, then, it is the business of America's courts, not America's churches, to decide the rules of matrimonial law, and it is in those courts that the same-sex marriage debate will finally be settled."
Well said. And yet another excerpt that made me kind of giggle (well, because divorce is so stupid common these days):
"If I were a social conservative...I would want as many gay couples as possible to get married. I would want as many of every kind of couple as possible to get married. I recognize that conservatives are worried that homosexuals will destroy and corrupt the institution of marriage, but perhaps they should consider the distinct possibility that gay couples are actually poised at this moment in history to SAVE marriage."
Ok, enough about that. It's a hot topic, and one that I think should remain in the Churches and out of the States. Just let them get married. Like I said earlier, if there indeed is something wrong with it, they can deal with that on their judgement day.
So, while I believe that gay marriage should be legal --I am a little concerned about a judge overturning a states' decision (52% of the population in California voted against legalizing gay marriage). I don't ever want the "Big Guys" being able to sweep in and tell us "Little Guys (aka the individual states)" what is right/wrong/I could go on and on...Oh catch 22 in my heart!!!
I do not ask that you change your own opinions and views of this matter--just as I won't apologize for having my own opinions, nor will I apologize for expressing these opinions.
Homosexual marriages do not hurt me or offend me and I don't think the government should tell two of my friends (or two strangers at that) that they can't get married simply because they happen to be of the same sex. Love is love. Sometimes the heart knows no different.
And--if two people wish to live together in matrimony--so be it. Like I've said multiple times in this post--if our God truly has a problem with it, He will address the issue when the time is right.
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