Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Homosexuality, Why Does it Matter to me?

Over the years I have met many people who have chosen to live a homosexual lifestyle. Most, if not all of them, have been nice people. The question about homosexuality is not one of discrimination, we discriminate against people all the time. We discriminate by age, people can not vote until they are 18, they can't legally smoke until they are 18, they can't drink until they are 21, and they cannot be president of the United States until they are 35 years old. We discriminate against people with disabilities, we withhold drivers licenses from people who are blind or have some other disability that would prohibit them from operating a vehicle safely. We discriminate based on gender, men and women are prohibited from taking certain prescription drugs. We discriminate all the time and many times it is a good thing.

When it comes to homosexuality is it good to discriminate by not issuing a marriage license for same sex marriage? The short answer is yes. Let's be clear about what is being done when this happens. First, no rights are being withheld from one person while being given to another. No person regardless of their sexual preference is given a marriage license by the state. That means this is not a civil rights issue. In addition anyone can marry whoever or whatever they want to, it just might not be recognized by the governement.

So why should we care? We should care because of the impact this will have on society overall and eventually on kids and teens. In Canada it is illegal to say anything that might be considered to be offensive to a homosexual. It is considered hate speech even if it is not hateful. You can be thrown in jail. This is not tolerance at all. There has been this kind of legislation proposed in the United states as well, up to this point it has not gotten very far. It would impact our cultures view of marriage and kids living in single parent homes would increase. In Norway close to 80% of first born children are born out of wedlock and 60% of subsequent births. In other words when homosexual partnerships or marriages are accepted by the government, marriage itself is harmed and children are harmed. Children are being born in situations that are note helpful to their development. Lifetime commitments are not present.

What should you do about it? First, stay true to the Biblical teachings regarding marriage and homosexuality. Second, make sure you treat all people with love and respect even if you disagree with the choices they are making. Third, be willing to speak truth when it is not popular to do so. Third, don't believe everything you are told about this issue, much of the time you will be misled by the media and by your teachers.

Where can I go in the Bible to see what it teaches about this issue? Leviticus 18:22-23; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10. There are other passages, but these are the most clear.