Pastoral Musings

Yep, you are correct.  I stated that same sex “marriage” is not civil right.

Why?

First of all, it is not the prerogative of the state to define marriage.  Marriage existed as a monogamous, hetrosexual, covenantal union before civil goverment existed.

Second, our Declaration of Independence states the following:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

The equality that men have comes from their Creator.  With this in mind, we must throw off all the foolish talk about a separation between church and state.  We have that.  There is no state church. Christian people, however, have always had the right to speak their minds and uphold morality whenever and wherever possible.  This nation was founded with the understanding that we have a Creator who gives us our rights.  This nation was not founded to be free from religion, but to have freedom of religion.

Having our equality from our Creator we must determine something about that equality.  It is an equality that relates to what men are as men, i.e. human.  All humans are equal.  That does not mean that all human behaviors are acceptable.  If this were so there would be no need for government.  Our Creator made us equal, but that does not mean that homosexuality is approved by Him.  He made male and female.  The Creator made the man and gave him a woman to be his wife.  The one who attempts to argue for same sex “marriage” on the basis of equality is being selective in his reading of the Declaration of Independence.  Not only so, but they are acting contrary to the desire of their Creator from whom they receive their value as humans: which value makes them equal to all other humans.  That is somewhat hypocritical….so, you see, religious people are not the only ones who can be open to that charge.

Third, government, we see, is for the purpose of facilitating the happiness of men.  Those who know a little about the Puritans and their children will tell you that the original intent of the writers of the Declaration of Independence was not to imply that everyone would be made happy by government.  Their implications were that freedom makes men happy, and that true happiness can be found when men are free to excercise their religion and not be oppressed by tyranical governments.  They were all for responsible, moral behavior.

Fourth, government is to promote the safety of the people.  I am sure that this is mostly speaking of safety in the sense of freedom from oppression and tyranny.  It is also true, however, that the homosexual lifestyle is a very dangerous thing, both to those who partake in it as well as to society.

Fifth, we are told that government should not be lightly nor quickly changed.  The homosexual movement is not atttempting to replace our system of government, but they are attempting to change the rules of government.  Why have we had the laws that have been on the books so long as they have?  People should think long, hard, and logically before attempting to change them.  Most of them are there for good reasons.  Oh, I know, there were the Jim Crow laws and such as that.  Those are a minority, however.  Very few meaningful changes have been made to our laws since our Constitution was written.  Why?  Because the laws were good, and they worked.  Marriage was not defined in the Declaration of Independence, nor in the Constitution.  Why?  Because everyone knew what it was.

Now we are told that we are violating civil rights and oppressing people because we won’t change the definition of marriage.  Methinks the protestors should go back and read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution aright.

There is no oppression of homosexuals.  They are a protected class today.  You can say bash Christians with impunity, but one can hardly speak against homosexual behavior without being labeled “homophobic”, “bigoted”, or other similar things.  They have no Constitutional right to homosexuality, however, and they certainly have no Constitutional right to marry.

They do have the right to acknowledge their Creator and get right with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.  He will both forgive them and change them.

Do 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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.  1Cor 6:9-11

Just musing…