On Saturday I told you that I went to a wedding for some of my closest friends. I'm happy that slowly our country has been allowing everyone to marry, even people who identify as gay or lesbian. Growing up I was always pretty liberal in my social views. I have had many gay friends, all who I love very dearly. It has always been something very baffling to me that they don't have the same rights as myself and my straight friends.
I know there is a lot of debate on whether you are born gay or if it is a choice; if it natural or unnatural. I feel like if you believe it is a choice, it will be very hard to believe differently. I know this because I 100% believe you are born gay and I know how difficult it would be to change my opinion. When I first realized that this is what I believed, it was because I rationalized it this way. When we first start going through changes as young boys and girls, it is also around this time we start noticing feelings that develop. Nowadays this happens sooner than ever before, but for the most part it can be anywhere from 10-15 years-old. So let me ask, when you were 10 years-old or even 15 years-old, did you fully understand the feelings you were having or had any concept of what it meant to be gay? I know I didn't. So how can someone say that gay is a choice. We feel those feelings for whatever sex might arouse those feelings, before we know what they are. It is already in our brains, our genes; it is what we were born with.
I know another side to the gay marriage debate is a religious one. People say that it is against religion and against God to take part in homosexual activity. Yes, there are some verses that point to this, but the entire message of the Bible is that in order to be let into the eternal kingdom and to live with God is simple: We have to simply love God and love others as Jesus would. Jesus didn't love the rich, the powerful, and the well off. He loved those who were poor, sick, and considered outcasts from the rest of the world. He loved the ones who loved and believed in Him. The other lesson the Bible teaches is the ultimately it is God's opinion we have to fear. It is Him who has the final word. By not loving others as Jesus would and judging others definitely like God would, we are not only going against His wishes of loving others, but we are going against God himself by acting like Him.
Another argument against gay marriage it that the purpose for marriage is to have children. For me, this is the part I have the hardest time with. Marriage is not strictly for having children. If this was your argument than you would also be against many straight marriages as well. There are older people, who are well past child bearing age, who marry for companionship. Should they not be allowed to marry? There are still arranged marriages today who marry for financial and social reasons. Are they not allowed to still do this? There are couples who simply don't want to have children. Should they not marry either? There are also couples who have problems conceiving. Take me for example, because I was born with some health issues that make 99% impossible for me to carry a child, should I not be allowed to marry even though I'm straight? The purpose of marriage is not strictly children. Marriage is for love, companionship, and building a life with someone.
I also think that we wouldn't be disallowing people born with a handicap to not marry. even though they are different than the majority, people would be fighting so hard to make sure they had the same rights as everyone else. With some of my health issues, that I was born with, I will permanently be different than everyone else. The bottom line is I wouldn't want anyone to treat me differently simply because I was different than the majority.
Day 148....Song I Love- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- Same Love
No comments:
Post a Comment