Days of Preparation: October 2012

Probably the most depressing part of my day is the drive to school/work. Contrary to what you may be thinking this is not due to any dislike for my studies or my labors, rather it has to do with the prominent yard ornamentation of Northeast Minneapolis. Placarded in numerous lawns is a bright orange sign that reads, "VOTE NO: Don't limit the freedom to marry." It is a striking reaction to the impending November vote about whether or not Minnesotans will vote to amend the state constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I have lots of biblical arguments for why I think marriage is only ever between a man and a woman, but that's not why I'm writing this post. I'm bothered on a basic human level by the dishonest, irrational, and unloving approach the argument it taking.

A Call for Honesty

The question keeps coming to mind as orange signs blur my peripheral vision, "Who's having their freedom to marry limited by the upcoming vote?" The amendment in question is simply an effort to retain a definition to marriage that has pervaded this society from the beginning and is common throughout humanity. No one is having their freedom to marry limited, if they are an of-age adult and intending to make this serious commitment with an of-age of the opposite sex. That's what marriage is in Minnesota at present and this amendment is not setting any new limitations. What the amendment is doing, in reality, is preventing persons from changing the definition and institution of marriage into something that it is not. The real motivation behind this "VOTE NO" campaign is a radical redefinition of this fundamental institution that forms the basis of society. Let's be honest...

A Call for Reason

Because, sadly, the yard sign slogan is also prominent on many T-shirts in my area as well, I'm starting to think that it is a slogan people really believe in—and that scares me. So, let's slow down and think it through for a moment, "don't limit the freedom to marry." Really!?! That's a wildly unqualified statement. If I didn't know that the real debate is about so-called "homosexual marriage," just reading these signs and following the logic might yield… "Don't limit the freedom to marry…for the man who loves and is committed to three women and would like to marry them all." Or, "Don't limit the freedom to marry…for the person who is in a mutual love relationship with a minor and they would like to marry." Or, "Don't limit the freedom to marry…for the person who really loves and wants to marry his first cousin…or sister…or other close relative." I could go on into deeper crassness but I think the point is clear, the unfettered logic of this slogan is dangerous. And for those who may be objecting that this is a slippery slope argument, notice, I'm not saying that to permit, so-called "homosexual marriages" will necessarily lead to all these other examples I've listed (polygamy, pedophilia, incest,…even bestiality). What I am saying, and mark this, is that the logic of the current slogan is equally applicable to all of these other types of arguments. Let's be reasonable...

A Call for Love

For those who know me, rarely am I found watching television. But I've seen enough in the past month to know that the TV ads are spouting a similar line to the yard signs, "If two people love each other and are committed to each other, who am I to withhold the right of marriage from them?" Well, I think this line has already been examined above—it assumes a definition of marriage that is not in accordance with reality, thus making it dishonest; it is irrational in that it has not thought of chaotic implications of using such argumentation for this discussion. But these TV ads bring in the issue of "love" and seems to imply that those who VOTE YES to retain the definition of marriage between one man and one woman are unloving and preventing the true love of others from being fulfilled. And here I must contest our society's notion of love. Love is not letting people do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Love is seeking the good of another person even to the point of restraining them from fulfilling every desire in their hearts. True life, true happiness, true and lasting love can only occur when we have submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and receive in him a new relationship with God and look to live dependently upon his Spirit and his word. Love seeks the good of others in God and doesn't leave them to the evil desire of their hearts.