Monday, June 27, 2011

Just Thinking

I have to say I'm a bit shocked that New York passed a same sex marriage bill. The shock exists due to the State Senate being controlled by Republicans. Apparently the protection from lawsuits against churches who choose not to perform the marriages made it palatable to the Republicans in our state government.  So far local churches are booking the marriages all ready. Of course, the law doesn't go into affect until July 24 of this year so there is time.

On the news tonight, Archbishop Cunningham of the Syracuse Catholic Diocese is on record calling this a "terrible thing". The Catholic Church is not on board this particular train, apparently. Given church doctrine, I can understand that. Don't have to approve of it, but I understand. What I don't understand is how this same church that declares the marriage bill a terrible thing failed it's duty to the children of many parishes by covering up for those priests who were molesting those children.

While traveling around today I saw a sign outside a Methodist Church that is just around the corner from where I live. It said: "There are but two truths in life. #1. God does exist. #2. You are not HIM." I shall apply truth #2 to the question in my mind regarding the cover up of pedophiles in the church.

The other issue that I am applying truth #2 to is this. While there are cautions against the commission of homosexual acts in the Bible, there is no commandment against it as there is against adultery. Since I am applying truth #2 here, I can't say that God seems to have considered adultery the much more egregious sin, now can I? I can, however, say that given that adultery is covered by a commandment while homosexuality is not, there is ample room for thought there.

I am human and as such I am imperfect which means there is a part of me that enjoys forming opinions and that part of me tends to resist truth #2. That part of me would enjoy no end of satisfaction if it turns out that same sex marriages turn out not to have the same divorce statistics as heterosexual marriages do. A full 50% of marriages end in divorce these days. I'm thinking maybe we'd be farther ahead if people tended to their own marriages with the same fervor they showed while protesting against the same sex marriage act.

12 comments:

  1. I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that we're trying to appease the God Squad for a Civil Rights issue. I couldn't care less what the Catholic Church thinks of gay marriage, global warming, or the designated hitter rule, personally. They have about as much relevence today as the Flat Earth Society. What proponents of gay marriage want (those greedy bastards) are the same protections provided to heteros who choose to screw up a good relationship with a formal piece of paper.
    The Church (and lower case "churches") can shove it. This is a Civil Rights issue, nothing less. We'll look back on these gay-bashing movements with the same embarrassed scorn we now reserve for slavery, segregation, and Japanese internment camps, and those on the wrong side of history will be remembered for their bigotry and intolerance.
    On a completely different note (drumroll) I'll add your blog to my "signs of intelligent life" ASAP! Glad you follow Squatlo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Squatlo,

    It is unfortunate, but the appeasement of the God Squad exists because they're easily lead into voting for the wrong people.

    The fact that this is a Civil Rights issue has gotten lost due to the Godly having serious problems with that separation of Church and State thing. Seems it's only supposed to work in the favor of the Godly. Who knew?

    ReplyDelete
  3. That "terrible" comment about gay marriage and the silence about abuse says volumes about the Catholic upper management. Apparently it's okay to boink little boys but not okay to boink grown men.

    Anyway, 8 states down I think, 42 left to go?

    ReplyDelete
  4. ...enjoy no end of satisfaction if it turns out that same sex marriages turn out not to have the same divorce statistics as heterosexual marriages...

    Actually I did read something a year or two ago that said gay RELATIONSHIPS do have about the same failure rate as straight marriages. Still a gay couple in love have the same right to be married as any straight couple.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have to ask - "How does gay marriage affect you"? I couldn't care less. Do the far right thumpers take gay marriage was as offensive toward what they believe? Again, who cares what
    they believe?
    Same for abortion; if I may. 64% of Americans polled in a Time survey were pro-choice. Yet, the 36% (or less - figuring in the undecided) are making the rules.

    Time is coming to clean out the barn - November,
    2012. Not Right, Not Left, Forward...


    Sarge

    ReplyDelete
  6. Skinny,

    Yeah, they turned a blind eye to it and instead of taking steps like reporting to the proper authorities and defrocking the pedophiles, they simply removed them from one church and sent them to another. Exposing more to the abuse.

    The count is 6 states that allow it and 3 states that will recognize it if it happens in another state.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beach Bum,

    Human nature is human nature and gays are not much different than any other human. I just had one of my snarky moments, for the fun of it even.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sarge,

    In answer to your question, gay marriage means I can celebrate the union of a cousin with her significant other. I am overjoyed that she now can avail herself of something that should have been her right to begin with.

    Moving forward and keeping it in the middle of the road.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sherry,
    Another non-issue to divert attention from more important matters. Expect Republicans, especially Tea Partiers, to give prominent play to gay marriage and their opposition to same in 2012.

    For the record, New Zealand adopted a civil union law a few years back that accorded gay couples the same legal rights at heterosexuals. Somehow the country has kept chugging along since.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sherry:

    I believe in love, wherever one can find it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mr. O,

    And here I thought the non-issue was the state vegetable vote. It is, by the way, corn. How fitting?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Whit,

    Too bad we have to look so hard to find love sometimes.

    ReplyDelete