jay_a2j wrote:It's not about "equal rights" it's about special rights.
A man or woman HAS the right to marry already..... to the OPPOSITE sex. Same sex marriage is a "special right". Marriage has held a traditional formula for thousands of years, man + woman = marriage. If same sex couples are allowed to marry it will open the floodgates. (and you liberals shut the hell up, once people obtain a "victory" they ALWAYS push the envelope to see how far they can go) So you will have Tom wanting to marry his sister, Joe wanting to marry his niece, and you know there is some freak out there who will want to marry his dog! And thus, the domino effect.
If it was about "rights", then EVERYTHING BUT MARRIAGE should satisfy that..... but no...
Sorry to my gay and lesbian friends you do not have the right to marry the same sex. Same as our illegal friends crossing the boarder don't have the "right" to be here.
But my prediction is.... all US States will eventually allow it. This is what happens when we distance ourselves from God and His ways. But there will be a price to pay.
What its really about is whether you get to tell other people how to live their lives. Except this country was founded upon the idea of individual rights to choose their lifestyles, be it religious practices or other things you just don't happen to like. The exception is when something harms someone else.
Let's say your scenerio is even correct (its not, but that has been covered). So what? How, exactly does it harm you if Joe decides to marry whomever he pleases? Not a darn thing! That is the reality.
Think it will spread? Then I guess churches and Christians, other religious individuals are not doing a great job of putting forward their message.
You claim to follow Christ. Christ did give us rules, but he did not tell us to go out and do battle with those who do not accept God or himself. We are to talk, to show love and caring, to care for their needs and show the love of Christ. If you want to tell them they are going to hell... go ahead. You won't get very far, because people tend not to listen to those who shout obscenities and tell them what horrible people they are. Do whatever you wish, short of physical or emotional harm. Maybe for one in a million, it might even work. But, be ready to take the same as you give in reverse. You lecture... you will hear a few lectures in return. If you cannot change someone, you have no right to condemn them in a free society.
If someone causes you harm, then YOU leave, YOU go to your own little enclave and live your life there. That's what the Amish, other old order groups do and unless they start harming kids or such, they are left alone. Neither the Bible, Christ's words or even our constitution give you (or I) the right to dictate how someone else will live unless it harms us.
Some claim that homosexuality is harmful because it "spreads"... well, guess what. I have heard plenty of people claim that women should not wear pants.. or shorts... or bikinis becuase it makes men rape them. A few years ago, a lot of folks even believed that. This idea you have is about the same.
If you truly knew anyone who was homosexual, if you had any knowledge at all of the lifestyles, the community, you could not speak as you do. Are there idiots in that group? Of course! There are idiots in any group. But, that is no more reason to deny people the right to live how they wish than it is to deny people to worship how they wish, to eat at the restaurants they wish (providing they pay, of course), etc.
Get out of the dark ages... the time when we burn heretics is long past. Imagine .. Protestants have even lived side-by-side with Roman Catholics for a few years. Jews and Muslims seem to do fine as well. So, homosexuals are next. So, you don't like their lifestyle. Either go bury YOURSELF in a mountain hideaway or decide that you have the right to teach your kids, to talk in your church, but not to tell the rest of the world how to live their lives.
If you cannot change them, then you have no right to condemn them. God made them. It is for God to decide, not you.
And.. for your other garbage. Christ is the uniter, the messenger of love and forgiveness. The divider, the proponent of hatred is not Christ.