MOVE THE WORLD OR BE MOVED BY IT
Normative marriage should not be treated as if it were an institution of a bygone era standing in the way of supposed progress. Religious leaders from various faith communities have affirmed their commitment to promote and defend marriage—the union of one man and one woman. We proclaim that marriage is the foundation of the family where a child is raised by a father and mother.
The question remains why the movement toward approval of same-sex marriage? To quote G.K. Chesterton: “Don’t take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up.” Social science research shows that people are willing to be wrong if it allows us to get along. Maybe the rise in approval is simply the fact people don’t want to disagree with the perceived prevailing mood. What people really think may be hard to know. The last time there was a vote about same-sex marriage was three years ago in North Carolina. The polls all said the same-sex marriage amendment would pass but it did not. When people voted their conscience in a private voting booth the decision was against same-sex marriage.
For some Christians the motivation may be the desire to show Christ’s love. We do not want people to think we are being hateful or intolerant. But Jesus taught other truths besides love. He said, “Carry your cross and follow me.” He said, “Narrow is the way.” Jesus preached morality not just love. To balance grace and truth is difficult to do, but it has to be done. We have a desire for moral conviction as long as we are liked for that conviction. Yet, Jesus taught his followers would not always be liked and may be hated.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage would churches that do not embrace same-sex marriage find their legal status challenged or even eliminated? What about Christian colleges, parachurch ministries, Christian humanitarian ministries and all other religious institutions, Christian and otherwise, that support the traditional view of marriage? In the past Christian leaders like Dietrich Bonheoffer and Martin Luther King have gone to jail for their Christian convictions. Is this where we may be headed? Let's hope not. We need to move the world in the right direction not let the world move us.
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