15 posts tagged “politics”

Why Christians Should Vote to Legalize Same Sex Marriage

For the purpose of this article I am going to adopt a distinctly conservative Christian perspective and write for a distinctly conservative Christian audience.  I want to put forth the idea that even if you believe homosexuality is morally wrong, a sin even, you should still vote for its legalization.

Freedom vs. License

"Freedom and fear are at war. Freedom is not, "being able to do whatever you want to do." That is license. If you have license, rather than authentic freedom, your house is built on sand and will collapse. Authentic freedom is the power to do what we ought to do; the power to choose the good, the true, and the beautiful. That will vanquish fear every time. If your concept of freedom is really license, fear will come out on top every time. Freedom has to be united with truth. There is no freedom outside of the truth: No authentic human freedom outside of the truth. "If you are truly my disciples, you will abide in my word. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." True freedom is rooted in God."

- Fr. John Corapi

As Fr. Corapi says, Freedom is not license, it is more along the lines of personal authenticity.  If God is both Truth and within you, then when you are acting the most authentically and genuinely, you are acting in God's will.  Interestingly enough, this does not mean we should forsake license, for license and Freedom are tightly intertwined.  If it weren't for license, we could not genuinely choose to do what is right, for we would do it automatically.  This is why God gave us free will.  He allows us to sin so that we might learn, grow, and come to the truth in a very personal and authentic way.  There can be no authenticity, and no Freedom, without license.

The opposite of Freedom is fear, and the opposite of license is restriction.  When a society implements restrictions on its citizens, it does not only prevent its citizens from acting authentically, it acts out of fear itself.  Even though our intentions are good, restricting the public to do only what is morally right harms everyone.  The people may choose the right thing, but for the wrong reasons.  They follow truth, but they do so disingenuously.  We are teaching them to act a certain way out of fear of the consequences.  And we ourselves, who put the policy in place, we are acting out of fear as well.  We are afraid that we can't trust people, and that if we don't exert some pressure on them, they won't choose the right thing.

When God looks at us, does He have these fears?  Well, His heart is probably breaking all the time, seeing us choose to bury our true selves and choose against His will.  But He does not intervene and force us to change our minds.  He honors His gift to us of free will, and He lets us make mistakes.  He does not act out of fear that He will lose us.  In fact, one of Jesus's most persistent messages was "Be not afraid."  Fear blinds us, keeps us from the truth.  And out of fear we impose God's will on the people in our society, when even God himself will not do that.

The Purpose of Law

Contrary to a lot of current thought, the purpose of Law is not to uphold or enforce morality.  Law is about enforcing the minimum standard of action necessary to be a functioning member of society.  It is about preservation of society, putting restrictions on license where necessary in order to prevent its citizens from harming each other.  Other than that, it should allow its citizens as much license as possible.  If you look at many of our current laws (against murder, theft, drinking and driving, etc), we make acts illegal when they harm someone or infringe on their rights against their will.

Morality calls us to a much higher standard than the Law. Christian morality is about rejecting sin in all its forms and transforming yourself inside and out to become more and more like Jesus Christ.  And, as I stated in the last section, we cannot force Christian morality on members of our society without denying them the chance to choose it freely.  That's what makes morality such a wonderful, lofty, and praiseworthy ideal.  It is not something you are forced to do, it is something you choose to do.

Given everything that has been said thus far, as Christians it is our duty to emulate God and allow people to sin, as long as that sin does not harm another person.  It may break our hearts to see people shun the truth, but we have to let them.  From the standpoint of the Law, we need to allow same sex marriage.  To vote against it is to act out of fear, and to thereby distance ourselves from God.

Calming Leftover Fears - Definitions

In order to get ourselves to a place where we are emotionally ready to permit same sex marriage on a political level, we need to address two major fears that plague our hearts.

The first is that by legalizing gay marriage, we would be corrupting an institution that God created.  I know this is a sensitive issue, and I will try my best to treat it fairly and gently.  We must admit that the word marriage is full of different meanings on different levels.  Traditionally, marriage has not always been meant as a spiritual union in the eyes of God.  There has always been a social aspect as well.  Marriage has been used as a political tool to unite warring factions or countries.  It has been used in order to barter out a better life for your family line.  It has been used as a financial safety net.  Even today, people marry for all sorts of reasons.  They marry for money, for lust, or for social status.  Some people get married for love, but do not associate themselves with any religious tradition at all.

This does not in any way detract from the beauty and profundity of the Sacrament of marriage in its religious context.  It is as if we can talk about marriage on two levels.  There is the social/political level, and the spiritual/religious level.  The social/political level has changed many times over the centuries without affecting the spiritual/religious ideal of marriage.  And so it is today.  Allowing same sex marriage affects the social definition of marriage, not the religious one.  As a Christian, you do not have to recognize same sex marriages as being approved or sanctioned by God.  It is in the name of the State only.

If this proves to be too difficult of a place for us to reach, then perhaps we need to take another route.  Many have stated that they are just fine with civil unions, as long as gays aren't allowed to marry.  But what is a civil union other than the social/political level of marriage?  Although, if we insist on keeping the word marriage solely in its religious context, then we must be fair in how we treat it on a social/political level.  By this I mean taking the word marriage out of State hands entirely.  Everyone would get civil unions, and then if they chose to take the extra step of getting married, they can do so through their Church.

But it is imperative that we maintain equality between same sex couples and heterosexual couples.  When Jesus dealt with sinners, whores, and thieves, did he not treat them as equals?  Isn't that what allowed him to get through to them?

Calming Leftover Fears - The Children

The other major fear has to do with what our children will see and be taught with regards to homosexuality.  We do not like the idea that schools and/or the media will be telling our children that homosexuality is okay and perfectly acceptable.

Before we go into ways to ease this fear, let us explore for a bit the root of it.  When it comes to our children, we want nothing to corrupt them.  We want the best for them.  And because we are Christians, we want them to grow up with those same values, that they might find their way to God as well.  But this leads us to be fearful of letting anything "unclean" touch them.  We are afraid that the power of evil is too strong, too tempting, and that if our children are exposed, their weaker minds will be enveloped and there will be nothing we can do about it.

But children can smell our fear.  And they react in one of two major ways.  They either adopt the same fears, or they rebel against them and challenge them.  As we discussed earlier, fear is not truth.  Truth is Freedom.  Some children sense this on a deep level...that the actions we take are spawned from fear, and so they reject any truth that they might express.  Either we perpetuate the feeling of fear, or our children take their lives in a radically different direction in order to reject it.

There is a better way.  Do not be afraid to talk to your children.  Do not be afraid that they won't turn out how you want them to, or that their lives won't be as happy as the lives you imagine and want for them.  Trust God.  By working on your own inner state, you can better help them grow up in God's love. 

If you adopt the frame of mind discussed in this essay, talking to your children about same sex marriage is not as confusing as many, including the National Organization for Marriage, have made it out to be.  By showing your acceptance of it on a political level, you do not give off the same fear, and children are less likely to rebel.  You can then explain to your child what I explained in this essay, that marriage for Christians is something even more deep and spiritual and religious than society's definition.

Should your child still grow up and choose to marry someone of the same sex, the other thing that legalizing same sex marriage will do to help you is that it will drastically change the homosexual community.  With marriage and finding someone to love seen as the end goal of any life, even a homosexual one, your child will grow up seeing examples of gay men in loving, committed relationships.  They will see gay women caring for each other and their children.  If your child does end up to be homosexual, wouldn't you rather they choose this sort of life as opposed to one of promiscuity?

This brings me to another caveat to adopting a position free of fear.  We must maintain a sort of "detachment" from the outcome.  If your child does happen to be homosexual and to choose to marry someone of the same sex, you cannot take it personally.  It may break your heart, but to force your child to deny what he feels is truth makes you look fearful and your child will not respond.  To give your child a chance at Freedom, authenticity, and Truth...you must let him make his own choices.

Conclusion

In summary, the Christian life is about transforming ourselves and emulating Christ, who is God in human form.  In order to become like God we must follow Freedom, authenticity, and Truth...and we must lay aside fear.  It is difficult, and there is much resistance. The path is indeed narrow.  It is hard to give up what we think keeps us safe.  But to do so shows that we really do have Faith and Trust in God, that we are willing to let Him shape events and to adopt His perspective rather than merely our own.  In our own struggle towards Freedom, we must surrender our fears about the paths of others and strive, by example, to be a light to the world, should they choose to see it or not.

*As you may have guessed, I am by no means conservative.  I tried to adopt that perspective for the sake of the argument.

SUBSTITUTES DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP FOR MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA LAW.
INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE.
Replaces the term “marriage” with the term “domestic partnership” throughout California law,
but preserves the rights provided in marriage. Applies equally to all couples, regardless of
sexual orientation. Repeals the provision in California’s Constitution that states only marriage
between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

http://dompar.org/
Facebook Group

This initiative basically removes marriage from the state and places it within the bounds of religion.  Anyone who wants a domestic partnership may receive all the same legal rights as marriage holds now, the only difference is in name.  Marriage means so much more than just a legal agreement, and it is not the state's job to provide that meaning.  What marriage means is up to religions and churches.  If you think marriage is between a man and a woman only, then your church does not have to recognize same sex domestic partnerships. 

This is about equality under the law, but it also gives us a chance to make marriage something much more meaningful.  To get married is a spiritual event, something that often will take preparation and and guidance from your spiritual leader.  The signing of the marriage license...is that the most meaningful part of the ceremony?  If it is, you should be fine with the domestic partnership.  If it is not, now is your chance to completely claim the word marriage and recognize by whatever standards you want who is married and who is not in the eyes of your church.

If you are a proponent for traditional marriage, you can have it...this time without preventing one group of citizens from having the same legal rights.

Not very well written.  I wrote it really quick on a message board.  But I figured I'd post it here anyway.

"My brother and I lately have been wondering about an American mythology. We were inspired by a talk Junot Diaz in which he talked about how Americans don't really look back on the past. The way he put it, and I'm paraphrasing, is that no one in Kansas ever really stops and asks themselves "Wait, why am I in Kansas? Where's the ocean?" The point stands. We don't look back on our past to guide us into the future, and my brother and I decided that it's because te past for America is nothing but racism, genocide and exploitation. Therefore, it's impossible to make a myth about the founding of America, since it's impossible to paint those events in a good light."

Good point. There's also the fact that we have inherited so many other mythic systems from the cultures out of which we were born. American is *literally* littered with shattered mythic systems. Just look at our advertising. Symbols abound, but they've lost their power and their meaning. Ideas and myths that once structured society lie in ruins all around us. And they are built into us, and they affect everything we do. But you're right, we don't look back. We don't look within either. We have so many fragments inside us, many of them outright conflicting. But because we don't look back and in, we assume that it all fits and works and we don't look at where it came from.

We're a jumbled conflicting mess.

Maybe that's part of why we don't look back. It's too confusing, and it doesn't hold together. Maybe we're afraid to find out that it's all inconsistent? Or maybe we just don't care to know what's really motivating us and coloring our perception of ourselves?

"Therefore, the entire idea of an American Dream is just another way to keep people down. And not just minorities, but everyone, since it's not about oppression so much as it's about an illusion. Anyone can reach for the American Dream, but so few reach it. The ones that seem to embody it are idolized and are placed above others, so that others will try and reach that status. It all perpetuates itself and eventually we're caught in this dream from which we never have to wake up."

Yeah, I can't tell you how many people I heard coming out of movies like the Pursuit of Happyness saying see!? It *is* possible to rise up! We *don't* have to feel sorry for the homeless! They *could* do it if they wanted! He did!

Another huge aspect of the American Dream, I think, is our concept of individualism. I think it stems from our political and economic theories, and then when combined with our somewhat warped idea of freedom it becomes even stronger. Anyone who's studied American History has studied social contract theory. It's a thought experiment, but it seeps into our conceptions of ourselves and our relation to everyone else.

The idea is this. In a state of nature we are separate individuals. We choose to come together to form society because it is mutually beneficial. We maintain that we are separate self-interested individuals. And everything is constructed around this individualism. Then, add in the fact that American freedom is a freedom from obligation...so we tend to think of freedom as a state of being able to be separate and autonomous. We define liberty based on what we do *not* have.

This creeps into *every* aspect of our lives. Politically, we don't want anyone stepping on our toes...which is a good thing. But it's there in our personal lives too. We don't like relationships because of their obligations. It's too hard to make it work and it feels restrictive. We're always feeling like we're being limited and restricted and held back. We just want to escape. Get away. Take a vacation.

And I find this particularly interesting within religion. How do you reconcile this distinctively American notion of separateness and individualism with Christianity? Christianity is not about separateness, it's about interconnection and reliance and love. It's about accepting and *loving* the limits placed on us, not trying to escape them. It tells us that limitation is a blessing, and the only true way to join with God. But we are Americans. Limitation is the worst thing for us.

So how do these conflicting messages interact within us? Most of the time, being American wins. Christianity changes to fit the American ideal of hyper-individualism. We interpret Christianty through that lens. Everything bigger is better, and Christianity is an *escape* from limitation, not an embrace of it. Megachurches and commercialization abound. We think of the message of Christianity and how we can tailor it to appeal to as many people as possible. Grow, succeed, shed limitation. Feeling horrible? God is there and he will save you.

Why do you think American Christianity has so much emphasis on salvation and getting into heaven? We want escape from limitation, we want the American Dream. What better escape is there than telling people they don't have to worry about this life and all its pain? There's a better place where you'll be *free.* Even look at people's conceptions of what Heaven might look like. Oh it would be the same as earth, only you could have whatever you want. There wouldn't be pain or suffering, we'd be free of it! You could get back everything you lost in life, see all your family and friends, but you wouldn't have fights with them or feel obligated anymore because everything is perfect!

It's all an escape into separateness, independence. And it makes sense with American history, not just American politics. Isn't that what we sought when we wanted freedom from England? A freedom from obligation, a freedom to be self-determined.

The American Dream is an illusion, exactly how you say. But it eats at us in *every* area of our lives, like a poison. But we love it, because escape is so much easier than reality.

"It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society."

[Note: the person I am quoting is Pete, view his blog here]

Everyone is all up in arms about the student who got tasered at the John Kerry Q&A.  I might get crap for being insensitive and just what is wrong with America, but I think he deserved exactly what he got.

Here's the video of the students actual question.  Notice that the security guards are already there.  That's because this particular student had been causing trouble since he got there, and insisted on making his way to the front of the line, cutting in front of everyone to ask his oh so important question.

He's officially exploring a run for presidency.

Watch his video statement announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory commitee.  The odds of him running are pretty much secured now.  This is the first step for all presidential candidates.

Heh.  Big surprise.  Go here to take the test.

(100%) 1: Sen. Barack Obama (D) Information

(98%) 2: Sen. Russ Feingold (D) Information

(96%) 3: Gov. Bill Richardson (D) Information

(94%) 4: Retired Gen. Wesley Clark (D) Information

(92%) 5: Sen. John Kerry (D) Information

(90%) 6: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) Information

(89%) 7: Sen. Christopher Dodd (D) Information

(88%) 8: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) Information

(86%) 9: Ex-VP Al Gore (D) Information

(84%) 10: Ex-Sen. John Edwards (D) Information

(82%) 11: Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) Information

(73%) 12: Sen. Evan Bayh (D) Information

(61%) 13: Sen. Joseph Biden (D) Information

(53%) 14: Gov. Mitt Romney (R) Information

(52%) 15: Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) Information

Oh wow, check out this big political news!  I'm so excited!

;)

I've had a lot of frivolous and short posts lately, so I decided to tackle a bigger issue.  Abortion.  I have plenty of people in my neighborhood who are both pro-life and pro-choice, and it seemed that this was a big (if not the biggest) reason why most of the Christians in my neighborhood tend to vote Republican.

I posted this on lcp a couple days ago.

I think one huge misconception is that everyone who is pro-choice is pro-abortion. You can hold the opinion that abortion should be legal in order to be safe, without encouraging it as the right thing to do in any case. The thing is, women are going to make these decisions no matter what. I think abortion should be legalized so that these women have a place to exercise that choice in a safe environment.

Then, let's make every woman who wants an abortion undergo at least one counseling session with a professional or understanding ear at the center itself. Make it part of the process. The counselor wouldn't try to dissuade the woman (because that can often times get the woman to shut down and go somewhere else that might not be as safe), but rather walk through her particular situation and make sure that the woman understands (a) all of the options she has and (b) the full consequences of her actions.

To make the choice to have an abortion is not an easy one, and if a woman has a place to go that will help her make the decision and support her in whatever she decides, she'll be more likely to be safe. Also, focusing on preventing unwanted pregnancy and encouraging counseling before and after the act will actually lessen the number of abortions had, and decrease the sense of helplessness that women in these situations might feel.

My two cents.  What are yours?  Let's try to keep the discussion respectful and polite, but other than that, post whatever is in your head.