0
Same Sex Marriage
Posted by Derrick
on
10:34
I suppose the time has come to address this issue. It is very much in the news today and the internet has basically exploded in Britain. The Church of England has set out its response to the government's 'consultation' (the inverted commas will be explained in a minute). Predictably they have said that marriage should be between one man and one woman and this is flying in the face of all intelligent opinion (source BBC, Guardian, Independent et al)and they are being bigoted and homophobic.
Now, I do not have a massive opinion on this and quite frankly, I don't think it is that important. The gospels don't cover it and I genuinely think that homosexuality is no more an important issue to the church than any other social issue. However, I do think that marriage is important. I do think that it should be between one man and one woman. Aware, as I am, of the hypocrisy of this coming from me, I know that this is the ideal that God has set out and we should try to live up to it.
I honestly have no problem with gay men and women being in a committed relationship and I wish them well. It is not something that I would do but who am I to judge? What really makes me think though is that they already have all the legal rights of marriage so why change the law. Moreover the government is calling this a consultation but they are not asking for opinions about if we should change the law. Rather it is about how to change the law. This I suppose is the crux of my opposition. If they were asking people whether to change the law or not I might be happier.
I think the church is missing a trick here. We need to show love to all people. We need to show people that we are no better than them and this is an issue that needs to be dealt with kindly and gently.
Nothing has hurt me more as a Christian than someone saying 'I can't become a Christian because you hate gay people and I have gay friends'. What witness had she had? I think it is atrocious that people who are gay feel that we hate them. I don't. I have an ideal that I think we should live up to but that is something I might be wrong on.
I shall think some more and maybe blog about it later.
Now, I do not have a massive opinion on this and quite frankly, I don't think it is that important. The gospels don't cover it and I genuinely think that homosexuality is no more an important issue to the church than any other social issue. However, I do think that marriage is important. I do think that it should be between one man and one woman. Aware, as I am, of the hypocrisy of this coming from me, I know that this is the ideal that God has set out and we should try to live up to it.
I honestly have no problem with gay men and women being in a committed relationship and I wish them well. It is not something that I would do but who am I to judge? What really makes me think though is that they already have all the legal rights of marriage so why change the law. Moreover the government is calling this a consultation but they are not asking for opinions about if we should change the law. Rather it is about how to change the law. This I suppose is the crux of my opposition. If they were asking people whether to change the law or not I might be happier.
I think the church is missing a trick here. We need to show love to all people. We need to show people that we are no better than them and this is an issue that needs to be dealt with kindly and gently.
Nothing has hurt me more as a Christian than someone saying 'I can't become a Christian because you hate gay people and I have gay friends'. What witness had she had? I think it is atrocious that people who are gay feel that we hate them. I don't. I have an ideal that I think we should live up to but that is something I might be wrong on.
I shall think some more and maybe blog about it later.
Post a Comment