Showing posts with label marriage equality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage equality. Show all posts
Bahamas on Flickr.
the bahamas waters by chennette)
My girls and I at the DC Carnival!
(The following is a response to these comments)
I don’t think the Old or New Testaments make any mention whatsoever of the “continuation of the species”. Although it’s fantastic to be so enthusiastic about Charles Darwin, one really oughtn’t confuse the two. Believe me, if Jesus had taken a break from telling everyone to be less concerned with following ancient laws, rites, and rituals and more concerned with treating everyone in the world with love and respect as fellow children of God, and just given us a quick run-down on how Earthly species diverge and evolve over time, America wouldn’t have nearly as much of a mess going on in our public schools right now.
And since I’m sure that no one would want to be so hypocritical as to make a buffet lunch of the Bible, picking and choosing only the elements that one supports one’s narrow viewpoint and ignoring all the rest, I’ll go on and throw out some other things that it makes pretty clear, such as: No Tattoos (Leviticus 19:28)… that probably includes having the rays of the sun inked around one’s belly button. And logically, tattoo parlors are also illegal, correct?; No Shellfish (Lev. 11:10)…shellfish? like conch?; this one is actually from the New Testament, but I’ll throw that one in there, anyway: No Divorce (Mark 10:8-12)…so I’m sure that divorce is illegal in your Bible-loving paradise, too, right?; going back to the Old Testament, there’s also No Hair or Beard Trimming (Lev. 19:27)…so shaving your whole head and face is right out.
Now let’s not forget that this is the same book that people used in a similar fashion of selective rationalizing to feel completely justified in enslaving countless numbers of Africans and their descendants for two centuries.
Let’s put it this way: If you’re an Orthodox Jew who daily puts forth every effort to abide as literally by the laws in the Old Testament as you humanly can, then I respect that you may hold that particular stance on male homosexuality (noting that *only* men are mentioned in Lev. 18:22). Otherwise, you’re a willfully ignorant hypocrite in the company of all those who so fervently opposed the abolition of slavery, clung to anti-miscegenation laws, and fought for segregation to stay in place.
Regardless, this is not an issue of religion or personal morals. Churches have the right to administer sacrament to whomever they choose, and deny whomever they choose. And that is something that should always remain. However, the government does not have the right to deny civil liberties to its own citizens. This is an issue of legally-protected contracts between eligible and consenting people. There is actually no pre-requisite established by the American government that I know of that requires a sexual relationship as part of the legal marriage contract.
Very slowly, state legislature by state legislature, the people in power in our government are coming to realize that there is no legitimate, legal argument against marriage equality. Because there isn’t—the only arguments against marriage equality or any human equality are based in fear, hatred, and ignorance.
Frida on the beach.
Sunset.
Glittering water and horses.
I recently returned from a vacation in the Bahamas. It was such a beautiful and relaxing trip, which makes it difficult to get back into the swing of things.
Next up, Peru!
Bahamas on Flickr.
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