Wednesday, December 10

Still peeved that Prop 8 passed like I am? If you havent done so already read the article that came out in Newsweek that makes an argument against the religious argument to ban same sex marriage a lot more articuately than I have previously read. Here is a passage:

"Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition (and, to talk turkey for a minute, a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument). Common prayers and rituals reflect our common practice: the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer describes the participants in a marriage as "the man and the woman." But common practice changes—and for the better, as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers (and in Leviticus, for men who have sex with men, for that matter). It provides conceptual shelter for anti-Semites. A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours."


They had to turn off the comment section because there was so much controversy about this article but it is an interesting perspective that I wish had come out before Prop 8 was passed. It may not change the mind of anyone who is extremely religious, but I think it does help add clarity to the religious mindset when it comes to same sex marriage. Many people reflexively state the Bible is why they oppose gay marriage but cant always be very specific if they are pressed. I think it is those people (my parents, ahem)that may benefit from reading it.

4 comments:

edluv said...

i admit, i didn't read the article. but, from having read the clip, i think i have a fair understanding of where they're coming from. i think they're misleading a bit (my opinion). many religions, including those that use the Bible, are against homosexuality.

so, yeah, the Bible may not speak about gay marriage, but it does speak about homosexuality (which they mention in the article). many of these people are against gay marriage because they feel it would legitimize a lifestyle that they disagree with theologically, that they consider sinful. i would venture that many of those that are against gay marriage don't think people should live that way at all.

we also have to remember that different people within faith communities understand scripture differently. some do accept it at face value, or apply the rules in very literal, strict fashion. others, understand it more symbolically, along with all sorts of other positions.

finally, it seems quite childish that they throw in this line, "and, to talk turkey for a minute, a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument," to explain why some religious people are against gay marriage. really, what proof are they standing on for that claim? it couldn't possibly be that these people are against gay marriage because of their religious beliefs, customs, and traditions. it's got to be that deep down, they're against it because they think it's icky.

Lulu said...

Hard to discuss your opinions if you havent read the article but I dont think it is that far into left field to think that some religious people have a personal discomfort with it. Have you ever heard anyone say I dont care if he is gay as long as he doesnt hit on me? I would say that is a personal discomfort.

And the problem of interpretation of biblical passages is also discussed at length. People pick and choose what they want to obey from the bible and that has changes over time. I have always felt it was hypocritcal of people to quote some passages of the bible to support their beliefs but ignore others if it contradicts them. It is easy to point to the bible as a reason for believing what you do. Divorce used to be absolutely forbidden because the bible said so and now it is common place so is that the bible dictating what your beliefs are or is it society?

Adam said...

Honestly Ed, if we're going to "talk turkey" as they put it. There is a portion of religious believers/proponents who are almost entirely ignorant of the religion they practice, instead trusting in the authority above them to feed them whatever information they'll take in (see people like Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Billy Graham, etc).

Let's not fool ourselves into believing that just because people claim Christianity, for example, that they are automatically informed or even well read believers.

It's not entirely implausible, and in fact I would argue thats it's absolutely plausible, that many people use religion as a mask for their personal squeamishness towards things like homosexuality.

Either way, it's a crappy spot to be in. Either you don't like gay people because you think they're icky, or you don't like gay people because someone else told you not to like gay people. Childlike or sheeplike. Interestingly enough, both terms heavily used in religious metaphor and imagery.

edluv said...

i hear a lot of people express the sentiment that homosexual relations (between men) makes them uncomfortable, and most of them aren't coming from any practicing religious viewpoint. ah, the joys of the workplace.

kasey, i have now read the article. here are some quotes that i will give from it:
"First, while the Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman."
well, you could make a very strong case that several points in the book of matthew do point towards marriage being a man & woman, and that divorce should not happen. the old testament does give example of some of the patriarchs having polygynous relations, but that is the exception rather than the rule. and, most biblical readers (and scholars) have difficulty finding examples to condone homosexual marriages, although there are some people that do claim a few homosexual relationships in the old testament, with the article bringing up Jonathon/David as an example.

"Biblical literalists will disagree, but the Bible is a living document, powerful for more than 2,000 years because its truths speak to us even as we change through history."
this is what i was saying before, and it is part of the issue. this portion of Xianity is framing their worldview in a very small box. for them, scripture is a living text because it keeps speaking to us, not because it can be adapted to a modern life. why they haven't cut off their hands or gouged out their eyes, i don't know.

adam, you're right, not all Xians are well informed on their faith. and, people use all sorts of things like religion, morals, customs, and so on to justify their personal beliefs.