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The societal and cultural impacts of same-sex marriage span far beyond wedding vows, insurance benefits, or hospital visitations. Some would lead you to believe it is a “live and let live” proposition, but the truth is far from that.
Businesses must now perform same-sex weddings. It has been well documented that if you are a baker, photographer or caterer and you are asked to work a wedding; and you say, “No, I have a moral objection to it”, then you can be heavily fined for your response.
In New Mexico, a photographer refused to work for a gay couple who were planning their wedding, but instead offered them some references for other photographers. Still, he was sued and had to pay thousands of dollars in fines.
I was participating in a debate in Charlotte, regarding their state’s constitutional amendment, against a lawyer representing same-sex marriage rights. There were 600 people in attendance, at least 550 were against my point of view. I mentioned this photographer in New Mexico and asked, “Should this person have been fined $5,000? The attorney wouldn’t answer, but someone in the audience yelled, “YES!”
This is not live and let live.
Also, adoption agencies must now provide children to homosexuals. There were about 90 different adoption agencies in Massachusetts, including several belonging to Catholic Charities. The Catholics said, “Look, we have a moral objection to this. We cannot give children to same-sex couples. There are dozens of other agencies who will in our state. Could the state give us an exemption and allow the multitude of other agencies handle that portion of the community? And the State of Massachusetts said, “We’re so sorry. The law of the land is same-sex marriage is equal to traditional marriage. So, no… you have to award children to same-sex couples just as you would any other couple.”
In response, the agency shut down. Nationally, this will inevitably translate into much fewer adoption agencies, thus further bottlenecking an already complicated process designed to aid our society’s children.
Religious liberties are being usurped as well. Jennifer Keeton was expelled from Augusta State University in Georgia’s counseling program. They didn’t like the fact that she was against homosexuality; and she refused to submit to a homosexual remediation plan. They told her that in order for her to graduate, she would have to go to gay pride events and attend counseling to change her views. Can you say “Big Brother” here?
She refused. She lost in District Court.
The same thing happened at Eastern Michigan University to Julia Ward. Julia was expelled from the EMU Counseling Program because she wouldn’t affirm a client’s sexual behavior, but instead would refer to such clients to other counselors. In other words, she said, “If somebody were to come to me and say, ‘I’m a homosexual. I want to be affirmed in my sexual orientation.’ I would tell them, ‘I can’t do that, but I have a counselor who could. Why don’t you call this counselor.’” The university said, “That’s not good enough. Either you tow the line, or you are expelled.”
Chai Feldblum, a lesbian activist appointed by President Obama to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said regarding the inevitable conflict between gay rights and religious liberty:
“I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.”
There are two trains on one track heading toward one another. One is called “Same-Sex Marriage” and the other is called “Religious Liberty”. One is going to give way to the other.
Now, I personally think that if you are a loving person, you’re going to tell people the truth and support the truth, despite any consequences that might come to you. If Christians don’t start speaking up, then our very ability to speak the truth will be silenced.
In fact, the very existence of this podcast, blog post, and discussion wouldn’t be allowed in Canada. Any talk which is in any way considered negative toward homosexual behavior is outlawed in Canada. In Sweden, they have already jailed a pastor for quoting from the Bible.
The same-sex marriage agenda is quite far from one of “live and let live”.
Now, if you really want to love the people who you are friends with and who are homosexuals, you will tell them the truth, including the first thing that a pastor friend said when he was asked, “What would happen to you if your child came to you and told you that he was a homosexual?”
My friend replied, “I would tell him, ‘There is nothing you can do that will make me stop loving you. Nothing. So, if you’re telling me that you want to act on these feelings that you have… fine. I’m going to keep telling you the Biblical perspectives of it – that it’s sin and that there are long-term consequences you and others will face. But, that’s HOW I love you. I’m not going to push you away. I’m not going to ostracize you. I’m just going to tell you: There is nothing that you can do that will make me stop loving you.’”
If you truly love people, you will tell them the truth and everybody knows what the truth is: Same-sex relationships are not the same as heterosexual relationships. They never can be. They never will be. They are just different. So don’t treat them as the same. They are not.
Now… you want to call me “intolerant, a homophobe, a bigot…” go right ahead. The truth is still the truth: Same-sex relationships are not the same as heterosexual relationships. They never can be. They never will be. They are just different. So don’t treat them as the same. They are not.
Related Posts:
- Same Sex Marriage: Correct… Not Politically Correct with Frank Turek
- Summit Lecture Series: Impacts of Same-Sex Marriage with Frank Turek
- First Liberty Briefing: The Trump Administration is Dedicated to Religious Liberty
- First Liberty Briefing: State of Georgia Asked Lay Minister and Public Health Official for Copies of his Sermons
- First Liberty Briefing: Executive Action Strengthens Religious Liberty