In recent months, several more countries and several states in the US have legalised gay marriage. On 20th May, the Church of Scotland ended centuries of tradition by voting to allow gay ministers, following years of debate between the liberal and traditionalist sides of the church. Also during May, in the UK, the House of Commons debated proposed amendments to the gay marriage bill which was passed in principle by a large majority earlier in the year. The bill was debated over two days, with its third reading – the final hurdle in the Commons, and then went on to the House of Lords for final consideration during the first week of June. The vote could be close there.
Churches will have the right not to provide gay marriage facilities – which is as it should be in a free society. Several denominations have indicated they will accommodate gay marriage – mainly those that already accept gay parishioners and clergy.
Meanwhile, the Mormon Church appears to have become rather quiet following the adverse press about its earlier illegal activity and financial support during the ‘Prop 8’ saga in California. But it still considers homosexuality to be a heinous ‘sin’ and actively opposes gay marriage. Mormon leaders don’t seem to understand that separation of church and state applies to Mormonism as much as any other religion. They actively oppose legislative change which does not affect faithful Mormons yet devastates many who are not remotely associated with Mormonism. The Mormon Church effectively tries to force its own belief on the rest of society in this way.
Actually, as about six to eight percent of humans are homosexual, the issue clearly does directly affect some Mormons, and accounts of the treatment of some homosexual members and the many Mormon suicides that have been recorded are more than disturbing.
I have expressed my own views previously, but just to consolidate my thoughts and make what I consider to be an informed and logical personal observation about the issue, I would state the following. There are three things to take into account when considering the gay marriage issue, in respect of any religious view. Without the religious aspect, there is nothing to consider at all – everyone should be equal and able to marry whomsoever they please.
One – if there was conclusive evidence for the existence of some sort of god, and two, evidence that all human brains are hardwired to opposite sex attraction, then three, same sex attraction may (but even then, not conclusively) be considered unnatural and deviant.
However: One – as there is absolutely no conclusive evidence in support of the ‘theory of a god’, and two, there is conclusive evidence that a percentage of human (and several other species) brains are hardwired to same sex attraction (which actually becomes gods ‘fault’ if he exists) then three, it cannot be considered ‘unnatural’ or deviant. It is just – ‘different’.
I have expressed elsewhere, how gays must feel about the way they are treated. I can only evaluate it (and hopefully help others to understand it) by equating it to how straight people would feel if the shoe was on the other foot. If you are straight, imagine falling head over heels in love with a member of the opposite sex, only to be told that it is a sinful thing and your god will punish you should you continue down that path.
Imagine being told to forgo that relationship and find a nice young member of the same sex instead. How does that feel? – Because that is exactly how a gay person feels – and it is not their ‘fault’ – it is just the way things are – and in our modern world, with all our scientific understanding and supposed intelligence, that should be more than okay with everyone.
Anything less than unconditional understanding and acceptance is beneath humans. By now, we should know better – but religion (especially Mormonism) continues to hold us back. It is not gay marriage that is objectionable – it is any religion that insists their god says it is. If such a being does exist, it’s time he took responsibility for such ‘errors’ in his supposed creation process and just let it go. Religion still has so much to answer for; the problem is that when beliefs go beyond common sense and reason, that becomes the abomination – not the gay issue.
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Also during May, David Fitzgerald, author of ‘Nailed: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed At All’, published the first in his new series of books ‘The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion. Book One: The Mormons.’ I have read and reviewed David’s efforts. I highly recommend this entertaining book which is chock full of accurate historical facts as well as information about modern-day Mormonism and its schisms – as viewed by an outside author. I was more than impressed by David’s concise and entertaining style and also enjoyed his humour. My review can be found on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Goodreads. Find the book here and click on ‘customer reviews’.
Jim Whitefield 