Here in the state of Utah, it's hard to imagine that we'll ever get the chance to vote on legalizing the rights of homosexual couples. In general, Utah as a whole is about 20 years behind the times.
But the battle over Proposition 8 rages on in California and Utah has it's own part in the controversy. The religious majority here has taken a firm and highly visible stand against Proposition 8. The LDS Church has donated millions of dollars to the fight for Proposition 8 and has called their members to mobilize for the cause.
I have heard the opinions of many over the last few weeks. Many have said that marriage is a sacred covenant, ordained by God. I've also heard that gay marriage is equatable to murder, in that both are moral issues. I heard one person say "It's the same thing as child sex abuse or polygamy...and you don't see anyone trying to legalize those things!"
In all honesty, I don't really understand what the issue is here. I am a devout Christian and I do believe that marriage is a sacred institution. But the difference is this: MY marriage is a sacred institution. It is a sacred institution because my husband and I treat it as such. There are only two people in this world who can threaten or demean our marriage and those people are myself and my husband. No one else can do that. So to say that homosexual marriage threatens the idea of marriage is ridiculous. It's not the legality of the term "marriage" that is sacred. It is the people participating in the marriage that make it sacred.
Furthermore, the discussion about how gay marriage is equatable to sex abuse or polygamy is simply not logical. Those offenses are illegal because there are VICTIMS. Victims are people who are forced to participate in an activity that they don't like. Polygamy is illegal because too often, women and children are abused and degraded, forced to participate in a situation where they are not able to give consent. Obviously, sex abuse is the same there. But there are no victims in homosexuality. As long as there are two consenting adults, there is no crime.
I understand the religious aspect of the argument against gay marriage. Homosexuality is still a very controversial issue. But my argument is very simple. It's okay for you to have your own beliefs about the morality of homosexuality. What isn't okay is to try to force your morals on another person. In trying to legislate your morals, you are fostering discimination, which fosters hatred, whether that is your intention or not. Just because you feel strongly about an issue does not mean that everyone has to feel that way. You may feel that your morals apply to everyone, but each and every one of us has the right to make those choices for ourselves. That is one of the great things about America. As long as you aren't hurting anyone else, you have every right to live your life in the style that you choose. You have the right to pursue a happy and fulfilling life for yourself, and you define what makes your life happy and fulfilling.
As a Christian, this is my mantra. Jesus died for every single one of us, and we are all sinners. First and foremost, He offers love and acceptance to every single one of us. His love and acceptance changes us from the inside out. Your life and your sins are between you and God alone. As the bearers of His name, we are called to do the same. Jesus never forced Himself on anyone, any neither should we. We need to love and accept everyone and let God do His work on their hearts.
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