The walls are closing in on us. We must realize that madness, once unleashed, knows no bounds. Recall that when this movement started over 40 years ago, homosexuals said all they wanted was to be left alone. Therefore, when we contrast that desire then with their demands today, we should rightfully conclude that being left alone was not their only want, and legal recognition of homosexual “marriage” will not be the last of their demands. Their ultimate goal, according to what I’ve heard them say it, is total validation and acceptance. In other words, they want our hearts and souls. Whether we realize it not, the Church is facing a Nietzschean battle of a will-to-power. Besides being an in-your-face insult to Christian teaching, what greater symbol of the achievement of these goals could there be other than churches, especially the Catholic Church, be required to perform marriage ceremonies for homosexual couples? There will be no option left but for the Church to capitulate.
What should the Church do? Wait to see how things will play out in the political arena? I think not.
Once we see by extrapolation and accept that there is a pattern to Satan’s work here, we can take some pre-emptive measures. Should the Church refuse to recognize homosexual marriage and battle it out in court as it has with other issues? This passive/reactive approach has had poor results at best, largely because the courts are generally hostile to the Gospel.
There is no need to agonize over “right order,” “peace and justice,” “God made them male and female,” and other scriptural passages, to decry court rulings as “unjust”, nor to appeal to recalcitrant Catholics to vote their consciences. The Church should consideration a sort of “surrender Italian-style” [being Italian, I can say that] – surrender before they take it – so it can be on the Church’s terms.
What can the civil authorities take if the Church refuses to perform homosexual marriages? Besides its tax-exempt status, the Church’s authority to perform any marriage recognized by civil law. Therefore, what I propose is that the Church immediately renounce that authority. The Church would continue to perform marriage ceremonies, but they would then become just like any other sacrament – call it Sacramental Marriage, if you will; but at least they will be according to Church law and not something dictated by the State. The tax-exempt status problem would go away because the Church can then claim it does not and cannot perform marriage recognized by civil law, and that it administers only sacraments. In the eyes of the Church, though, a couple would be married, but in the eyes of society, they would be merely domestic partners, an arrangement no longer stigmatized by society. Other Christian Churches, along with conservative Jewish synagogues, might soon follow suit. If couples so desire, they can also get a civil ceremony to avail themselves of benefits [such as joint tax returns, insurance, etc.] of a marriage recognized by civil law, or the Church can require a civil ceremony first.
What are the liberal social engineers going to do then? Work to abolish domestic partner relationships, after vigorously campaigning for their recognition? Also, we need not fear that this would run afoul of Christ’s “render unto Caesar” because “Caesar” has made it abundantly clear that he no longer has an interest in marriage and family, and we will have accomplished our primary goal of protecting the family. Couples who do elect for sacramental marriage would also be special witnesses to the importance of Christ in their lives by “exercising their faith.” Meanwhile, we can also continue to work to reverse the trends of the courts.
Equality is something we don’t have in America anymore America is better than this. The fathers of the constitution wanted equality for all no matter how different people are from each other.
