BigE,
In addition to the above, this may also be helpful in understanding the reasons that gay “marriage” is not acceptable to many segments in society:
Why Not Gay Marriage?
Spin a globe and pick virtually any place on earth at any previous time in human history; you will find that they do marriage one way — between men and women. There may be other differences, but marriage has always required a husband and a wife. Why? Marriage teaches that men and women need each other and that children need mothers and fathers.
A loving and compassionate society comes to the aid of motherless and fatherless children, but no compassionate society intentionally deprives children of their own mom or dad.
But this is what every same-sex home does — and for no other reason but to satisfy adult desire.
*“How will my same-sex marriage hurt your marriage?” *
Same-sex marriage advocates want to force everyone to dramatically and permanently alter our definition of marriage and family. The great, historic, cross-cultural understanding of marriage as the union of husband and wife will be called bigotry in the public square.
The law will teach your children and grandchildren that there is nothing special about mothers and fathers raising children together, and anyone who thinks otherwise is a bigot.
*“Is same-sex marriage like interracial marriage?” * Laws against interracial marriage were about keeping two races apart, so that one race could oppress the other, and that is wrong. Marriage is about bringing male and female together, so that children have mothers and fathers, and so that women aren’t stuck with the enormous, unfair burdens of parenting alone— and that is good.
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Is polygamy next?” Jonathan Yarbrough, part of the first couple to get a same-sex marriage in Provincetown, Mass, said, “I think it’s possible to love more than one person and have more than one partner. . . . In our case, it is. We have an open marriage.” Once you rip a ship off its mooring who knows where it will drift next?
“What will happen to our church organizations?” After same-sex marriage is created, will the statement, “Children need a mother and a father” be deemed hate speech? In Massachusetts, the Boston Globe said so: “Governor Romney is denigrating gay families, practicing divisive, mean-spirited politics . . . by insisting that every child ‘has a right to a mother and a father.’” Right now, for example, the Catholic Church is being challenged in Canada because a local parish refused to rent out their church reception hall when they learned the reception was for a lesbian couple. Legal scholars warn that the tax exempt status and accreditation of church organizations could be at risk.
*“What will public school teach?” * Consider a recent National Public Radio story from Boston. An eighth-grade teacher there teaches about gay sex “thoroughly and explicitly.” When asked if parents complained about their children learning such explicit material, this teacher said, “Give me a break. It’s legal now.” Heather and her two Mommies will become standard kindergarten fare. Our children need to hear a positive message about marriage.
Gays and lesbians have a legal right to live as they choose, they don’t have a right to redefine marriage for all of us.
Source:
Why Not Gay Marriage?
And when I challenge, it is because I am hoping that maybe you (or someone) may reframe the church’s position in a way that makes sense to me. Perhaps it’s not possible. Perhaps I am too stubborn, too dumb, or both. But I will keep exploring the issue anyways. Part of my spiritual due diligence.