[Cerek the Barbaric]

The editor of our local paper wrote an article on this issue last week and echoed many of the same sentiments seen here. Her column was entitled "No legal reason to deny marriage". Naturally, the paper received several letters in response but the one that presented some of the best counter-arguments came from my own pastor.

Here are a few excerpts on the more salient points.

"Words like 'second-class citizen', 'equal rights', and 'discrimination' are often repeated by people promoting gay marriage, but repitition is not the same as truth.

Currently, 38 states explicitly ban the recognition of same-sex marriage. Even liberal-leaning Californians in 2000 voted 61-38 percent that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid.

I believe that's a legal reason to deny marriage to same-sex couples."

He also points out that the editor seemed to believe that if a person's moral beliefs are biblically based, they can be discounted. That's a sentiment I've seen here many times also.

Another excerpt from his letter states...

"The American Heritage Dictionary defines discrimination as 'the ability or power to see or make fine distinctions; discernment'. Moral discrimination is a necessary component for an orderly society. Without it, no behavior can be considered perverse."

That's an excellent point. He also made the same argument that Yorick presented at the very beginning of this topic.

"According to the editor's reasoning, marriage licenses should be made available to poly-amorous bisexuals who desire to wed. If two men and one woman, or vice-versa, want to marry they cannot be denied because to do so would 'discriminate' against them.

Secularists and humanists refuse to make moral judgements on any behavior. The same arguments that are used to advocate homosexual marriage can, and will, be used to support any and all aberrant activity."

Personally, I was very impressed with his response. NOT because he is my pastor (although I do have a lot of respect for him), but because he presented very reasonable and well-thought out arguments against gay marriage rather than just saying "It's wrong because the Bible says so". Yes, he does believe that, but none of his arguments - other than the point about the necessity of moral discrimination - was based solely on the Bible even though it is the foundation for his beliefs.