Having just returned from a three week vacation, I was out of touch with world events. As I was musing on what to write about, it soon became obvious what is currently a hot button topic—at least in the United States.
Same-sex marriage in the political spotlight
The "gay rights" controversy has been ratcheted up to headline status following public endorsement of same-sex marriage by President Obama, who goes on record as the first U.S. president to publicly support homosexuality. Vice President Joe Biden had already stated his approval in what political strategists considered as "jumping the gun" and thus forcing the hand of the President. Republican leaders have also weighed in on the issue.
Same-sex marriage as a hot button media topic
Journalists have jumped on the bandwagon with editorials and stories on this and related issues.
When I turned on my computer, what jumped out at me on my home page was a column written by a young female columnist condemning Nebraska associate football coach Ron Brown for speaking out against a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance designed to protect homosexual citizens in the city of Omaha: "if … you don't have a Bible-believing mentality, really, anything goes…. At the end of the day, it matters what God thinks most." This journalist who claims to be "a Bible-believing Christian" labeled Brown an "idiot" for expressing "his version of the Bible, which she said some (obviously including her) would consider "bigoted."
Charles P. Pierce wrote in a May 9 AP press release, "That Brown is speaking bigotry through the Scriptures seems undeniable…. Brown's views are narrow, intolerant, and not half as Christian as he thinks they are."
Homosexuality on TV
In an article titled, "Gay Marriage, Abortion Back in Campaign Spotlight," AP writer David Crary observed, "Acceptance of gays is now a given in popular culture…. Hollywood and others have been more helpful to the gay community in promoting them in their story lines."
The lead article on the "TV & Movies" page of my local newspaper titled "Once controversial, gays now mainstream on TV" cites examples of a growing prominence and acceptance of homosexual themes on TV programs without even carrying the warning, "Due to adult content, parental discretion is advised." When I turned on my TV that same day, the first thing that came on the screen was the unabashed statement of a young model sitting in a hot tub with other models, "We are having a lesbian moment."
Public acceptance of homosexuality a growing trend
Crary also pointed out, "Polls on same-sex marriage show a huge shift in public opinion in just a decade, from overwhelming opposition to a slight edge in favor." According to the Pew Research Center, 65% of young Americans under age 30 now support same-sex marriage, up from a slight disapproval margin in 2004. So the demographics indicate that "those most opposed are fading from the scene," according to David Maschi, a senior researcher with the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. "Everybody knows gay people now—their community left the ghetto a long time ago and is part of everyday life," said Jim O'Brien of Catholics for Choice.
Christianity divided on the issue of same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage and "gay rights"—pro and con—was no doubt the leading topic of many sermons across the nation this past Saturday and Sunday. Those for and against are firmly entrenched in their beliefs, but the tide has definitely turned.
An in-your-face approach demanding acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex marriage as alternate lifestyle choices is simply not going to succeed with those who hold to the biblical definition of marriage and teachings regarding sexuality. These folks deserve civil rights and freedom of religion, too.
Ministers and other officials should be afforded the right to refrain from performing same-sex marriages as a matter of conscience on the basis of their personal convictions, since it would involve participation in a ceremony asking God's approval on what that they believe God does not approve. Numerous other exceptions involving conflicts of interest should also be honored.
Homosexuals deserve to be treated fairly and should be allowed basic human rights, but with at least one notable exception. The Bible clearly defines marriage as a heterosexual union (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:22-33). Unfortunately, a growing majority of people, including professing Christians, have severed the scriptural mooring of God's definition of marriage, leaving the issue adrift in a sea of human reason and amorality.
To learn more
For more information on the subject of same-sex marriage, you can enter the key word "same-sex marriage" on the search function of this website. I also encourage you to read our free booklet, Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension to make sure you clearly understand God's truth on this vitally important topic.
Larry Walker serves as an elder in the United Church of God congregation in Bend, Oregon. He retired from the full-time employed ministry in November 2016, and is a 1966 graduate of Ambassador College. He and his wife Karen have four children and eight grandchildren. They live on a peaceful and scenic wooded acre in the country near La Pine, Oregon, where they experience the beauty of God’s creation and walking on trails through the woods at a nearby state park. They are avid readers and enjoy many types of music.
