May 29, 2006

Does 'anti-gay marriage' = 'anti-gay' ?

May 22, Allen Young, coordinator of the North Quabbin Region Diversity Awareness Group, was given the opportunity to explain why same sex marriage would be a good thing, in the Worcester Telegram's "As I see it" editorial page. He did not; instead he explained how bad people are who disagree with him. I will send the following Letter to the Editor, which will answer some of Young's misstatements. At 250 words, I cannot address all of Young's points in a letter to the Editor, but I will do so here.

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In the gay marriage debate, one side emphasizes ‘gay’, the other ‘marriage’; and we end up talking past each other. Allen Young continues this disconcerting trend, in his ‘As I See It’ editorial in support of gay marriage (T&G 5/22/06) by calling those who seek civil debate on marriage many names, including; ‘anti-gay’, against civil rights, and discriminatory. Concerning the Bible, Young further inflames the situation by grouping those maintaining the traditional definition of marriage with the same people who justified “slavery, child labor, women as property and archaic rules about food, clothing and sexuality.”

Mr. Young’s errors about ‘a narrow interpretation of ancient scripture’ require correction. The Slavery in America until the Civil War is known as Man-Stealing and was expressly forbidden by the Bible (Ex21:16). The slavery of indentured servitude was tolerated by the Israelites, but with provisions to temper it, such as freeing the indentured slaves after 7 years (Lv25) – a thoroughly progressive view compared to the surrounding barbarians. Those ‘archaic rules about food’ were actually changed for Christians by Jesus himself (Mk7:19), not ‘as the result of improved information and technology’ as Young asserted.

Jesus also taught on sexuality, not archaically but clearly; that the two, male and female, become one flesh in marriage (Mt19). Mr. Young should not take Jesus’ seat, nor proclaim unrestrained and lawless falsehoods encouraging many to fall away from their faith.

Jay G

Original Young Editorial:

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20060522/NEWS/605220447&SearchID=73246061397898

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

anti-gay marriage, DOES NOT meant ani-gay. for me, i just view marriage as a sacred sacrament, and there's more to marriage than jsut "uniting two people". it doesn't mean i hate ay people

JayG said...

Without clear Religious Liberty exemptions, the State will have to punish opposition to same-sex marriage as if it were racist. And since the Mass. SJC has declared same-sex marriage to be a civil right, there can be no Religious Liberty exemptions. It's already started with Catholic Charities in Boston with same-sex couple adoption.