November 7, 2008
Morality and Same Sex Marriage
Morality is defined as standards of conduct which are generally accepted as right or proper. These standards are normally decided by society, philosophy, religion, and/or individual conscience.
Same sex marriage is a debate for our times here in 2008. Is there a common ground? What is the evolution of this issue? Both sides are determined and uncompromising about their beliefs. Those for this union are driven to continue the fight for what they consider a civil right. Those opposed would prefer that these proponents of same sex marriage just stop doing it or continue to hide their behavior.
How do we find the common ground? Fact is, this issue has been evolving for a long time now. The number of persons that openly admit to being gay has grown tremendously…despite the “back of the bus” status that they are often still given in public. How does anyone expect these numbers to just disappear? So, what is our society to do? How do we merge our beliefs?
The problem is, we have two of the most raw and intense of the human emotions involved in this dispute…love and fear. Both love and fear are passionate emotions that can go as far as to cloud logic or common sense. It can be love of your partner, love of your God, love of your lifestyle, or many things such as these. Combine this with the fear of change, the fear of discrimination, and the fear of the unknown. This is a problem indeed.
I personally see a common ground however…whether anyone else wants to acknowledge it or not. The common ground is love. It is love of family.
Webster’s dictionary has 12 different definitions of family, so for anyone to inject their own single definition of family into the previous statement is perhaps narrow-minded. I don’t even use my own here. I make a consensus of the many definitions… family is a group whose members have something in common. Families are related by blood, marriage, origin, occupation, etc. Families just share a common bond.
So, if the common ground is love of family then why can’t we find it? I see this fight as a battle of who has more love…love of your partner or love of your church. Is this really something to fight about? To fight over what love is right? Is love wrong? Love is defined as kindness, affection, desire…this is wrong? Desire to commit to someone, desire to provide a home for children, desire to show these values to the world, desire for family… why can’t we see this as our common ground? Why are we so adamant, so fearful?
Only time will show us how this issue is going to evolve. It cannot disappear. It must evolve. I am not a gay person. I am not a religious person. I feel justified to offer my viewpoint because of these facts. I do want to see more love in our world…for I see love as the true savior of mankind. With this in mind, my wish is for this evolution to include anyone and everyone that wants to live and operate with love in their lives. I hope that time will show that love does indeed conquer all.
