But it should be obvious to all that monogamous homosexual relationships can
not be
compared with thievery, adultery, or pedophilia. These latter all clearly are
behaviors
which are destructive or injurious to one or all persons involved in them. But
it is hard
to see how a mutually committed monogamous relationship between two homosexual
persons is injurious to either of them or to any one else. Indeed such
relationships often
seem to be enriching for the persons involved in them and can also be a blessing
for
friends and family around them.
So perhaps often the best we can do - the redemptive thing to do - in the
homosexual
situation is to counsel, encourage, and support committed monogamous
relationships.
Whether we call these marriages or invent some other word to describe them is a
secondary matter.
kp
___________
Kenneth Piers e-mail: pier@calvin.edu
Dept.of Chemistry and Biochemistry. ph. 616-957-6491
Calvin College fax: 616-957-6501
Grand Rapids. MI 49546
"... and withal he seemed bisier than he was..." - Chaucer
----------------------------
I'll just offer one post on this subject and then (I hope) no more.
Let's consider the question of "monogamous relationships", i.e. "gay
marriage" from 3 viewpoints: Biblical, physical, and cultural.
From the Biblical viewpoint, I think William Frix gave a pretty clear
exposition of the relevant verses yesterday. He concluded:
'The question is not whether the Bible speaks about homosexual acts. The
question is whether or not a person believes the Bible is the Word
of God.'
Hence evasion or escape or rationalization or redefinition of the moral
requirement is not consistent; the Bible says what it says.
From the physical viewpoint, (which will be equally relevant to believers
and unbelievers), there is a rather obvious anatomical problem with same-sex
relationships, not to mention the cell damage and enhanced possibility of
disease when substitutes are used. And, of course, such a "marriage" doesn't
produce children, so there is no concept of family.
From the cultural viewpoint, anyone who walks through a large city will
notice that the pleasure-seeking, innuendo-filled, shallow, hedonistic "gay"
culture is quite different from the family-oriented culture of the suburbs.
In short, "gay marriage" is an oxymoron.
If a person finds himself trapped with this condition, and wishes to follow
Biblical morality, I think he should remember that "there is no temptation taken
him but such as is common to man" (I Cor 10:13). True, not all have the gift of
continence, but it does not follow that one MUST act out his desires socially.
It's precisely the social consequences that are injurious -- morally, physically
and culturally.
Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
Code 724, NSWC, Bethesda, MD 20084
73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
(301) 227-3831 (W) (301) 227-1914 (FAX) (301) 816-9459 (H)