A letter to a friend who is for homosexual marriage.

I noticed your post the other day encouraging people to vote, and your expression of hope that this issue (the homosexual one) will not divide friendships.

Yes, I think this issue will divide friendships. But here is how I am handling this issue, or hope to anyway. Not all of my friends on FB or otherwise are Christians, and even then not all think like I do. So from the start I know that differences exist, and I expect them to show up. I hope to have room in these relationships to debate and even persuade (or try to) some of these friends.

Regarding this issue of homosexuality and marriage. I have wondered, and even asked, but have gotten no direct answer to the following question. The Christian worldview has largely played a role in defining marriage as one man and one woman. If marriage is being redefined what than is the world view (religion or philosophy) that is replacing Christianity's place in Maine's moral playing field?

Several letters to the editor have suggested Nature, saying that homosexual activities and relationships exist in nature so it is a good thing and ought not to be 'discriminated against. I view this as a legitimate replacement, but also a very scary one, for the following reasons. Homosexuality is not the only sexual relationship displayed in the world of nature, and I know of no animals who desire to be married, i.e. get a license. So I see inconsistency in this argument. Further, what else do animals do that we have laws prohibiting us humans from doing? Those using the 'nature' argument should not complain one bit if their neighbor eats them or their family (literally) for lunch.

This, of course, is taught in our public school systems, while a great deal of effort and cost is incurred in attempts to keep the students from being just one of the animals on the evolutionary chain. Kind of ironic?

Though it has a lot of supports I do not view the 'Christian' support for homosexual as seriously as the above mentioned 'nature' argument, because it is a pick-and-choose-from-the-Bible religion based upon man. This type of Christianity, while popular at times, does not distinguish itself from none Christian thinking, and as in Europe, this Christianity here in the US will become a minor player.

Also, the Bible, taken as the Word of God is to be taken the way God gave it rather than for us to sit in judgment over it: accepting or rejecting this part or that teaching. If love, from the Bible is to govern us, than we must start with the first command: to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Christ said to love him is to keep his commands. To pick and choose which commands we like or don't like is not loving God.

Yes, marriage is in a pretty sad state here in Maine. Yet redefining marriage to allow homosexual marriages is to move it to an even worse state. God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman, largely for reproduction sake. (Read the first several chapters of the Bible.) Unfaithfulness, divorce and remarriage, or just living together are all failures on man's part to live up to God's standard, however, they are all within the Biblical model of man-woman sexual relationship. Homosexuality is regarded by God as an abomination because it breaks that model. Man to man or woman to woman, without any hope of fruitfulness, i.e. to have children. It is like trying to attach two pieces of equipment with two nuts or two bolts. It just does not take the place of the combination of a nut and a bolt.

Further, much that contributes to the failure of marriage can be linked to the hardness of our hearts and also our willingness to pursue our lusts and desires over the self control needs to maintain faithfulness in marriage. Heterosexuals need to control their sexual desires, so do homosexuals. Let's accept that the argument that homosexuals are born that way may be true. Christianity presents the framework for the individual to have freedom from his or hers lustful desires. This is true for the homosexual, as well. We do not have to follow that desire.

If marriage is re-defined, here is what I expect will happen. The people pushing for this will continue to push for a national definition of marriage which will include homosexual relationships. They will push this as politically correct speech, and will seek to silence any opposing viewpoints, for after all homosexuality will be legal and to speak against it will to hate the homosexual, and will therefore be a hate crime. Schools and eventually churches will all have to be politically correct. The homosexual world wants their sin to be endorsed universally.

This will to some degree have an impact on my heterosexual marriage. It will be more work to teach/train children that heterosexual marriage is the right way to go. I suspect voicing an opinion as such publicly may cost me my job, position, etc, and friends. Regarding my own marriage, I don't expect this to add to or take away from how we view our marriage now.

The consequences are larger than the secular world thinks. If the God of the Bible is real - his views are expressed in Romans 1:18 through the end of the chapter – he must be taken seriously. Will God bring wrath upon us if we adopt homosexual marriage? Our adoption of such is an indication that he already has given us over to wrath. Therefore, the only safe course is to repent, individually and corporately as a state or nation, forsaking our rebellion against our Maker, to forsake those things God defines as sin, and to seek his mercy in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Some friends may hate me for holding to this position. I expect this as well.