Same-Sex Marriage Good, Bad or Otherwise
by Audge Jo

June 2008 (CFN-Memphis TN) - Recently in May 2008, same-sex marriage became legal in the state of California. The state of California usually sets the “tone” for the rest of the nation, so a “domino effect” of other states to join in and show favor and acceptance to the gay and lesbian community would not be a surprise.

Although considered “wrong” and “immoral” by most religions, activists still continue to fight for the right. How will this affect our society and this free country that we live in? Is it possible to find a “happy medium” where we still honor those who seek out equal rights, but stay conservative enough to protect our traditional family values that are essential to our society? So, this raises the fundamental question: Are same sex marriages good, bad, or otherwise, and should it cause for concern for what’s next to come?

Although, the term “homosexual” was not actually defined or commonly used at one time, the practice of same-sex eroticism has been around as early as the 5th Dynasty of Egypt’s Pharohs 2400 B.C.. By the 1930's a subculture of gay and lesbians was evolving in American cities and beginning to find a sense of identification within society, however unwelcome.

According to the Judeo-Christian religion, homosexual behavior and groups was highly unfavorable. “A society hostile to homosexual expression shaped the contours of gay identity and the gay sub-culture. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, homosexual behavior was excoriated as a heinous sin, the law branded it as a serious crime.”

Today, homosexuality, and especially same-sex marriage is considered to be highly immoral. In the book of Leviticus, God warns that men who lay with men are an abomination. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] an abomination…..For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit [them] shall be cut off from among their people.” (Leviticus 18:22, 29) In addition to the biblical reference to homosexuality being a sin, the bible also tells the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. A city that was destroyed because of immoral sexual sin. Naturally, for many conservative Christians, this is God’s word and law in which they are to abide. Although, many would argue that certain passages in the bible are not direct references to homosexuality, but rather it concerns certain sexual acts. There are many interpretations, and unfortunately this leads to unclear understandings. As a result, many gays and lesbians face condemnation by churches and punishments by the law. Due to the cncept that we are all "members of the flock", many modern day "gay friendly" churches and ministries have errupted. Yet, this has created extreme controversy by allowing this element into the Christian church.

John McNeil, author, moral theologian and a Jesuit priest, (see The Church and the Homosexual. Pocketbooks New York, 1978) believes that some sort of intervention through counseling can be a good aid. McNeil says, “Practically all authorities agree that the first goal of counseling should be to guide the person with a homosexual problem to a heterosexual adjustment whenever possible.” Same sex marriages creates conflict within America’s Judeo-Christian heritage. Despite past indifferences between society and the gay community, the gay and lesbian movement has steadily increased in power over the last two decades.

Openly gay and lesbian politicians have demonstrated, against pessimists, that “homosexuality is not an insuperable barrier in gaining the confidence of the people. In many instances, the majority of voters are willing to understand the concerns of gay people and understand the relationship of those concerns to their own interest.”

In 1984, Jesse Jackson, the Democratic Presidential nominee embraced lesbians and gay men started what we know today as the “Rainbow Coalition.” The coalition was to bring a call to civil rights of the gay and lesbian community. Today, gay rights activists and interest groups such as Freedom to Marry have been, and still are, working diligently to improve the civil rights of gays and lesbians and believe that it is unconstitutional to not give all people regarding their sexual orientation that right.

California was the second state to approve same sex marriages. The first being Massachusetts in 2004. These were huge successes in the gay and lesbian community. Gay and lesbians find it very contradicting when they are accused of having unstable, short-lived relationships, but then are prohibited from getting married. This is again, unconstitutional to gay rights activists.

The effect of the Full Faith and Credit Clause in combination with even one state, let alone two states approval of same sex marriages, would eventually and inevitably make same sex marriages more common around the country. Whether or not a particular state is in favor of gay marriage or not.

California's Supreme Court deemed “giving gays a separate institution—domestic partnership—marked gays and lesbians as second class citizens." (see Maura Dolan. “California Supreme Court overturns Gay Marriage Ban.” Los Angeles Times. Friday, May 16th 2008).

In conclusion, it is true that denying homosexuals the right to marriage is a form of minority discrimination. However, allowing same sex marriages will weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage, and will also weaken traditional family values. Most importantly it has already created an avenue of change in what constitutes a marriage.

We now live in a society where “anything goes” and in my opinion, the first thing going is the morality and traditions of this world and of this nation.

Same sex marriage is not good, bad or otherwise; it’s just “wrong” and has begun to slowly deteriorate traditional American family traditions.

Works Cited: Adam, Barry D. The Rise of A Gay and Lesbian Movement. Twayne Publishers,1987 D’emillio, John. Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making a Homosexual Minority in the United States. The University of Chicago Press, 1983. Dolan, Maura. “California Supreme Court overturns Gay Marriage Ban.” Los Angles Times. Friday, May 16th, 2008. McNeill, John. The Church and the Homosexual. Pocketbooks New York, 1978. Ph.D Stevenson, Michael R. and Jeanine C. Cogan, Ph.D. Everyday Activism: A handbook for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and their allies. Routlage, 2003.