Difference of Opinion

I am a Christian. I am a Republican. I voted for Donald Trump. I support gay marriage.

Those statements would seem like they should conflict. Let me clarify. God calls gay marriage a sin. A Christian should abstain from sex if they are only attracted to their own sex because it is a sin. God also tells us to treat others how we would like to be treated. I would like to continue having all the benefits of Godly marriage. Therefore I support gay marriage.

I do believe that Christians and other people of faith should be able to abstain from any kind of participation revolving around gay marriage if they so chose. If your faith makes you believe that it is wrong to be involved in gay marriage that should be okay. Anything less is discrimination against religion and a violation of the separation of the state from the church.

Christians know what love is. God is love. It says in Corinthians 13 that love is kind and patient. We need to be kind to our gay neighbors and patient with them. The forbidding of gay marriage does not stop them finding their own sex attractive or pursuing those relationships. They were created with a stumbling block placed before them. We do more harm by standing in the way of legalizing it. We have to trust the Lord’s promise to reap what we sow. In taking off the shackles of our neighbors we turn their attention to Christ. Becoming another avenue of discourse into why homosexuality is wrong but also showing that we accept and love those outside of Christ.

No church of Christ should sanction gay marriage or permit it within the walls of the church. I am suggesting allowing our neighbor to commit a lesser sin to avoid the greatest sin of rejecting Christ. Perhaps then when their worldview is exposed and enlightened by the light of Christ they do not turn away. Instead they boldly embrace it as they remember the love of their Christian neighbors and know they will find in them a community who does not judge them for their orientation.

The other option is to lobby Congress to view marriage as a religious union between two Christ followers of different sex. Thus taking away any benefits or exemptions. This would also level the playing field in a way that may be more in line with Christianity.