LGBT : The Gay Marriage Debate and the Religious Stranglehold

The following article is based around a simple question: would the gay marriage debate be as heated, passionate on both sides, or even still ongoing if not for the religion element of the debate?

Gay marriage is a complicated issue in the sense that there are legal and financial issues at play that are far beyond this writer’s expertise, but those issues have not been the key to this debate’s longevity. Religion’s input and impact on this debate is the primary reason this debate wasn’t settled a long time ago. The number of religious groups and people citing religion in this debate far outweigh the anti-gay marriage people citing other reasons for being against it.

Then there’s the more fanatical religious people and groups who feel the need to insert themselves in the debate so their voices can be heard. Such groups include the Westboro Baptist Chruch, America’s king hate mongers. And you know you’re a hate-filled group to the extreme when even the Ku Klux Klan has issues with you. Granted, those issues stem from WBC protesting against gay people at soldier’s funerals, but the point is still valid in this writer’s opinion.

Why can’t these people and people who think like them just admit their own hatred and prejudice and just say, “I hate gays”? Yes, they would take a hit in terms of perception, but there are still plenty of people out there who hate gay people, are overly religious, and would still stand by these people.

This writer isn’t a religious person, but it does seem to be an incredible disservice to God and a great example of hypocrisy anytime an anti-gay protestor says or has a sign that says “I don’t hate gays, God does.” Then in churches and in conversation about religion, these same people will talk about and/or be told about a just and loving God who created all of us in his own image.

So God created all of us in his own image, loves us all, forgives us all, but created an entire group of people for his followers to hate on because of their sexual orientation? Doesn’t make a lot of sense.

There’s also the anti-gay crowd that uses religion as cover aren’t being very loving toward God. Using God as an example or excuse for one’s own hatred of homosexuals is not only a giant cop-out for their own personal feelings, opinions, and philosophies, but it’s also them portraying God in a negative way. By citing God specifically for anti-gay views and opinions is attributing hatred, prejudice, and bigotry to God, things this writer thought God was against.

Maybe not.

Also, the “sinners” designation for homosexuals is pretty laughable when you consider what different religions consider a sin. Has anyone who is reading this gone to the bathroom, ever? Thought impure thoughts about another human being? Been jealous of another human being? Worked on a Sunday? Committed adultery, even if its in heterosexual form?

Had sex with someone you weren’t married to? Then you’re just as much a sinner as those engaging in homosexual behavior according to at least one form of religion.

Anyone who bases their life or opinions on one religious text is doomed to be a close-minded individual. Not to mention that without any opposite opinions, lifestyles, and/or philosophies in their life, that person will begin to see their way as the only correct way to live. When it comes to religion, this is very common. What results is a never-ending battle about which religion is best.

Whether it’s the Bible, Quaran, Torah, Bhagavad Gita, or any other religious text, there’s very little difference in the belief of many of the followers of those books that their book is the right book and their way is the only way to live.

When it comes to gay marriage, this life view becomes hysterical because a lot of the people who are protesting gay marriage and gay people in general are usually not effected by this at all.

It’s highly unlikely that the majority of these anti-gay people know anybody that’s gay, has come into contact with any gay people, work with any gay people, or live in a predominantly gay community. They might, but they likely wouldn’t even know it unless that gay person had a “gay sounding” voice or embodied the over-the-top gay stereotype about look and demeanor. Because to most anti-gay people, that stereotype is how they see and name all gay people. It’s backwards thinking, but in most cases it’s because these people know only one source for life lessons.

That source: based on the content of this article, this writer thinks you can figure it out without him spelling it out for you.

If nothing else, the gay marriage debate provides a good demonstration on why separation of church and state is a good thing.

The main problem with religious teachings is that they are never modified for changing times. This is a major problem when the same thing is been taught for hundreds of years or even a millennium. Times change and people do evolve. It is usually a slow process, but people have evolved quickly when it comes to gay marriage and homosexuals in general in this country.

This is likely due to an entire generation of people seeing these people and how they live and not seeing what the big deal is.

Because of this, the national view of homosexuals and gay marriage has changed more in favor of it as well as allowing these people more of a chance to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

So this writer ends this article the way he began it: by asking whether this debate would even still be alive if not for the religious element within it.