On Friday the Supreme Court made a ruling legalizing gay marriage through out the United States. My daughter asked what my feelings were on the matter. I have pondered that question since then and have written the following in answer to her question.
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That is the second line of the Declaration of Independence and was later used by Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address. According to Wikipedia it has been called one of the best known sentences in the English language, containing the most potent and consequential words in American history. The passage came to represent the moral standard to which the Unites States should strive. I remember being in South Africa when all people were given the opportunity to vote and recognizing what a blessing that was to the people. Growing up in America I just expected all people to have that right and when I found that certain people in South Africa were denied that right it was a pleasure to see their excitement when that right was granted.
I am not a gay rights advocate. I don't believe that men should marry other men or that women should marry other women. I do believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. That children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity and that the family is the fundamental unit of society (The Family A Proclamation to the World).
That said I am a human rights advocate and believe that all men are indeed created equal. That all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. All men, whatever their sexual orientation may be, are created equal. So though I don't support gay marriage I do support mans equality and mans ability to choose for himself. I am free to choose to believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. I am grateful for my freedom and ability to choose. There are those who believe differently than I do and I respect their beliefs and their choices. They are theirs to make. Taking away their agency or their ability to chose how they want to live is not part of Gods plan. No, I believe it was Satan that wanted to eliminate mans ability to chose for himself. What someone else chooses to do or not do has no bearing on how I chose to live my life or in whom I place my faith. The 11th Article of Faith says "we claim the privilege of worshiping almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience and allow all men that same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may".
And so all men are created equal and have the ability to chose for themselves and to worship how they want to worship. Sometimes it is hard when someone chooses to live a life with a different set of standards then your own. Does it make them a bad person? No. Does God suddenly love them less? No. We are all children of a loving Heavenly Father who loves us regardless of the choices that we make. Our job is to learn to love all men regardless of the differences we may have. I believe my responsibility is to be an example of the believers, not in a loud or boisterous manner but in quiet and loving ways. To be an influence for good through gentle persuasion and kindness.
I applaud human rights. I am grateful for the right to worship how I see fit and to believe how I believe. I am grateful others are afforded that same opportunity. I hope I can be tolerant of those whose lifestyles differ from my own and I hope they can be tolerant of me. I know that God loves each of his children, even those who are democrats, so I can try my best to love them too. You will not find me putting a rainbow over my profile picture or dancing in the streets on behalf of gay people. I do however celebrate freedom and the rights of all people.
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