The Religious Case for Gay Marriages

I get frustrated by the religious sector arguing against same-sex marriages based on the Bible. As a Christian, I struggle with the interpretation of the bible, my faith and my life as a gay man. But I recognize that each church has the discretion to perform marriages by its definition. The overall argument, however, lies in the fact that the pursuit of marriage equality deals with government-sanctioned marriages.

The government’s role in offering the right to marriage shouldn’t be governed by religious arguments. That’s why it’s so frustrating when proponents of Prop. 8 come from the religious sector, blurring the lines between how the church defines marriage and how the state does.

So if they’re going to throw religion in our face, I think there’s no better article to read than the cover story in this month’s Newsweek magazine, “Our Mutual Joy.” The essay by writer Lisa Miller definitely slants toward same-sex marriages, but I think the questions it raises is worth any conservative’s time to read. I think it’s very enlightening in demonstrating how the Bible, written by men, is a reflection of the society at that time. And the Bible should be a living document, with its core messages in tact, but its interpretation open to the way we live today.

Not surprisingly, the cover story generated a lot of feedback on the Newsweek site. So much so that the editors had to close down the comments section. See what happens when you mix religion and politics?

Link to Newsweek article: "Our Mutual Joy," Dec. 6, 2008.