As I begin my preparations to officiate a same-sex hand fasting, scheduled for June, I figure it’s time to enter the same-sex marriage fray.  It’s an argument that should not exist, plain and simple, outside of religion. I fail to understand how or why the government, state and/or federal, feels compelled to dictate its religious beliefs and interpretations into law, forcing everyone to adhere to them. 

I’d have thought by now that after the women’s suffrage movement, civil and women’s rights advancements that the same-sex debate would be a no-brainer.

The decision to allow same-sex marriages belongs in the church, each individual one. I have yet to hear an argument against it that does not use the Bible as its basis or have the critic argue as if they are God’s spokesperson, a la Moses, telling us God’s position.

My Bible doesn’t ban same-sex anything (Oh, wait! I don’t have a Bible). My beliefs follow one dictum: “An’ ye harm none, do what ye will”. As far as I can see, same-sex marriages harm none, the same as heterosexual marriages.

I have also heard the accompanying complaint that, by allowing same-sex marriages, we would be minimizing the sanctity of the marriage institution and further destroy the family structure. Heterosexual marriages have taken care of that by themselves already. If a married couple has to deny others their rights in order to feel safe and secure in their marriage, perhaps they should look closely at their own marriage and family. After all, isn’t the current divorce rate around 50%? They should not feel threatened by nor reliant upon others for their own happy marriage. 

Why should one’s sexual preference delegate them to 2nd-class citizens? Why should one group be singled out for differential treatment? Why should one’s religious belief be cast upon all others ala Sharia (Muslim law).

The government, state and federal, should get out of the marriage business and leave that tothe various religions. Call it civil unions or whatever term you like,  just treat everyone alike, with the same rights. If  XYZ Church does not believe in same-sex marriage, the XYZ Church should have the right to not perform or sanctify the marriage, but leave the couple the option of  going to a church that does or of obtaining a non-church equivalent civil union. Maybe we should revert back to the olden times before churches got greedy and successfully tried to extend their control over more areas of society.  In those days, as I understand it, a couple had to obtain a civil union, and then, if they chose, got married in a ceremony according to their religious beliefs. I’m not advocating that, but the idea, if presented, might be a way of illustrating the absurdity of it all.

We are all one, under one Universe, from one Deity. Let’s start acting like it!

Blessed Be!