The reason we are against racism, is because a person's race is sacred. One's ethnicity is sacred, you cannot violate it. My race is sacred, your race is sacred, I dare not violate it. The reason we react against the issue of homosexuality the way we do, is because sexuality is sacred, too. You cannot violate it. So my question to you, is how do you treat sacred one, and desacralize the other?
In the many things I have read and heard explained, I have never heard an explanation of how the Bible supports the sacredness of internal feelings. Yet all the justifications of multiple expressions of sexuality simply assume that violation of internal feelings is at the heart of why we must not discriminate against others. It is a capitulation to the sacredness of what every Disney movie proposes, not what scripture teaches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If people want to make the case for why same-sex marriage should be affirmed by the church, they need to address this challenge. One cannot assume it just because our western culture assumes it. It is unreflective to simply adopt this worldview.
Depending on the worldview, a response of love will mean different things. If internal feelings are sacred, love will mean honoring those internal feelings no matter what. If God's provision and design are what are sacred, then love will mean helping each other live faithfully in that provision and design even when it conflicts with feelings. It is both hate and bigotry to continue the vicious attacks against Christians as unloving because of their perspective on marriage. There certainly are some people who cloak their hate toward LGBTQ individuals in religious beliefs, and a reflective Christian would clearly speak against that. But it is only because of their sheer ignorance that people insist that opposition to gay marriage is rooted in hate and fear. We need a better dialogue.
-John M Troyer
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