Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Legal Rainbows

“Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law.” ~Thomas Jefferson

The rainbow flag, a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride and LGBT social movements in use since the 1970s.
Same Sex Marriage. Taboo. Legalized recently in all of USA. Colorful rainbow profile pictures littered facebook to signify support. But some did not fail to show their dismay. Abomination. Sodom and Gomorrah. A complete disrespect to religious beliefs and the sanctity of the sacrament of marriage.

Do we really know what this means? What makes a marriage legal? Why marry?

Marriage in the eyes of the law is the officiated signing of a contract in front of witnesses. Married couples (specially in the US) can apply for larger loans, lesser taxes, etc... 

No longer is it required to have a religious ceremony to get married, even here in the Philippines. As I see it, the ceremony is for the spiritual contract officiated by God. This does not concern the state. By the separation of church and state no one can deny the LGBT community of USA their right to a marriage contract.

I am not saying the Church should lay down and accept this. With the precedent that any individual has the right to uphold his religious beliefs, any spiritual leader and church can refuse to officiate a same sex wedding. The sanctity of the sacrament held intact. These leaders represent their religions and beliefs. No one can force them. Same as we cannot force the LGBT community to uphold our own beliefs.

Civil Servants given the authority to officiate in marriages can also use this right, as was presented in an earlier statement by a Texas judge. But there is a thin line to be crossed there. If they are to uphold the belief that a man should not marry a man, a woman a woman then there must be enough evidence that they are strict followers of their religion. No meat during lent, no getting drunk, no smoking - these would be some of the easier religious laws to follow. Here's more: No use of contraception, No stealing, gluttony, greed, premarital sex, concubinage and multiple partners. 

I do not need to change my photo to a rainbow filtered one, nor do I need to quote Sodom and Gomorrah. State laws are state laws, religious and spiritual laws are separate. I am not telling you to give up the fight to uphold your beliefs. We need to stop acting all high mighty and holy. There is no heavier or lighter sin or law defined by the Bible. All of them the same. You cry out indecency yet most of what I listed above are rampant in the streets and in most homes. Only hypocrites nit pick through teachings of their beliefs and follow only those that are convenient for them. Convenient. It would pretty much be more convenient for the LGBT community if they stayed straight. Life would have been easier for them, more convenient. But they are not. What they are are humans and citizens, equal to anyone else in the eyes of state laws. It is their right, let them be and try to follow your own teachings.