So. I'm going to tackle Chick-Fil-A, Christianity, social matters, and maybe a little politics. Just because it sounds like fun. You have been warned. Stop reading now if you want to.
I am a Christian and I also believe in gay marriage.
How is this possible? How can I believe what the Bible says and still think that gay marriage is OK? That sinning is OK? I believe this is possible because I can't imagine God not wanting His children to be happy. I can't honestly believe, in my heart, that God would create His children, in His image, and create them to love someone of the same sex, and then condemn them. All sins are the same in God's eyes: lying is the same as murder is the same as coveting is the same as marrying someone of the same sex. God created us with the power to love others, and honestly, I think God has become a little more "hip" in His older age and has done what a lot of people have done nowadays. He has come to view people marrying those of the same sex not as "immoral" but as just another expression of love.
OK so moving on. As strongly as I believe that everyone should be allowed to get married, I also understand that there are people who don't believe that for whatever reason. I don't agree with that view, but I'm not going to bash you and/or judge you. That's one of the most beautiful/awful things about this country, that people are allowed to say things (like our soldiers are dying because of gay people) and do things (like burn our flag), all in the name of free speech. You are allowed to believe what you believe, and I'm not going to judge you for it, just like you shouldn't judge those who believe different from you. It's a different view on life. The end.
Chick-Fil-A. While you have tasty food, and I am OK with every company having their own beliefs and values, I am NOT OK with that company taking my money and using it to prevent people from getting married. Let me be clear-- you can have whatever belief system you want as a person and as a company, and if that was all this was, I would still eat at Chick-Fil-A, but the fact that the president of the company has donated millions of dollars to lobbyist groups, including Focus on the Family, a group advocating "traditional marriage," I do not want to directly or indirectly support that cause with my money. So, I love you, but I hate what giving my money to you would mean. I won't miss your shakes and waffle fries that much. So before you go eat at Chick-Fil-A, please think about where your money could go and if you're OK with what you are supporting.
Politics. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs, but your beliefs should not impose on others' rights.
If only it were that simple. I don't understand why it can't be. Let everyone have the right to do whatever they want to do, and if you don't agree, don't do it. But it shouldn't be the law. It shouldn't be written in any Constitution, state or federal. Our Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal; where does it say that "marriage is between a man and a woman?" The Bible. And that's why we have separation of church and state.
So, let's just have a law that enables equality. Like I posted earlier, don't like gay marriage, don't like abortion, don't like sex before marriage, awesome. That's fine. Don't do it. Just let it be your belief, but don't let your beliefs disable others from having the same rights and freedoms that you have. Let's try having a little empathy, America. How would you feel if you couldn't marry the person you loved? How would you feel if you were considered a second-class citizen? How would you feel if you were discriminated against because of the way you were born? How about we focus on how to not have a terrible economy? Or maybe improving our unemployment rate so that we can get back to work? Or finding a cure for Alzheimer's or cancer or Parkinson's? How about we focus on more important stuff and
just let people be. Why is that
so hard?
Marriage inequality is the "black/white segregation" of our generation. We look back at slavery and segregation and are appalled by what our ancestors thought and did. That is how our kids and grandkids will be with us. There will be a day when our children will not know marriage inequality. And they will look back on this time with the same shock we have when we look back on slavery. It is the same concept, discriminating against someone because of how they were born, because of something they can't help, because of who they are. It is treating someone as a second-class citizen because they're gay, just as we treated African Americans as second-class citizens because of their skin. I cannot believe, in the 21st century, when we have come so far in so many areas, that we still have so far to go.
It breaks my heart to know there are people out there who can't marry the person they love. It breaks my heart that people are denied a family with the person they love. But we will keep fighting, and one day, we will all be able to marry who we love.
Stay strong and keep fighting.
