Think for a moment about the history of the United States. Make a list of the Top Ten events in our history. My list would include:
- Revolutionary War
- Civil War
- World War 1
- World War II
- Civil Rights struggle
- Women gaining the right to vote
- Dropping nuclear weapons on Japan
- Vietnam War
- Watergate
- Assassinations of John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King
This reflects the period of history I grew up in. I could easily expand this list to a Top 25 list, and add events like The Great Depression, a black man being elected President, the various economic bubbles and collapses that have plagued our capitalistic system of economics, race riots, or the Cold War. Those of us who know the history of our Republic have no problem coming up with a long list of historic events, many of which altered our nation forever.
Tim Wildmon and the American Family Association think none of the above events are more important than the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision same-sex marriage. The Court will begin hearing arguments tomorrow and will likely render a decision sometime in June. Many of us are hopeful that the Court will rule in favor of same-sex marriage, invalidating every state marriage law that treats homosexuals as second-class citizens. It seems that the Court is leaning in that direction.
Here’s what Wildmon had to say in an action alert released today:
Tomorrow, April 28, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for and against redefining marriage in America. The very institution of God’s design for marriage as only between one man and one woman is on trial.
As hard as it is to believe, nine people will decide if our nation will honor God and obey Him, or turn its back on the most fundamental building block of society and on God himself.
This will be the most important decision in the history of America.
I’m urging you to do just one thing…Pray.
Here is a link to four prayers to help your prayer time.
Please, for the sake of our nation, Pray.
Let Wildmon’s words sink in, “This will be the most important decision in the history of America.” While I think the issue of same-sex marriage is very important and a step towards the United States becoming a fairer and more just society, if the Court rules against same-sex marriage, it’s not the end of the world. Yes, it will hurt gay friends of mine, many of whom are married. While they will be crushed over the decision, their lives will go on. The decision will let us know that we still have a lot of work to do to ensure fairness and justice for all. But, for Wildmon and other Evangelicals like him? This is the final curtain call for conservative/Evangelical/fundamentalist Christianity. This will mean that the millions of prayers uttered by anti-gay Christians to their anti-gay God will have failed. This will mean that what people like them think and believe about morality doesn’t matter, not that it should have ever mattered. If they are not uttering it now, they will afterwards: we are living in a post-Christian nation.
Even so come quickly Lord Secularism.
The whole homosexual debate exposes the shallowness of christian biblical faith.
Had god (if it existed) actually inspired the bible, then isn’t it far more likely that it would be much more tolerant. First of all, of course, god would be saying ‘I created gays for a reason’. Even if, and it’s not the case, homosexuality weren’t innate, then god would still be responsible for the environment that brought about the homosexuality. So god caused the problem in the first place.
Then again, why is it a problem?
It’s a problem because heterosexuals are in the majority and don’t like the thought of homosexuality. It makes them uncomfortable, or outright obnoxious, as with Jaisen, one of your commenters on another thread. If god existed, he’d be tolerant of homosexuals. He’d say it’s no big deal, get on with your life and let them get on with theirs, I created everyone equally.
That’s why I am so sure there is no god. The god of the bible should rise above human prejudice; instead he revels in it.
Here’s my list:
1. Revolutionary War
2. Mexican War
(Justified war expansion, added all of Southwest! to U.S., and led to the Civil War.
Most of the leading generals on both sides of the C.W. fought together in the Mexican War.)
3. Civil War
4. Failure of Reconstruction
(Because the “Redeemer” racist leaders took back control of all Southern governments
by 1875 probably had almost more to do with U.S. history than the battles of the war; the “Redeemer”
Movement also went backwards on education, social concern, etc.)
5. “Robber-Baron” Period of late 1800’s and Social Darwinism
6. Massive Immigration in early 20th century, but banning of Asians
7. Great Depression
8. Nazi War
9. Justification by U.S. and Allies of intentionally fire-bombing civilians—killing more than a ½ million
in the firebombing of Japanese cities such as Tokyo and German cities including Dresden. This culminated
in dropping nuclear weapons, though those two bombs actually caused fewer deaths.
10. Civil Rights Struggle
11. Sexual Revolution of 1960’s to present
I tried to get it down to 10 but couldn’t. And I keep feeling I should add the Louisiana Purchase:-)
As a former American literature/history teacher I couldn’t resist throwing in my 10 cents.
I don’t think the legal expanding of marriage to include same sexual individuals will have near the impact of
many other events in U.S. history.
Isn’t the American Family Association the same Christian organization that recently claimed torture is the will of God for the U.S. to employ??
I doubt in the long haul that Vietnam will have much effect on U.S. history. Unless, to say that we learned no lessons there.
I’m curious to see what these homophobes say if, after all their prayers, same-sex marriage becomes legal. Did god not answer their prayers? Did god nor hear them….were they ignored….etc…
Nail on the head Monty. You can be sure the one thing they won’t say is ‘god answered my prayer but it wasn’t the answer I was looking for’.
God only ever answers prayers when the result is what people want. If not then they look to excuse.
This gay marriage battle is just a huge money maker for conservative and liberal groups. Each side has followers who are pouring money into these causes.
Personally, I think marriage is a state’s rights issue. The state should decide who can/should be married, since they are the ones giving the license. The issues should stop right there.
This fight is boiling down to a piece of paper. I have argued, for years, that two people in a committed relationship are married, whether or not they have the ceremony. One of the definitions of marry is to be joined or united. The piece of paper that people value so highly is just a way for the government to tax us (did you know that, TEA party people?) and keep track of us (did you know that, anti-government church types?).
So, if gay marriage passes, does that mean all of the pastors and cultural warriors will have to get gay married? No. It just means that they will have to find a new fight and a new money making cause. As will people from the other side.
Yes, I truly believe people on both sides are getting rich and powerful off of this battle. I think the little people, like us, actually care about the issues and people at the top just see an opportunity.
It is a federal issue due to the civil rights issues. There is also the matter of adoption laws, insurance, and Federal/state tax benefits only married couples receive.
I’d almost buy the states rights argument if the states opposed to same-sex marriage were required to recognize an out of state same-sex marriage. They do so for heterosexual marriages, yet refuse to do so for same-sex marriages. This is clearly discriminatory and a violation of Federal law.
That said, I agree with you that groups on both sides of this issue are raking in the cash. Nothing better for fund raising than a crisis.
Perhaps the better answer is to abolish all state marriage licensing and issue a federal marriage license. Of course, if there were no tax/insurance benefits for being married, then there would be no reason to have a license,
Love the David Horsey cartoon!