On defending marriage and responding to pro-homosexual rants
Two years ago, I was asked to speak at our state
capitol on behalf of the Marriage Amendment. The hearing was in a center room
surrounded by a hallway. Those preparing to speak were kept in the hall until
their time to address the amendment.
As I waited in the hallway, I was approached by a
man who supported redefining marriage to include unions between members of the
same sex. He was quite nice and reasonable in the beginning.
"I imagine you're going to be speaking for the
amendment on marriage?" he began.
"Yes," I replied.
"Well, don't you believe in freedom?" To this I responded: "So long as that freedom
falls in line with my convictions and Christian beliefs."
That seemed to curtail his argument for the moment,
but he persisted: "Surely you believe that love is the highest goal and
that two people should be able to love one another regardless of their sexual
orientation."
"It is not merely my personal emotion of love
that matters, but what God intended for the human race to thrive and survive. I
believe that is between one man and one woman."
By this time he was a bit flustered, but he pushed on. "I'm a
Christian like you, and I believe love is the supreme goal of
Christianity."
"I don't believe Jesus would agree with you!"
He was taken back and actually said, "Why wouldn't He agree?"
Love is acting for others out of their best interests and not our own.
In submitting ourselves to Christ, we do so for the love of Him alone. In
leading others to out of sinful behaviors, we look to their salvation, thus to
their good, and we are loving them.
Totally confused and angry, the man went for the holy grail of
confrontation, name-calling. "Well," he said, "you're obviously homophobic."
"Then that means," I retorted, "that you are obviously
Jesus-phobic."
A crowd had gathered to listen to our sparring. With my last comment, a
hush came over the crowd, and they began to slip away.
No matter the topic, the truth has power and the ability to change
hearts and lives. In the pro-life moment, we must continually study and come
prepared with the latest scientific, biblical, and rational evidence for life
from the moment of conception. We must also be willing to engage others and not
run in fear. Finally, and prayerfully, we must be willing to look others
in the eye and tell them that there is a better way and that their analysis is
wrong.
