Some Conversations Never Go Anywhere
- “I just
think that people who love each other ought to be able to marry each other.”
- So,
what if I love a teenager?
- “Well I’m
speaking of consenting adults of course. Adults who love each other ought to be
able to marry each other.”
- So,
what if I love two women?
- “Well,
I’m speaking of TWO consenting adults, of course. Polygamy is icky! Two adults who love each other ought to
be able to marry each other.”
- So,
what if I love my sister?
- “Oh
gosh! That’s gross! It’s unnatural! Of course I’m speaking of two UNRELATED
adults! Two unrelated adults who love
each other ought to be able to marry each other. Besides, incest produces birth
defects in offspring.”
- Would
you be more comfortable if two brothers
married each other?
- “No! Of
course not! That’s gross!”
- Well,
based on what? What gives you the right to deny two consenting adults, who are
in no danger of producing defected offspring, the ability to enter into a legal
contract together?
- “Why do
you people always have to bring up incest and polygamy? It’s beside the point!!
Homosexuals are not polygamists! And they aren’t incestuous! Why do you always have
to compare homosexuals with perverts?!?”
- Sorry
about that. Just trying to understand your logic… So, it IS ok to deny some
people the right to marry based on certain criteria?
- “Well…
of course…”
- And
what determines that criteria?
- [I haven’t ever got a good answer for this
question yet…]
The Words of Jesus
Jesus said a lot of words.
I have observed that we tend to gravitate towards and appropriate the words of Jesus that we're most comfortable with and that match our presuppositions the best, and ignore or minimize - or even dismiss - the ones that make us uncomfortable or challenge our presuppositions.
One group acts as if the only thing Jesus ever said is contained in the Sermon on the Mount, another only talks about his preaching on Hell, and yet another parks in John 10 and emphasizes the 'abundant life'.
What if we felt the weight of ALL Jesus said?
Just might be a revolution...