****. I'm actually agreeing w/ this to an extent. If your religious beliefs are strong enough to convince you that abortion and/or gay marriage trumps everything else this country is going through, so be it. I know of one person who will cast a vote for McCain because of abortion, even though he's more in tune w/ Obama on most every other issue. But I don't think any religion has a real platform concerning the economy, foreign affairs, the environment, etc. One more thing, if you decide to vote based on one or two issues: decide if what your candidate promises is realistic. Because if it's not, and you actually side with the other candidate on every other issue, you are doing yourself a disservice.
My question, even as a Christian, is why gay marriage is even an issue for anybody? I hate the fact that "issue" would be a reason to sway a vote in an election. Its so far down the list of what is important its not even funny. Two gay people marrying affects me, my community, and my church in absolutely no way. Why should I care in the least? Even if I disagree with gay marriage, why should it be ANY of my business at all. I don't get the "moral fabric" stuff either. Obviously, if an area is going to be more conservative there is going to be less gay marriage anyways, so it affects those people that care about stopping it the LEAST. I hate random political issues that have almost no bearing on anything.
I think this is the problem Christians have, and ultimately why they find it hard to make the correct choice at the polling booth/are easily bamboozled by the lying Republicans: They've either forgotten, or simply do not know, what it really means to make faith relevant to society. Yes, we have to maintain our spiritual standards. Yes, we staunchly oppose abortion and gay marriage. But we can't become too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good. We can't hide within the four walls of the church and pretend like the economy doesn't matter, that healthcare doesn't matter, that the costs of war do not matter. I've posted on this subject before. The Republican party manifesto is not the 67th book of the bible. Jesus did not win people over by going about and pointing accusing fingers at them -- he reserved that for the spiritual leaders of the day. Likewise, the Apostle Paul did not become a wildly successful evangelist by merely constructing a church building and pontificating every Sunday morning -- he reached people by running his business, going into the marketplace and trading with regular folks. We have to find ways to make ourselves relevant to the society around us once again. The reality of the situation is that we will never find the perfect political platform. But at some point we have to learn how to recognize evil and injustice and simply take a stand against it, and that goes far, far beyond one or two wedge issues. We have to learn how to appeal to the voice of hope instead of mindlessly joining the politics of fear. There's no way we're going to change the world just sitting inside our little clerical bubbles. The other issues matter, too.
I'll reiterate this point when the last abortion discussion took place. There are less abortions under a Democratic Presidency than a Republican one. The highest number of abortions performed were under Reagan. Abortions lessened significantly under the Clinton administration. Clinton helped pass greater sex education, and access to contraceptives. Republicans thought talking about sex education back then would lead to more sexual activity. The same when there was greater access to contraceptives. The passing of STDs have been lessened because of this, and its been easier to track down because of sex education in the 90s. The economy that benefits the poor and middle class lowers the number of abortions performed significantly. The economy has enormous ties to abortions performed. In Republican defense abortions did continue to lessen each passing year under a Bush administration except in 2007 where they've escalated. However research done under a Bush administration regarding abortion doesn't take into account the number of abortions performed in California. California has the highest number of abortions performed more than any state. In short, pro-choice or pro-life doesn't make much of a difference. Pro-choice doesn't mean pro-abortion. Pro-choice doesn't mean more abortions are performed under a Democratic Presidency. You can still be pro-life but not associate yourself with being Republican because they say they are.
In case I confused anyone w/ my previous post, I totally agree with you. In Florida they are trying to pass an amendment banning legal unions. The main premise many are pushing (ie mostly religious groups) is to 'protect marriage between man and a woman.' Code for no gay marriages. Forget the fact that legal unions are not uncommon w/ straight senior citizens, and I'm sure there are plenty of civil unions among others. And forget that gay marriages aren't legal already. It's really a misguided venture that will only screw straight couples. There are tons of signs around my town to vote 'yes' on this pointless drivel. But I try my best to understand others even if I disagree 100%. Thus my post. Even though I think their vote is directly opposite to mine, I still encourage them to vote for what's most important to them. Better than voting based on talking points and campaign ads and who seems the nicest to hang out with. I will say that in the future, maybe 30 years from now (hopefully less), we will look back on preventing gay marriages as archaic.
Many believe that if gays are allowed to marry it somehow devalues or lowers the standing of their own heterosexual marriage. That's pretty stupid. "Oh no! Gays can marry and now my marriage doesn't mean what it used to." I just don't get it. That's why they're calling anti gay marriage laws a "defense of marriage" act. They also view marriage as solely a Christian (or at least Abrahamic religions) institution because God "invented" marriage in Genesis. "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:23-24). But you don't hear Christians all up in arms about agnostics or athiests or Scientologists or __________ getting married, in a church or otherwise.
I've heard "If legalizing marriage for gays happens, soon they'll start legalizing marriage with animals." That's the biggest I've ever heard. Sadly I've heard that from more than one person. Very religious people as well. It's hard to fathom that kind of logic.
Put race, sex, age, peer pressure etc. aside.... Take the quiz!!! http://www.votebyissue.org/election2008/q.aspx?q=5
