Gay Marriage: Part 2

What better way to present my views on gay marriage than to debate Christian fundamentalist, Dr. James Dobson, a man who thought the issue important enough to write a whole book about it, Marriage Under Fire. In the book Dobson makes 10 arguments against gay marriage. I will take them one at a time. [See June 8, 2008, post for Arguments 1-5.]

Argument #6
Dobson: Foster-care parents will be required to undergo "sensitivity training" to rid themselves of bias in favor of traditional marriage, and will have to affirm homosexuality in children and teens.

Good. Everyone should be encouraged to rid themselves of irrational biases. Everyone should know that two people who love each other should be able to live their lives together in any way they wish, that there are no rules regarding the behavior of two consenting adults in a bedroom or anywhere else, as long as nobody is being harmed. Toleration is not affirmation.

Argument #7
Dobson: How about the impact on Social Security if there are millions of new dependents that will be entitled to survivor benefits? It will amount to billions of dollars on an already overburdened system. And how about the cost to American businesses? Unproductive costs mean fewer jobs for those who need them. Are state and municipal governments to be required to raise taxes substantially to provide health insurance and other benefits to millions of new "spouses and other dependents"?

This is just plain silly.

Argument #8
Dobson: Marriage among homosexuals will spread throughout the world, just as pornography did after the Nixon Commission declared obscene material "beneficial" to mankind… If we take this step off a cliff, the family on every continent will splinter at an accelerated rate. Conversely, our U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that it looks to European and Canadian law in the interpretation of our Constitution. What an outrage! That should have been grounds for impeachment, but the Congress, as usual, remained passive and silent.

Acknowledging the right of individuals to love and spend their lives with whomever they choose will not result in more people choosing a gay life-style. It will only insure that those who do will not be persecuted by irrationalists like you Doc.

Individual rights were not created by the Bill of Rights: The Bill of Rights was created to protect individuals from government abuses. The U.S. Bill of Rights is neither finite nor a complete list of the rights of individuals. While I agree with Dobson, the U.S. Supreme Court should not be referencing the laws of any other country when drafting their opinions, acknowledging rights that are not specifically enumerated in the Constitution is certainly a function of the courts. The Framers acknowledged this when they wrote the 9th Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Argument #9
Dobson: Perhaps most important, the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be severely curtailed. The family has been God's primary vehicle for evangelism since the beginning.

I wish I could just say “good” here, too. But this buffoon needs an education in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine that, an atheist teaching an evangelical leader about Jesus’ message!

Jesus taught—if nothing else—tolerance. He hung out with the worst kind of people, prostitutes and tax collectors. He disarmed stone-throwers, like you Doc, in the name of love…unconditional love. And don’t tell me you love gay people when your mission is to deny them their right to pursue their own happiness.

You’ve made spreading Jesus’ teachings your life’s work. So do it! Stop throwing stones.

Argument #10
Dobson: The culture war will be over, and I fear, the world may soon become "as it was in the days of Noah" (Matthew 24:37, NIV). This is the climactic moment in the battle to preserve the family, and future generations hang in the balance.

This apocalyptic and pessimistic view of the institution of the family and its future will sound alarmist to many, but I think it will prove accurate unless-unless-God's people awaken and begin an even greater vigil of prayer for our nation. That's why Shirley and I are urgently seeking the Lord's favor and asking Him to hear the petitions of His people and heal our land.

The only culture Americans should be working to define and defend is that spelled out by the Framers in our founding documents, particularly the part about each individual having the right to their life, their liberty, and to pursue their own happiness. The culture you’re trying to preserve, Doc, is polluted with Neolithic sensibilities: mysticism, superstition, authoritarian governments, intolerance, and persecution. The fear your arguments attempt to generate is as baseless as your faith in the existence of supernatural forces who respond to your wishes. The apocalypse you and Shirley are praying to mitigate is your own. A new Age of Reason is on the horizon. The future is a place where each individual will be free to pursue their own happiness free from persecution and your message of hate and intolerance.

Perhaps Robin Williams said it best responding to viewer mail at the end of the film, Mrs. Doubtfire.

"Dear Mrs. Doubtfire, Two months ago my mom and dad decided to separate. Now they live in different houses. My brother Andrew says that we aren't a real family any more. Is this true? Did I lose my family? Is there anything I could do to get my parents back together? Sincerely, Katie McCormick.”

“Oh, my dear Katie. You know, some parents get along much better when they don't live together. They don't fight all the time and they can become better people. Much better mommies and daddies for you. And sometimes they get back together. And sometimes they don't, dear. And if they don't, don't blame yourself. Just because they don't love each other doesn't mean that they don't love you.

“There are all sorts of different families, Katie. Some families have one mommy, some families have one daddy, or two families. Some children live with their uncle or aunt. Some live with their grandparents, and some children live with foster parents. Some live in separate homes and neighborhoods in different areas of the country. They may not see each other for days, weeks, months or even years at a time. But if there's love, dear, those are the ties that bind. And you'll have a family in your heart forever. All my love to you, poppet. You're going to be all right. Bye-bye.