Letter: Gay marriage: Where is the common ground?
Many people in the United States believe that marriage equals holy matrimony (in the eyes of God, He participates in the process).
The U.S. was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. For Christians the Biblical definition of a marriage is between a man and a woman.
To ask a Christian to redefine marriage to mean something other than that places the citizen and their religious belief system in conflict.
Conflict is a disagreement in which the parties involved perceive a threat to their beliefs.
Why do beliefs matter? What if someone tries to teach your kid that being gay is wrong? Or tries to teach my kid that me, the Holy Bible and God, are wrong?
How much simpler can this be? Look at the position this puts Christians in.
Adults are capable of abstract thought and deductive reasoning -- children in early formative years are not.
Yet, in this debate, Christians are being accused of bigotry, persecution and intolerance. Why?
Are 'we the people' debating and voting on whether it is wrong to be GLBT?
No. Christians have learned to live with the differences between church and state. However, to step over this issue as if it doesn't exist or really doesn't matter, is just plain reckless or intolerant.
Gay marriage is different: Why not recognize that and enjoy the same civil rights with a civil union without harming Christians and their beliefs.
This would send a clear message to future generations that we are capable of co-existing in peace and harmony while respecting the differences on both sides of the issue.
Or, are we devolving to a polarized society completely incapable of finding the middle ground?