EVOLUTION AND MARRIAGE

THE NATURAL STATE

Opposition to same sex marriage seems a natural position when biology is considered.  Male to female unions is a fact of evolution of sex in humans, the pinnacle of social species.  It is not denial of a right any more than denying that the man is the mother and the woman is the father in a heterosexual marriage.  But there are rights that all should have, and they should not be denied those rights because they hold views other than the views of the majority or the powerful.

CIVIL UNIONS

Parental rights and contractual rights are among those rights.  Family rights do not end if one spouse dies.  Civil unions should be available to provide such rights without specification of sexual relationships.  The obligations that go with family responsibilities should be part of the package.  Care of minor children should be part of the responsibility of any becoming part of a civil union.

ALL IMPERFECT BUT ALL HAVE RIGHTS

No one born in the last two thousand years is perfect.  Yet Jesus tells us that God loves each of us and that we should do likewise.  Whether one’s sexuality departs from the norm because of a genetic factor or a social imprinting inflicted on them early in development is immaterial to the rights of the individual.

WHAT’S NATURAL?

The nuclear family seems to be an ideal that society should encourage without unduly restricting the behavior of those not conforming to that norm.  Failures of responsible behavior in nuclear families do not justify stopping social endorsement of traditional families. Clearly some great individuals have come from non-traditional families.  Some people smoke without getting lung cancer, but it still is socially warranted to discourage smoking.

SEEK SENSIBLE LAWS

Society is justified in prohibiting public displays of both heterosexual and homosexual behavior.  Likewise inflicting such behavior on minors as well as non-consenting adults is properly restricted.  Christian societies seem to be making great progress is establishing freedom and equality for all as we emerge from our puritanical past.  Whether the past demise of societies from social excesses since the decline of Sodom and Gomorrah is fact or story does not seem essential to knowing how to make our society the best possible.

NATURAL CONSEQUENCES

Sexually transmitted diseases have been with us before AIDS seemed to target homosexual behavior in males early in its establishment in this country.  It is amazing that STD’s are not more prevalent with the emphasis the advertising and entertainment industries put on sexual behavioral freedom.  It is extremely difficult to see how a democratic society can reach a fair agreement on a position somewhere between the extremes of Puritanism and Sexual Libertarianism.

SEEKING A SOLUTION

Same sex marriage is an oxymoron by whatever name you call it.  The proper rights its advocates are seeking can best be legally accommodated by a contractual arrangement called a civil union.  Contesting the validity of marriage as exclusively a female-male union defies history, religious tradition, and social norms.  Civil unions could also be useful for others united for practical reason apart from sexual considerations.

HOW HAVE THEY SOLVED THE PROBLEM ON OTHER PLANETS?

To me, Gay Marriage also defies the process of evolution.  I fully expect the process of evolution occurred in much the same way on millions of other planets in the universe.  In the hereafter I expect to meet others from those planets created by the same God through the process of evolution and having many attributes in common with us.  Perhaps some have different numbers of digits and other minor differences.  I don’t expect the language to be the English but I already know God loves them as well as us.

I don’t expect many people will agree with me.  The somewhat intermediate position exposes me to criticism from those on both sides.

Joseph G. Engemann     April 5, 2014