I Voted

This morning I went to the Columbian Center on Pump Rd. to cast my mid-term election vote. I'll be honest, I don't know as much about the candidates as I wish I did. Unfortunately our current mode of campaigning is more about trashing the other guy than promoting yourself. In the race between George Allen and Jim Webb, all I know about either of them is this: George Allen once used the "N" word in college, and Jim Webb's fiction books often demean women. Other than that, I have no idea about the politics of either candidate.

But honestly that's not the issue that caused me the greatest stress at the polls today. Here in Virginia we're voting on the Marriage Act. The question is should we, as a state, prohibit any union, civil or otherwise, between homosexual couples? Should we declare marriage as being ONLY between a man and a woman. You might be asking yourself why I wrestled with this so much, given that I'm a minister.

I believe marriage between a man and a woman is the ONLY way God prescribed it. I think any union between two men or two women is not pleasing to God based on how He created us. I believe living as a practicing homosexual is a sin, although having those feelings or tendencies is not.

Having said that, I cannot get something Jesus said out of my mind. And it's this verse that caused me to hold up lines at the polls this morning as I wrestled with pressing either "YES" or "NO."

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

My question is, to what extent does this apply to supporting or opposing gay marriage? My outlook on the world is greatly influenced by this verse, especially when it comes to helping people in need. For instance, when I see someone stranded on the side of the road I ask myself, "If I were stranded, what would I want someone to do for me?" Or, "If I were homeless and starving, what would I want someone to do for me?" I think this is at the core of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Not only does the Samaritan stop to help, but he goes out of his way to care for the assaulted man. He cares for him, perhaps, the way he hoped he would be cared for if the situation were reversed. So, if I were gay, how would I want to be treated? I realize that by seeing this as a sin, many of us are inclined to think that verse simply doesn't apply here. But then again, when Jesus placed the Samaritan ahead of the priest and the Levite on the moral scale, many probably took offense to that as well. So does Jesus' rule for treating people the way we want others to treat us only apply to those who believe what we believe and live the way we think they should they live? I'm not so sure it does. If the situation were flipped and a predominately homosexual government was trying to ban heterosexual marriage, how would I feel about that?

I realize this question might make some of you reading this a bit uncomfortable. In all honesty, I'm a bit uncomfortable with it too simply because it forces me to view the world from the other side, the side I've always opposed. It's like trying to picture myself sitting at Fenway Park booing Derek Jeter while wearing Boston Red Sox gear. I shutter at the thought.

I'm not trying to sway the vote one way or the other; as I said, I (finally) voted to support the amendment that bans gay marriage. But in doing so did I carry out "The Golden Rule" or break it? Just something for you to chew on.