For supporters of gay marriage, the scene outside the Supreme Court last week was accompanied by a hopeful atmosphere, in addition to the many great slogans like “Keep Calm and Marry On.”
But something unfortunate came out of the rally, and it unraveled before my eyes.
There was an anti-gay marriage protester – let’s call him Levi – holding a large sign and quoting the Bible (albeit selectively). But this wasn’t the problem.
The problem was that he soon became surrounded by pro-gay marriage rally-goers, who goaded and argued with him. And the argument quickly degenerated from a debate over marriage to a debate over God’s existence.
One particularly vocal gay marriage advocate – let’s call him Thomas – indignantly shouted out, “Your god isn’t real!” And then, to the pro-marriage people in the crowd, he said, “You can’t reason with people who have no ability to reason.”
The problem with this last statement is that I have the ability to reason, and I believe in God. And I believe in gay marriage, too.
My argument for gay marriage always begins with the First Amendment. In a country with no national religion or “marriage amendment,” we cannot ban gay marriage. Period. It’s discrimination. And, contrary to the justices’ statements last week, there is plenty of standing on the issue of discrimination.
But, if pressed, my argument for gay marriage enters into the same realm as Levi’s.
In that realm, I can quote the Bible as freely as Levi. Jesus said, “Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am among them.”
And, as I was taught for nine years in a Catholic elementary school, “God is love.”
That phrase was on almost every bulletin board in my Catholic school. And if we are to believe that God exists in the very emotion of love, then we must believe that he exists in a relationship between two people who love each other.
Now as for the doubtful Thomas … I would offer him the simple message of the Easter hymn I heard this past Sunday: “Roll Away the Stone.”
This is the strongest argument the Christian Church possesses: Jesus of Nazareth, a historical figure, who we can confirm by Roman records was crucified, disappeared three days after his death. Roll away the stone of his tomb, and you’ll find that the body isn’t there. It hasn’t been found for 2,000 years.
Now, our doubting Thomas will say that that’s because Jesus’ followers stole the body to make it look like he rose. But the problem with that theory is that almost all of his disciples went into hiding after his death. And they wouldn’t have thought to take the body anyway, because for the past three years, they were confused any time Jesus referred to the Resurrection in his parables.
Unfortunately, it seems that many of those who support gay marriage – and many of those who are gay – also reject God and argue against his existence.
But, as I’ve just explained, there is no reason to think gay marriage is incongruous with Christianity, and no reason to consider Christianity incongruous with reality.
To those who have felt pushed away by the Church, I would like to inform you that Pope Francis supported civil unions as a cardinal in Argentina.
There has never been a time when the gay community was more accepted than today. And there has never been a time when the gay community was more welcome at church and more assured that its “lifestyle” and its faith are compatible.
To all those who are taught the opposite, I encourage you to come to a church that reads the Gospel correctly.
Ryan Migeed is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Communication and the vice president of AU College Democrats.
edpage@theeagleonline.com
