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Mar-26-2013 10:06TweetFollow @OregonNews It's Time to Legalize Gay Marriage EverywhereOp-Ed by Steve Siebold for Salem-News.comI don’t care if you believe in Santa Claus, but the minute you start justifying bigotry, hatred, and violence with your belief you’ve infringed on the rights of others.
(WASHINGTON DC) - As gay marriage takes center stage before the Supreme Court this week, it’s time for America to grow up and recognize that homosexuality is neither a choice nor a disease, any more than being a heterosexual is. Homosexuality is a natural predisposition that exists throughout the animal kingdom. Over 50 years ago, Dr. Alfred Kinsey used a sliding scale of one to six to prove that all of us have both homo and heterosexual tendencies. Scoring a six meant you were primarily homosexual, while a score of one meant you were primarily heterosexual. Kinsey believed most people were somewhere in the middle, although many would be afraid to admit it. American society is still suffering from its puritanical roots, and many of our citizens refuse to accept anything that contradicts our cultural norms. The worst offenders are the zealots who claim “God hates fags,” and that homosexuals are flawed or immoral human beings. Televangelists like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson have poisoned millions with their hate filled tirades against homosexuals. I’ve watched these bigots mesmerize the masses with laser like precision and wondered, “What would Jesus think? Would the Prince of Peace really endorse this behavior?” How many gay, lesbian and transgender Americans have committed suicide because of their hate filled sermons and broadcasts? How many more are in therapy and gulping anti-depressants because these bullies convinced them they are depraved sinners? Would the average American allow a bully to beat up a little kid? No, but that’s exactly what we’ve allowed these religious extremists to do to homosexuals. America has a long history of discrimination that includes blacks, Native Americans and women. Lincoln freed the slaves and it still took another 100+ years for blacks to be treated like equals. Some people claim racism is still alive and well in modern day America. For all of our country’s claims of exceptionalism, we have some pretty shoddy history as it relates to human rights. Sure, we’re ahead of most of the world in this area, which is like saying I’m a killer but I killed fewer people than you so I consider myself exceptional. In a country that claims to be a Christian nation, we have a funny way of demonstrating Christ-like behavior towards minorities. Educated Americans know that homosexuals are no better or worse than anyone else, and should be left alone to pursue their own version of the American dream. This includes the right to marry. Religious leaders claim that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, and that’s why they are against it. This is another far-right fabrication. The real reason they’re against gay marriage is because it would make gay couples equal to straight couples and remove the stigma that has been cast upon homosexuality. If the issue was actually a technicality, could we not make the case that a two thousand year old mandate be updated? Furthermore, can the Bible really stand the test of technical accuracy? It fascinates me how the religious community manipulates the masses with its interpretations of the Bible. First of all, how does anyone know what the authors of the Bible we’re thinking, much less God himself? Even former President Jimmy Carter, a long time Sunday school teacher, claimed in an interview with the Huffington Post that, “God inspired the Bible but didn’t write every word of the Bible.” This is a common manipulation tactic designed to empower clergy to embrace the good parts of the Bible as inspired by God while distancing themselves from the bad. Carter’s church accepts gay members on an equal basis, but will not allow them to marry. Is this not akin to allowing blacks to attend school with whites but insisting they drink from separate water fountains? I guess we can call it partial bigotry. Serious thinkers like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin understood the idea that the masses need to believe in something beyond this life so badly that they will believe almost anything. Benjamin Franklin was reluctant to discuss his spiritual beliefs in public for this very reason. Toward the end of his life he said he believed in the moral teachings of Jesus but had doubts to his divinity. Jefferson felt the same way and even penned his own version of the Bible called The Jefferson Bible, which are the teachings of Jesus minus any reference to miracles. Here’s my point: believe anything you wish to believe. I don’t care if you believe in Santa Claus, but the minute you start justifying bigotry, hatred, and violence with your belief you’ve infringed on the rights of others. The delusional thinking on gay rights and marriage is that it’s about protecting the integrity of what’s written in the Bible. This is one of the most ridiculous claims ever made, since the Bible is full of evil acts and suggestions we choose to ignore. Where is the integrity in that? Critical thinking says that the church is losing its chokehold on American society and the legalization of gay marriage would deliver another major blow to its eroding power structure. The opposition to gay marriage is all about control and power, and it’s just a matter of time before the majority of Americans realize it. Gay marriage will be legal in every state in the country within 10 years because it’s the right thing to do. The bullies and bigots will kick and scream like the small minded manipulators they are, but it won’t be enough to prevent Americans from doing the right thing. It’s time America grew up and welcomed everyone into our culture as an equal and allowed people to live their lives on their own terms. Steve Siebold is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of critical thinking and mental toughness training. He is author of the book Sex, Politics, Religion: How Delusional Thinking is Destroying America. For more information, visit sexpoliticsreligionbook.com and speakerstevesiebold.com
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Anonymous April 1, 2013 12:13 pm (Pacific time)
Fags have always been God's way of showing what perverted evil walks among us. Wipe them out with the kikes and niggers. Peace to the human race.
Why do you write such cruel things from IP 207.166.204.5. I will never understand
Ralph E. Stone March 27, 2013 7:28 am (Pacific time)
The Supreme Court will decide the same-sex marriage issue in the shadow of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion. Many like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal and a champion of women’s rights, have argued that Roe was decided too soon and too fast. In other word, should the court decide the constitutionality of same-sex marriage at this point in time, a subject that touches upon highly-sensitive social issues, thereby taking the issue out of the political realm. Look at the Roe decision, which is still incites Roe rage or Roe backlash forty years later. Of course, there will always be a conflict over abortion, same-sex marriage, and indeed, the very meaning of equality. But there is something about the judicial declaration of minority rights that produces an especially virulent and polarizing reaction among losers who would not respond in similar fashion to legislative defeat. I hope I am wrong, but I believe with that the Supreme Court will probably decide that it is too early for the Supreme Court to decide whether there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage that would apply to all 50 states.
On another subject: I find it cowardly for those who submit comments anonymously or with a pseudonym. Stand by your comments by signing your name to them.
Anonymous March 26, 2013 10:37 pm (Pacific time)
I think that gays and lesbians deserve the 50 percent suffering rate, I mean divorce rate that is common among those who chose to enter into the legal contract of marriage. What are the real benefits for those people? A lot of costs and little reward, in the long run. What are the gays and lesbians running towards? How do we deal with bisexuals? Allow them to marry two people, one of each gender? I guess that would be fair.
D. GIlmore March 26, 2013 4:55 pm (Pacific time)
I kinda like what anon at 10:44 said, and I see where anon at 1:16 comes from. For me, marriage is highly overrated...I did not want government approval and some guy I may not know allowing me to be "married". Not romantic, not nothing. And to be honest, the gay marriage debate actually comes from jsut a few with lotsa money who have an overall agenda that would take me 5 pages to reveal to you. Research it. 12 years with my lady, all is fine. We went to a beautiful place in the country and gave vows between us and God. No government intervention, no preacher. If gays want to get married, go at it, but I wish you would spend more time on fighting for things such as our basic liberties that are being taken away, the banks robbing us blind, a corrupt government etc. but to each their own I suppose. Here are a few lyrics in a song I wrote, I will be recording it soon, it lacks without the music.. but here it is: I dont need no papers, dont need no permission, I just wanna be with you, wanna be with you. Dont need no instructions, dont need no deductions, I just wanna be with you, wanna be with you. Moving away from the matrix, to find our true love, I just wanna be with you.
Anonymous March 26, 2013 1:16 pm (Pacific time)
So regarding gay marriage and families...should the children give up mom, or dad...who is more important? Oh both are you say, well I agree. It's easy to draw up a legal contract to cover all legal needs, so why do gays want to destroy the thousands of years of traditional marriage found in all societies? Why do gays, who will never serve in the combat infantry want women in combat infantry? What's your endgame? You will lose in the end, big time!
Anonymous March 26, 2013 10:44 am (Pacific time)
Wouldn't it be better to just abolish marriage as a legal contract? The church-doctrine of marriage can still exist separate from the legal contract, which is what the arguments seem to be all about.
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