I like to think of myself as an activist--someone who stands up for what I believe is morally sound, regardless of opposition. However, I had to pray for desire to join the movement for Proposition 8. I have friends and acquaintances who either term themselves "gay" or say they have "same gender attraction." I love these friends, and want their happiness. A portion of my morals says, "Let them use their agency, and learn from the consequences--just stay out of all this fervor."
But as I prayed for how to reconcile these feelings with the clarion call of my church leaders to defend Proposition 8, I felt an empowering realization: Aside from having a moral obligation to allow for agency of others, another part of my personal moral belief calls for protection of the sacred.
Sacred means, in one dictionary definition, something holy that must be "secured against violation, infringement, etc., as by reverence or sense of right." Marriage, as an institution given by God, holds the title "sacred" in my mind. If marriage becomes allowed to describe unions not sanctioned by God (i.e. same gender unions), the term will have been "violated." Therefore, I feel a motivation to secure this institution against infringment, and urge others to do the same.
2 comments:
Thanks for this post Courtney. I too have felt torn between letting people make their own decisions and also standing up for what I believe. Your post gave me a little more insight into what I should. Hope all is going well for you.
I appreciate you acknowledging your hesitation to support Proposition 8. I have mixed feelings about it. For example, I'm a fan of Ellen Degeneres and was happy for her when she got married even if it was to a woman. I don't approve of lesbian lifestyles, but I think she's allowed to make her own decisions. I have come to terms with the fact that I need to stand up for God's plan for happiness, and I appreciate your thoughts on protecting the sacred.
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