Just the Facts Ma'am...A Politically Geared Post
It doesn't happen often because I avoid discussing politics at all costs but when something strikes me hard like this I like to share a few facts. Today an appeals court overturned Proposition 8.
In 2008 Proposition 8 was passed by voters in California. If you were living under a rock for the last 4 years here's a brief overview of what it means: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
As I am LDS and support the church and understand the necessity to keep the sanctity of marriage as is, I supported this proposition. I couldn't exactly vote for or against since I don't live in California but I had hopped the people of that state would do the right thing. Now, before you get enraged and quit reading here are a few reasons I agreed with the Proposition, some you may not have been aware of...
Did you know that if the vote failed:
Churches could have their tax exempt status revoked for refusing to marry same-sex couples or verbally opposing same sex marriage.
Religions sponsoring private schools that provide married housing would have to allow the same housing for same-sex couples even if it's against their religious beliefs.
Ministers/religious leaders who preach against same-sex relationships could be sued for hate speech.
People wanted to argue "shouldn't church and State be separate?" You tell me! If you want our religion to keep our hands off your "right to get married" then shouldn't you have to keep your hands off our religion? I'm just saying. If you want to marry whomever you want to marry, fine. You're going to do what you're going to do. But I'm sorry it's not right that if my religion doesn't agree with your same-sex preference that you should be able to sue us or be allowed to be married in our places of worship. If people are going to use church/state arguments as their bread and butter then they should be able to see both sides.
Just because Proposition 8 was overturned today, don't go getting all excited. It's not the end. As with all rulings this overturn has the right to be appealed as well. Ah Politics as I like them...Just the facts Ma'am.
In 2008 Proposition 8 was passed by voters in California. If you were living under a rock for the last 4 years here's a brief overview of what it means: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
As I am LDS and support the church and understand the necessity to keep the sanctity of marriage as is, I supported this proposition. I couldn't exactly vote for or against since I don't live in California but I had hopped the people of that state would do the right thing. Now, before you get enraged and quit reading here are a few reasons I agreed with the Proposition, some you may not have been aware of...
Did you know that if the vote failed:
Churches could have their tax exempt status revoked for refusing to marry same-sex couples or verbally opposing same sex marriage.
Religions sponsoring private schools that provide married housing would have to allow the same housing for same-sex couples even if it's against their religious beliefs.
Ministers/religious leaders who preach against same-sex relationships could be sued for hate speech.
People wanted to argue "shouldn't church and State be separate?" You tell me! If you want our religion to keep our hands off your "right to get married" then shouldn't you have to keep your hands off our religion? I'm just saying. If you want to marry whomever you want to marry, fine. You're going to do what you're going to do. But I'm sorry it's not right that if my religion doesn't agree with your same-sex preference that you should be able to sue us or be allowed to be married in our places of worship. If people are going to use church/state arguments as their bread and butter then they should be able to see both sides.
Just because Proposition 8 was overturned today, don't go getting all excited. It's not the end. As with all rulings this overturn has the right to be appealed as well. Ah Politics as I like them...Just the facts Ma'am.
3 Share The Love:
I agree.
I did live in CA during the prop 8 debacle. Without getting too in depth, it was a tiring, spiritually draining, and unpleasant experience all around. It pains me to see people treated unfairly. I don't believe in legislating certain aspects of morality. I believe in protecting freedom. The scenarios you speak of are worst case and may be where things eventually end up and there may be nothing to be done about it. That said, I do believe in the proclamation on the family. But I don't know which answer is the right answer as far as legislating it is concerned. I've STILL after all this time not made up my mind (never mind how I voted. I sometimes wish I hadn't voted at all). I just know how much hurt was involved all around on both sides. It was awful. It's hard to have a person (homosexual or not) stand right in front of you, know they are a good person, and say "No, you can't have the same freedom as everyone else." People who might have been sympathetic to the church are now left with a poor experience in which members of the church outright protested their lifestyle and desire to have the right to be recognized legally. Then there were the members there, being told IN CHURCH, EVERY SUNDAY that the first presidency wanted them to help out in getting prop 8 passed, which was a lie and was never appropriate to do in a church setting. It resulted in members questioning their leaders, making anyone who felt differently be ostracized by the others. The whole thing, prop 8 being passed, prop 8 being overturned, all leave a bitter taste in my mouth. But thanks for sharing your thoughts. I get it. I understand the need to protect traditional marriage. I just feel that it is a much more complex issue than whether homosexuality is a sin. I feel like most people don't get that and so don't approach it with the sensitivity that they should.
Finally, I NEVER would have posted this response on one of my molly mormon mom blogger friends. I just know you use your brain more than most so I felt you would not be offended if I tried to shed a different light on it.
And you are right, It's not a comment that offends, It didn't make my heart race or blood boil because I do understand what you are saying. It sucks that legislators can have a say in what goes on in a persons life, I agree there. AND I agree that it was very wrong what a lot of the leaders in Cali did in Sacrament meetings...especially since we are told not to express political opinions in that setting. I understand where the other side is and how they feel, maybe I'm naive in believing so but I feel that many religions and religious individuals wouldn't have supported this if they didn't know that more often than not in this country the worst case scenario occurs. If it weren't for the people that push the limits I would have no problem...if they want to get married, by all means, but it's those that push the limits and say well I insist that I get married in THIS church by THIS leader and if they say no, guess what! I can sue them. It is a sad state of affairs for sure. And I will also agree where you say it's a much more complex issue than rather homosexuality is a sin or not...indeed it often is much more complex than just that. To me what is sad is that there is NO middle ground, I wish if they want to allow same-sex marriage that they would enact laws stating that if a particular church does not believe in same-sex marriage that they don't have the right to sue or to force that religion to marry them. Go to the court house, go to a sympathetic church that is already on your side, there are actually a LOT of them. I just feel like it's very frustrating the way it ends up working.
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