In the last couple months or so I have gotten into discussions with some people about gay marriage. I’m not going to act like I’m some kind of expert on any of this, but the comments that I received as to why gay marriage should be illegal were all based on scripture from the Bible. Yes I am a Christian, and yes I believe the Bible is the holy word of God. However let’s get something clear here, not everyone in America is a Christian. Because this is a free country where we have things like freedom of religion, we have something we like to call separation of church and state.
Basing the legality of marriage between two people upon religious beliefs completely goes against this separation of church and state. No one said you have to like it, but this is AMERICA, land of the free. Our Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I think that while there are many jokes about marriage being the end of happy singleness, most would classify marriage under the pursuit of happiness. If all men are created equal and the pursuit of happiness is among their unalienable rights, how can we say that it’s illegal for them because our religion doesn’t agree with it?
Now being a Christian, and being raised in a Christian home meant that I went to church every Sunday as a child. I have been to Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, and church camp. Through all of these things I’ve learned a lot about the bible, and I’ve read the bible quite a bit. While yes there are verses that say homosexuality is a sin, (Those from Leviticus being the most well known.) if you spend a little more time reading the gospel, (that’s the part where Jesus comes and walks around teaching and showing people how to live) you’ll find that Jesus didn’t really have a whole lot to say about homosexuality. In fact in the book of Luke it says that when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, “He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.'” [Luke 10:27]
This is one of the most basic bible verses that I and many people as young children were taught in Sunday school and VBS. It’s so basic and we were taught it so young because it’s so important and yet so often we fail to do so. Especially when it comes to people doing things that depending on the person are considered sin. I don’t personally believe that homosexuals are going to hell, but I also accept that it isn’t up to me. What is up to me is that I am commanded by my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ, to LOVE them. It’s not our place to judge others on how they live their lives. We are all sinners who are so blessed to have a God that loves us enough that he sent his son to die for us. So as a way of thanking him for this more than generous, gracious, and merciful gift, why don’t we try loving everyone like he commanded us to?
You don’t have to like gay marriage, but it’s not really your place to judge. So stop hating and persecuting them, and just let them live their lives. Love them where they are. If you can’t do that, then do me a favor and go back to Sunday school. Tell me that the Jesus I learned about as a child and continue to learn about as an adult would love that you are being so hateful. I’m sorry but I just don’t believe it. Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you’ll have no time to love them.” You can’t control other people’s sin, you can only control your own. So stop judging and just love your neighbor. Jesus said so.
College Ramble 
very well said. We are all sinners in God’s eye, we have all fallen short. There is a battle in the church I attend because the National Church has agreed to bless gay marriages. This is a problem for a lot of people who do not want to be forced into agreeing with the behaviour by blessing a gay marriage.
It will be interesting to see where this goes. I do agree with you, we are to love our neighbour no matter his creed, his gender, sexual orientation, age or beliefs.