Alright. We'll do it. The Same Sex Marriage Talk.

So Indiana just recently passed a "Religious Freedom Law" which, from my understanding, gives business owners a right to deny others service based on their religious preferences. Because of this here are some pictures of signs that have popped up.

(I apologize for the language in the above picture, I was unable to edit it. 

So deal with it. It's just a word)

Here are my thoughts, and they are just that, my thoughts. They are based on my interpretation of scripture, my deep thoughts on the matter, and also me flying by the seat of my pants a bit because I don't know everything and I will willingly admit that I'm still working through some of this stuff.

Here are the facts according to scripture: 

• Homosexual sex is a sin
• Just as adultery, substance abuse, stealing, murdering, and holding idols
• We are to love everyone

I think that about sums up the facts about same sex marriage from a biblical standpoint. But here's where things get dicey. And fun. Kinda. 

Is the term marriage strictly Christian? Some will say yes and stand on that and pound the Bible saying that the word "marriage" is in there therefore it is a Christian term. But what about the fact that all religions have the term marriage? And that the term of marriage found in the Bible is something that all people, Jews, Muslim, and at the time Greeks and Romans understood? I don't think that the term "marriage" is strictly Christian. So to say you stand against same sex marriage means you don't stand for two people loving each other and wanting to make their union official. People said the same thing about 60 years ago about black and white couples.

So to go on the record, I don't have a problem with same sex marriage/civil union (I would prefer them to have that term instead of marriage, but like I stated "marriage" is not explicitly Christian). I also just thought of this, just to make it clear the Bible does not exactly say same sex marriage is a sin, but that same sex intercourse is. But why get married if you're not going to have sex? (Interesting topic for another time) So same sex marriage = same sex intercourse. 

Now I want to look at laws banning same sex marriage that Christians want to pass so desperately. My only question is why? And my rebuttal to whatever point you want to make is this. Let pagans act like pagans. If they don't believe who are we to say, "You can't do that." I met a Hindu today who was a vegetarian. I asked why, he said it was religious/moral reasons. That's cool. "But Acts 10 and Peter and the Blanket!" So what? That dude's not a Christian why should I hold him to that standard that I hold myself or my brothers? That's a bad example though, let's look at a different one. You meet a person that likes to get trashed on the weekends (though not in the realm of an alcoholic). They're not a Christian. Are you really going to pull out scripture on them and tell them that the Bible says you can't get drunk? Know what they'll do? Use the Bible as a coaster for their drink later. You tell them your concern for their health, but you can't hold them to the same standard that you hold yourself. It's the same with non-Christians who are gay. They're a sinner just like everyone else and all you can do is love them and tell them about Jesus.

So with those laws you are saying that you want people who don't follow your religion to live as if they do. Know who else is doing that right now? The extremist Muslims in the Middle East. Except they're cutting peoples heads off for them not agreeing. Yet we get up in arms about that and yet we miss that we're doing a political version of the same thing here in America. And don't try to throw the "Oh those are two completely different things" at me, because they're not. We don't like what you do so live like we do or we make things hard for you (or kill you). If they're not a Christian don't hold them to our rules then. If they want to steal let them. If they want to get hammered let them. If they want to get stoned let them. If they want to go at it with a person of the same sex let them. If they confess Christ though, that's a different story. Which I probably won't get to tonight. 

Now I want to look at the "religious freedom law" stuff in Indiana. And I want to start with myself. I am an ordained minister and am licences in the state of Ohio to perform marriages. I sign the marriage certificate. By the power invested in me by the state of Ohio and God I now pronounce you whatever. Yeah. I'm that guy. So if the state says that same sex marriage is legal and that anyone who is able to perform marriages can't refuse anyone, I'm in quite a pickle if a gay couple comes up to me and asks me to do their wedding. Legally I could be bound to. Spiritually I disagree with this. So what should I do? If I could perform just civil unions, sure, why not. But I will not act as if this couple has God's blessing, because I don't think they do. The religious freedom law would give me the right to refuse. But then if I disagreed with someone getting married to someone else for whatever reason I could claim a religious conviction against that marriage, which would be me abusing my power. So how should I handle a gay couple coming to me asking me to perform a religious ceremony for them? "I'm sorry, but morally I cannot. I do not think God approves of this marriage so I will not perform a ceremony for you. I may suggest the _____ church with the guy in the rainbow robes, or the court house. I wish you the best though and if you would like to have a deeper conversation as to why I do not think God will bless this marriage I will be more than willing to have that conversation with you as long as it's in a civil manner." Once people start yelling or insulting people conversation just becomes worthless. But let's turn this from a ministers standpoint to a business owner.

We all know of the bakery that refused to make a cake for a gay couples wedding. I also saw an episode of I think it's called, "What would you do" where there was a woman trying on a wedding gown for her wedding to her partner and the woman refused to serve her because of it. It was all staged, but man was it interesting. The new law in Indiana allows that. Should they? Should they not? What if an Atheist, as seen above, puts a sign on their door says no Christians allowed? Should they be able to discriminate against us? Well from my standpoint, yes. If we can say, "I won't serve you because you're gay" others should be able to say, "I won't serve you because you're a Christian." But what the Atheist is saying is this: I won't serve you because you're intolerant. Well aren't you being intolerant of me? Well it's different because you're discriminating against one group. And so are you. You should go discriminate against yourself. 

I get why small business owners want to refuse service for a same sex wedding. You think that by serving those people you're supporting the marriage. But what if they're getting married at the court house and having a reception later? Or having a ceremony done by a captain, or a person that got ordained online just to perform the ceremony? What if, as it is in PA, you don't need a licence to marry? Should you be able to say, "I disagree with you choosing to love and be faithful to one person for the rest of your life because they have the same tools as you." Really? Marriage is not explicitly Christian! Let them have it! Let's share it! We have Holy Matrimony. We have marriage that is blessed by God. They have marriage that is recognized by the state and that's okay. This world is imperfect. Everyone sins and no sin is greater than another. Look at Romans 5. One sin killed all of us. A sin is a sin. But if we really want to try to weigh them out, I'll take two people of the same sex getting married over a child molester any day. If anything us serving them is a greater form of witnessing to them. Yeah, I disagree with you on this, but I hope for the best, let me serve you and support you in this next big step in your life, just like Jesus did everyone he came in contact with.

There's a lot more I can say on this issue but these are the points I want to get across.

• The term marriage is not solely Christian
• Homosexuality is a sin, is in the eyes of God is no worse than any other sin.
• Let pagans act like pagans. If they aren't a believer don't hold them to the same standard you hold yourself or your brothers and sisters.
• Love people for God's sake. Literally. Jesus is God's love in action. Let your service to all be God's love to them.
• Just by serving a same sex couple does not mean you agree with their life style. But again, see the previous points.

Go out today, find a gay person, and give them a hug.

Searching for a Messiah

I don’t have much in the way of TV. I got an antenna with just a few channels so sometimes I end up watching things that a 24 year old man shouldn’t watch by himself.

Of course I’m talking about awards shows like the Grammy’s, Emmy’s and Oscar’s.

This week I’m in Kentucky taking a class on ethics. Eventually I’m assuming we’ll get to ethics, but just today we talked about The Story of God, the one found in scripture. The question was raised, “Do you think that this obsession with story just rose? Did it resurface? Or has it always been there?” How did this relate to ethics? No idea, but that’s not the point. The point is that this got me thinking.

The movie that won Movie of the Year was Birdman. I watched about half of it, then quit. Not because I thought it was bad, but I wanted to watch it at a different time because I thought it was so good. So I don’t want to talk about that. But I was looking at the top 100 grossing films of 2014, and out of the top 20, I’ve seen 14 or know very well the premise of 14 of them. All of which have a character or characters that rise up to save a city, nation, the world, or even universe. Out of the top 20 grossing films, 2 were original: Interstellar and Neighbors. So that means that 18 of the top grossing movies of 2014 were adaptations, sequels, reboots, etc. Many of which again have the plot line of crisis that will impact the main character’s known world and a savior figure that saves everyone from the crisis.

Let’s look at two examples in the Hunger Games and Divergent (both of which I saw).

The Hunger Games is the story of a girl from incredibly humble origins, one that we can relate to, and she gets put in a situation which demands her to step up, and this leads to her being a leader, or a symbol. At least that’s what’s supposed to happen, I don’t think that particular point was established too well. But Katniss rises up, is the symbol of revolution against an oppressive government. Amazing how someone so low in that society rose so high! And now she has the role of savior of all the districts and is leading the battle against the government!

Divergent runs along the exact same lines. A girl from humble origins lives in a society made up of factions, each of which has a special role in the society, and all those in those factions have characteristics that make them perfect for that role. The main character, Tris, is what they call Divergent, or has characteristics that allow her to fit into all the factions. Throughout the movie events begin to transpire which create tension in the society leading to a climactic battle that will eventually lead to rebellion against the government which of course is oppressive, and this rebellion, revolution, will be led by Tris, a supposedly a strong character, but again I don’t think they have proven that she is a strong character. But she is to be leading the battle against the government as well!

About 2000 years ago there was another story about a Jewish man who did the same thing as these movies. He came from humble origins, to the point of when people hear where he came from they as, “Can anything good come from that town?” He was special, got into situations where he became someone, a celebrity, a leader. He rises up from his humble beginning, eventually having a couple hundred followers. The people of the day hear that this hero has come to save them and they flock to him, expecting him to use them as an army to cast off the oppressive government. Yet this story is different, he doesn’t raise up an army. He doesn’t start a war. He speaks of peace, love, respect, humility, submission, and a different kingdom, one that surrounds all people, yet not all are in. At the end of the story, instead of having a climactic battle between the oppressed rebels and the evil government, it ends with the leader, this savior figure, hanging on a cross, and dying, despite having done nothing wrong. This character is portrayed as a strong hero, and this time it has been proven. He had the power to do whatever he want, he had a following ready to take up arms for his names sake; yet he willingly surrendered himself to death to present and bring about a new type of salvation. While we may be oppressed by governments or society we are free spiritually from the bonds, effect, and results of sin, the most oppressive force ever to exist. We’re all under it, and can’t get out of it; except by grabbing onto this hero, who didn’t need to start a war, but instead just finished it by surrendering. But that’s not the end of the story, it’s the beginning of the end. Three days after his death he rose again, finishing the battle, defeating the enemy permanently. This is a true hero.

The fact that these movies are top grossing, and winning awards makes me think this: Society is looking for a Messiah, a leader, a savior that is just like us, one that we can relate to, who will save us from the hell that is our oppressive life. And with all these hero figures being ones from humble origins, ones that we can relate to, we feel as if we, like them, can rise up and save ourselves. We are searching for a savior, and we are being told that we can, should be, and are, our savior. But how can you save yourself? If you’re drowning how can you save yourself? If you’re hanging from the edge of a cliff and are out of strength, which you will run out of, how can you save yourself? If you’ve been shot and are bleeding out how can you save yourself? You can’t! It isn’t possible! You need someone else. Someone outside of what’s going on. You can’t be saved from drowning by another person who is drowning. You can’t be saved from bleeding out by a person that is bleeding out. You can’t be saved from the cliff by another person on the cliff. You can only be saved by a person outside of the problem you’re in.

We all know there’s evil in the world and that we need saved from it. That evil is sin and its effects on the world. We’re stuck in it so much that it’s in us and killing us. So how can we save ourselves from that evil? We can’t. But Jesus, our hero, who lived alongside us, started off just like us, and was in a sin filled world just like us, is different than us in this way: He never sinned, it never took hold of him, he was perfect. He is outside of the water, off the cliff, has full health and the proper tools to save us. He tossed us a rope, a life saver, and all he says is that we have to grab onto it and he’ll save us.

While movies, books and shows have good stories, they’re full of lies. You can’t save yourself. It’s impossible. Only Christ can save you. The ultimate hero, without flaw or weakness.

You no longer need to search for a Savior, the true one is waiting for you.