Consider who prepared the way for Jesus. What was his message? Do you remember? Why did God give mankind a law at all, if He had no hope for obedience? See, too many Christians try to define God in mushy emotional terms. That is not the God of the Bible. His love is tough love. He forgives only after atonement. He offers atonement to those who repent. Define sin down and delete the power of the cross. How can one repent from that which is not wrong?
Granted our government is not about saving people from eternal damnation. It is about functioning together as a culture, all equally participating in this consent of the governed form of government. How do we answer God when He looks on our Nation and finds us too apathetic or ashamed of His standards to even speak up, vote, or participate in any way? We are the government. There is no Caesar in America whom we are obligated to render unto. WE are the Caesar of America. On what basis do we think our laws should be founded? We have a right to be heard and to vote. We have no right, in this gov't, to take from others their right to vote and be heard. But if we win it is because the people have spoken. We have a right to win. We are no more imposing than the other side. May it be a fair, Republican form of gov't fight, and may the best ideas win.
The winners in this debate will shape the minds of future generations. They will set the standards for all that is considered fair, right and good in our culture. Do not be deceived. If our gov't bestows on gays a protected status equal to being black or hispanic, then it will become illegal to discriminate or speak out against their behavior. We will lose our freedoms. This is not about tolerance and privacy. It is about the hearts and minds of future generations of Americans. Shame on us if we talk ourselves into withdrawing from the fight.
This fight is a spiritual one. It does not belong to the Government. I never said that sin was OK. I said that it's not the government's job to decide, nor is it appropriate for us to use our majority status to deny legal rights to others. I am not talking about the religious institution of marriage, but rather the legal benefit bestowed upon married couples by the State. In accordance with OUR OWN PRINCIPLES these must be applied equally. There isn't any wiggle room in the Constitution about that, which is why it would take an AMENDMENT to change that. I disagree somewhat with your assertion that the Pharisees were merely hypocritical. I believe that Jesus objected to their obsession with sin at the expense of a true realization of the nature of God. The Pharisee had a deep appreciation for regulation and order, but no knowledge whatsoever about the nature of the creator. Do you really think that a God who can create a whole universe from a single thought cares deeply about what you stick in your bunghole? His laws are guidance to help us down the road to success and happiness. Pork wasn't outlawed because pigs are infected with evil, but because its meat is unsafe if not carefully cooked. Adultery is forbidden because it harms the emotional health of others. God's laws are rational things. He's not just obsessed with sex, he acknowledges sex's power over the happiness of man. Read the Bible again- pay attention to the Law. Think of why each is important. For most, it's not evil the law fights, but the road to unhappiness and poverty. The laws regarding usury (interest charges) are interesting. The Ten Commandments are given as our guidance from God. there is a common theme to all of them if you have the wisdom to spot it.