Pray tell
Submitted by James on Tue, 04/28/2009 - 5:31pm
In my spare time, I frequent many websites that explore the lines between faith and politics. Today at Street Prophets, I came across a question that has been on my mind lately. How to Pray for Conservative Demagogues?
I added this comment to the discussion:
I don't pray as a matter of general practice, but I do pray for people who are expressly religious, especially those who are using religion to further their agenda. Here in North Carolina, one such group is the NC Family Policy Council.
So today, I'm asking you to pray with me (even if you're an atheist) to help the people at NC Family Policy Council see the light and change their ways. Why? Because those good Christians have fallen into bearing false witness, taking up lying in hopes of getting their way. Like their brethren at The Show, the NCFPC is misrepresenting, cherry-picking, and distorting to defend and promote its ideology.
In a piece called Findings (PDF), by Daniel Heimback, the group makes more claims about the evils of gay marriage than it's possible to digest. But let's give it a try.
The car argument
Denying the procreational form of marriage is like denying cars are designed to drive. Cars can be cars without being driven, but denying cars are designed for driving changes a “car” into something else. In the same way marriages can exist without children, but severing procreation from the marital structure turns marriage into something else.
As a person who drives a truck, it's really hard to know what to make of this silliness. Enough said.
The threat to traditional marriage argument
Under homosexual terms, marriage will be no stronger than feelings of private satisfaction, and will cease to be an authoritative, pro-child institution encouraged to endure no matter how feelings fluctuate.
Talk about projection! The only reason I can see that gay marriage could possibly have this effect is because people refuse to accept that gay couples can also have deep commitments to enduring married relationships.
The well-being of kids argument
The declaration by the APA (that kids of gay couples fared as well as kids of heterosexual couples) in 2004 was political, not scientific, and knowingly
contradicted all reliable evidence.
This is a lie, Mr. Heimbach, and you know it. The best that can be said is that most of the research is inconclusive. Would you swear on your Bible that ALL reliable evidence supports your position?
There are seven other "findings" brought forth by Daniel Heimbach, each carrying less weight than the one before it, until it reaches this remarkable conclusion:
The prevalence of these arguments suggests that same-sex marriage proponents believe them to be compelling. In truth, however, each of these arguments fails to hold water. Defenders of traditional marriage must be ready to have an answer to such arguments designed to redefine marriage.
Mr. Heimbach, no one besides the religious right is trying to redefine marriage. That's your schtick, and frankly, it has no place in secular public policy. You could have saved yourself a lot of writing and simply said, "God doesn't approve of teh gayz." At least readers would have known where you're coming from.
Hang with me here
I figure that these people have put their lives on the line to do the lord's will, which means nothing you or I can say will matter to them. But maybe they'll listen to god, and maybe god'll listen to you ... so go for it. Throw up a hail Mary pass and let's see what happens.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Kaddish?
If you really want to pray over them, that seems ideal.
Sounds like a plan
Kaddish.
What could be better coming from a back-sliding Baptist turned atheist turned Unitarian turned blogger.
Thanks for the tip.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I'll let Mr. Heimbach explain
to these people that they shouldn't consider getting married because it will turn marriage into "something else".
Gosh, you're an ass Steve
I am now officially depressed. Not only am I covered in poison ivy for the first time in my life I just found out from that web site I am considered a SENIOR! Gee, THANKS!
Humph.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
Do'worry aboudit, eh?
You're a happily married individual. You're set, just don't screw it up. If you're not happy, then get that way! The grass is not greener on the other side, trust me. As a matter of fact, there ain't no grass here at all! It's like...it's like a vacant lot, with weeds scattered here and there, and the few flowers I've found can't be plucked without painful consequences. :(
Now...to keep it on topic
Just saw this article in Congressional Quarterly about how young Evangelicals are breaking from their ..ahem...more mature and in this case not as wise counterparts when it comes to gay unions and marriages.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
Reality Check
Wow, there is so much wrong with that short statement. First it neglects that some opposite-sex couples regard marraige as nothing stronger than feelings of private satisfaction. I'll omit mentioning Ms. Spear's wedding. It neglects that the divorce law is basically unchanged by granting marriage equality so the "strength of the marriage" is still the same, this is neglecting that some people actually are dedicated to each other and not the wedding day or idea of marriage, and that divorce is remarkably easy in this state to obtain and since it is currently only opposite-sex couples that can legally marry that speaks to the strength of the feelings of personal satisfaction argument.
Allowing same-sex couples to marry will not alter the "authority" of marriage in any form, because it will not alter the rights and responsibilities as defined by laws in regard to marriage. (Oddly, I think creating civil union laws or DP laws would lessen the authority of marriage laws because there would be an alternative to marriage) Then stating that marraige is "pro-child" and not "pro-family." I mean pro-family in regards to actual families not in the fundamentalist version of "As long as you have a couple of opposite gender and 2.5 children" The choice to state pro-child is poor because marriage is not about procreation, there are many opposite-sex cuoples who can not, or choose not to have children, and their are many same-sex coulpes that do. Pro-family is better because marriage is all about protecting, empowering, or unifying the family of said marriage, which includes laws not just affecting the married couple but their rights and responsibilities to the children as well. (Side thought here: Interesting that people want to hold dead-beat dads accountable for bailing on families and not supporting their children, then promote the same actions when it comes to LGBT couples by denying thjat one of the couple was even involved in the childs life.)
And finally most relationships, regardless of marital status, face the challenge of enduring no matter the fluctuations of feelings, and I know of several opposite-sex couples who were legally married and just decided to divorce instead of working to overcome these fluctuations.
Oh, and "Hi" everyone. First time poster
Boku no otto wa totemo aishite
Hi and welcome to BlueNC
Glad you weighed in. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops:
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
NC Bully Bill E-mail Today
First off, welcome to our new member.
And secondly, if anyone has a chance, consider clicking this link and sending an e-mail in support of the School Violence Prevention Act which will be voted on in a couple of days. You can send the message as is so it wont take any time at all, or you can personalize it too.
http://eqfed.org/campaign/svpa_2/igsdx3bry7kemtde
Thanks
I've been working on doing just that, hopefully its sticking in some of the people I speak to
Boku no otto wa totemo aishite
Maybe the NCGOP should pay attention
to this sea change. Are you listening NC Family Policy Council?
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Are you kidding? They're too busy standing
in their circular firing squad to listen to reason. Ready. Shoot. Aim!
Hey NC Family Policy Council!
Take a look at what your fellow Americans are thinking these days. And then ask yourself - why are you so wildly committed to your anti-gay agenda? Why can't you accept people for who they want to be and then work with that? Instead of fighting against good, stand up for it. I talked to God yesterday and she doesn't want you to be on the path you're on.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.