Am I crazy, or did things seem really simple in high school?
Everything was in black and white: the teachers are against us. Parents are out to screw us. Republicans or Democrats (depending on which you supported - usually whatever party your parents supported) are evil.
I'm crazy. It turns out things were never simple, except the mind I had to comprehend with.
Especially when it comes to how I view the world as a Christian. It was so much easier back then. This is right, this is wrong. And if you disagree with me, you're wrong.
Things have changed much since then. I am still Christian, and a better one now than when I came in. But my views on things have changed a lot, because of a better understanding of my own way of life and a transformation of my political beliefs.
Why does all this matter? It matters a lot when you have issues such as a Defense of Marriage Act, which awaits Taft's signature.
On one hand, we have my Libertarian views. Clearly, a government dictating to its people whom they can marry is a violation of civil rights. This cannot stand.
But then we have my Christian views. Clearly, God does not approve of homosexuality.
Does that make this a law I should support? We as an American people agree that to live in this country religion stays out of the government, as written into the Constitution. Christians have been trying for years to rationalize otherwise.
But do I ignore that and impose my religious beliefs upon others? And if I do, what am I accomplishing?
Outlawing gay marriage is not going to change a person's lifestyle. It took me a long time to learn that going up to a person and telling them homosexuality is a sin is only going to turn them away.
And God gave us free will, did he not? Am I then justified in attempting to take that way? This is not the same as murder or rape. When one chooses to partake in a homosexual relationship, it is voluntary.
In this way, I can see an agreement of my political and religious views. I do see homosexuality as a sin, but I am in no position to stop people from seeking a partner if they wish. We allow premarital heterosexual sex. Homosexual sex is not any different in my eyes.
Ultimately, if people want to follow God's law, it is their choice. Setting up a government to try and stop people from doing what we do not want them to do is only going to drive them to do just that.
Free will was a gift given to us. I would be remiss as both a Christian and an American to try and take that gift away from anyone - on religion, sexuality or anything else.
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Jeffrey Fitzwater
