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Separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent from each other.

I’m a little livid today, I must admit.  After Miss USA’s Carrie Prejean commented that she “thinks” marriage is between a man and a woman, there has been a backlash against equal rights for all United States citizens.  Celebrities including Miley Cyrus and Heidi Montag have backed Perez Hilton in saying that all citizens should have equal rights.  These two are devout Christians, and some Christian churches are retaliating.

There are so many arguments against same-sex marriages as of late, but do they really hold their stance?

I was raised Catholic, going to church every Sunday and attending CCD on Wednesdays (no, I’m not aware what CCD stands for).  We were taught that the majority of the Bible are stories that are to teach us how to live our lives, and the morals we should stand for.

Never, upon my years attending church, did I ever hear anyone speak out against same-sex relationships, let alone same-sex marriage.

Everyone who pays attention in any Bible study knows that Adam and Eve is not a literal story; it didn’t actually happen (most churches will even admit this).  Just by reading it, it’s obvious to tell that the story is that they are born with the innocence children are born of today — they don’t know about what’s right and wrong in society, they just see things how it is.  Once they consume the apple (apple being knowledge, and also the fruit that has been known to be given to teachers.  Coincidence?  I think not), they begin to realize how society feels about many things, and are made to feel guilty regarding the nudity, among other things.  Because the apple represents society.  Next, of course He picked a man and a woman to build first in the story, duh, they have to make children here to make our population, right?  Would our society be bore of these two if it wasn’t written that way?  No.  Logic seems to evade people, as of late.  Hate and bigotry must be getting in the way.

What happened to religion influencing our society?  Instead, our society is making a feeble attempt to mold and interpret religion to fit their beliefs, as opposed to following the beliefs that are in the Bible.

If God made us all, then God made homosexuals.  I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone say that God doesn’t make mistakes, but if I had a nickel for every time I’d probably be a multi-millionaire.  So, if God doesn’t make mistakes, and God made homosexuals, then he wanted them that way.  You don’t choose your sexual orientation, you’re born with it.  And if God loves all of his children, then he loves homosexuals just as much as heterosexuals.

There are even insinuated same-sex relationships in the Bible, three to be exact.  Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathon, and Daniel and Ashpenaz.

Let’s keep in mind that the Bible was not written in English originally, and has been re-written and edited by churches across the world to fit what they think is right and wrong — not what is directly written in the Bible.  Translating these original texts is also tedious, and things always get lost in translation.

There are two words specifically that get mistranslated from the original Hebrew writings. (source)

If God was so against homosexuality, why is there no passage in the Bible where Jesus speaks against it?  If he speaks for God, then why is there nothing about it coming from Jesus’ lips?  He has hundreds of instructions and prohibitions, and not one is against homosexuality.  You would imagine that if God didn’t think that it was right, or that these people were not to be treated equally with equal rights, that there would be a passage about it.

The story of Sodom even has nothing to do with homosexuality, even though that is what it was believed.  (Read more about that here)

The words “homosexual” and “homosexuality” do not even appear in the Bible, at least not in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.  Again, more proof that we interpret the Bible to fit society as-is, what we’re afraid of, our personal beliefs, as opposed to trying to make society fit the morals that are explained in the Bible.

Next, where do we have room to judge each other, or what would be considered right and wrong in God’s eyes?  If someone wants to profess their love in religious marriage in front of God, isn’t it up to God as to whether or not He honors this union?  It is not our decision, it shouldn’t be, nor should it ever be.

If for nothing else, where do we as human-beings have the right to take away someone else’s right?  We should not have that power.  Marriage is a basic right that should be available to all of us, we should be able to profess our love to the one we care about and want to spend the rest of our life beside.  If lying is a sin, then I’m sure God would rather them live their life in honesty and be at peace with who they are than be scorned for something that they cannot choose and live their life hiding their true feelings.  Marry someone they do love and they are attracted to, or marry someone of the opposite sex because that is what our society thinks is right?  I think I know where God would stand on such an issue, because He wants love and equality for all.  Just as we should want for each other.

By saying that there should be no same-sex marriages, you’re saying that homosexuals are second class citizens that do not deserve basic civil rights.  I would like to know who has the right to make that judgment call.

At this point I’m reminded of a previous civil-rights movement.  Back in the day, blacks couldn’t marry whites — this would rid me of some of my future cousins from my impending marriage (to a male, mind you).  I wouldn’t have these cousins who are amazing people.  I wouldn’t have one of my good friends (who was ironically raised by two lesbians).  How is gay marriage any different than we banned interracial marriage?

Which is slightly amusing, since Jesus would have been a dark-skinned middle Eastern man.  Yep, I said it.  Though that should be rather logical given in the area he grew up in.

There is the argument that, “Well, they can’t have children.”  Well, they can adopt — and being gay doesn’t make them incapable of raising children.  There are plenty of heterosexual couples who should not raise children, they do not teach love and understanding, yet we are trying to keep someone who could teach them and show them the love that our society needs away from raising children?  It makes no sense to me.  There are many heterosexual couples who are incapable of having children for health reasons, should they not get married as well?  We can’t choose our health issues anymore than we can choose our sexuality.

There was an argument that was commen when Proposition 8 was being publisized — saying that by allowing same-sex marriage, we were going to teach students to be gay.  Being gay is something that you’re born with, you’re made that way, it’s not a choice.  Many gay individuals are raised by heterosexual parents and had heterosexual teachers — that in and of itself should show that it is not a choice for them.  What about heterosexuals that are raised by homosexuals?  I know a few, and guess what — they’re straight as ever, and are fully supported by their parents.

Think about it.  Just really sit there and think about it for a second.

I’m not asking anyone to think that it’s right or wrong, I’m asking you to realize that by allowing same-sex marriages, no one is depleting you of your rights.  You’re trying to destroy the right of someone else that should have deserved them from the beginning.  They want a chance at 50% success rate, a meager 50%.  They want a shot at what we have a shot at — ever-lasting love with someone who they care immensely about.  I care immensely about my soon-to-be husband, and I would not want someone to take my option to marry away from me, so I wouldn’t want to take it away from anyone else.  If a same-sex couple wants to profess their love before God, who are we to say that they can’t?  Isn’t that God’s decision?  And why are we attempting to take away God’s decision for Him based on our own judgment?  Isn’t He the only one who can really judge us?

I feel there is a division between God and between religion, they don’t seem to be one in the same anymore.

I may add and edit to this as time goes on, my mind has been racing about this and my heart has been broken by those who have been oppressed their basic civil rights over something they cannot choose.  Someone wants to live their life with honesty and dignity, yet we want them to hide and live a lie.  So disappointing.

Due to the separation of church and state, we should not be able to vote on someone’s rights based on our religious views.  There shouldn’t be propositions to vote on based on neglecting someone else of their rights.  This issue has nothing to do with religion, but with bigotry and twisting the words of God to fit what you want them to, not what they literally mean.  It saddens me that our society is still practicing hate, bigotry, and intolerance for things that we do not understand when we should be trying harder to accept them and understand them.

I leave you (for now) with a couple videos, and some links to different religious sites that support same-sex marriages — including a group on Facebook for Christians for Marriage Equality.

This next video is incredibly important, and I agree Keith, if you respect your God then SPREAD love.  That is what He would want.

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