Labor won’t shift on gay marriage: Rudd

Once again, the debate rises once more with rallies in support of same-sex marriages starting on Friday. I’m sure as usual, there’ll be a statement made that the Christian (and Catholic) perspective “hates” or “rejects” the idea of same-sex marriage, but rarely have I seen anyone give Biblical defence for their arguments; primarily, because the secular media has no interest in such details, merely that the Church is, once again, opposing “social reformation”.

I want to answer the question, “Why does the Church oppose same-sex marriage?” The straight answer is that it is wrong, but I want to look at ‘why’ it is so from the perspective of the Bible.

• (Leviticus 18:22) Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. (Leviticus 20:13) If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
• (Romans 1:26-27) Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

There are various other Scriptural passages which, essentially, say the same thing. The bottom-line is that it goes against the order of Creation. God’s intention and design of the human being is that they are to enter into monogamous heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman. By breaking such an intention, it is an unnatural act and, before God, a shameful and detestable act. It just wasn’t meant to be.

How do we account for those who simply “can’t help themselves” or have the “gay-gene”? Personally, I think it’s a cheap cop out for not seeking to understand the matter further. In this day and age, we pride ourselves on our psychological ability to deal with various issues, to overcome them with the sheer will of mind and scientific, human endeavour – yet, give up so easily on matters of moral consequence. I think an honest evaluation of each person, case-by-case, will lead to a deeper understanding of our humanity.

However, let me say, I do not discount the effects of different environmental factors in a person’s upbringing. While factors may not be clear-cut and from person to person, I do think that a person’s background plays a significant factor in their lifestyle perceptions and understandings. It may be one’s perception of things like relationship, love, friendship, the list goes on. I think every effort must be made to understand what makes someone who they are, not just who they seem to be.

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
(Genesis 2:23-24)

This is God’s created order for human beings. A monogamous, heterosexual relationship between man and woman.