Truth About Claims Made In Support Of Amendment One
In a video being circulated by a Pro Amendment 1 group called, Vote For Marriage NC several clergy spokes people appear to offer a rationalization and defense of their position to discriminate against same-sex couples. I watched this video and was struck by not only the blatantly inaccurate claims but also the lack of depth of their argument, which primarily relies on false claims.
First up in the video is Dr. Mark Harris from First Baptist Church in Charlotte. In his first segment he makes the claim that, the union of one man and one woman has been supported by virtually every faith community and society since the dawn of mankind. It really isn’t necessary to go back to the dawn to find that his claim isn’t exactly correct. In our own country one very large faith community in recent time has not subscribed to nor practiced this belief. Whole populations throughout history have also practiced multiple spousal partners. The practice of same sex relations has existed in and been accepted in many cultures and societies, and not so long ago either. He would have us believe that his views are somehow universal and unchanging.
As far as the laws of the State of NC, one doesn’t need to go back too far to see that marriage was initially regulated to only between white people and not inter-racial marriages. I wonder where that came from, it didn’t come from Buddhists.
I am not a Biblical expert and I don’t think that really matters because among Biblical scholars there seems to be some disagreement over exactly what God intends regarding same-sex marriage. Perhaps Mr. Harris would like for us to believe that he has the sole ability to speak for God. Quite frankly I don’t really care what God says, he isn’t someone I believe in. So give me another reason to not be opposed to amendment one.
Now Tami Fitzgerald claims that judges who have upheld the constitutional laws of various states are activist judges. Frankly I am more concerned with religious bigots imposing their views on people who don’t believe as they do.
There is nothing, I repeat nothing, about same sex marriages that harms or prevents you from your religious beliefs or practices. You are not required to marry someone you don’t see fit to marry. But I am prevented from marrying people I deem fit to be married. The harm is not to you, the harm is to me.
Dr. Wooden, from Upper Roan Church of God in Christ, tells perhaps the biggest myth or untruth when he says;
“we are not trying to impose our views on anyone.”
Actually Mr. Wooden you are, you are trying to impose your particular interpretation of Christianity on me as a Buddhist. I am not bound by your belief in God. I am not even required by law in the US to profess faith, practice, or worship this God.
When you say;
“we’re not trying to shove our views down anyone’s throat,”
could you explain to me how this is true given that I don’t believe in your scripture.
I believe that my scripture is superior to yours if for no other reason than the Buddha teaches that all beings are equal without distinction. And you are acting against that belief. You are in fact slandering the Buddha by claiming that some group or class of people are inferior or deserve less than another class of people. I have heard that Christians believe that God created man in his own image, yet what you all are actually saying is that either you don’t believe that or else it is a lie.
I do not subscribe to your definition of what marriage is. The definition of marriage is a concept of man and has been changed so many times that what you are claiming ignores the facts of history.
