I haven’t lived in Durham, NC in nearly 4 years but I still consider it my home. It’s definitely my hometown.
And on Monday night, the Durham city council made me proud. They unanimously passed a resolution supporting civil marriage equality for same-sex couples.
Now, in reality, this resolution does nothing; it’s a state law that bans same-sex marriage. But the city has taken a stand and declared that they support gay marriage.
Thank you, Mayor Bill Bell and council members.
What really gets to me are the people who oppose legalizing gay marriage. I’d never put much thought into it before. As a Christian, I knew that homosexuality was “wrong” but I still never thought that it should be illegal. And it baffles me that anyone would ever want it to be.
Let’s take a look at some of these:
Furthermore, North Carolina is considered one of the states in the “Bible-Belt.” There are quite a few of us who believe in the inerrancy of the Word of God, and thus are very much opposed to the concept of same-sex unions. The Word of God is very clear. Same sex unions are despicable to God. If you doubt me, read your Bible.
And what’s your point? If God tells you not to marry someone of the same sex, don’t marry someone of the same sex. Don’t try and stop someone else from doing something just because you’re too closed minded to see past the end of your nose. I know of churches who believe that smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and going to the movies are despicable to God, but I don’t see anybody trying to make those things illegal.
To Ms. Cole-McFadden specifically,
On your Durham City Council webpage you list your membership in the West Durham Baptist Church. You even mention that you are the Sunday School Superintendent. My question to you is simple: How can you instruct Sunday School, or guide Sunday School instructors, if you, yourself have not read the Word of God? If you have read the Word of God, then I trust that you voted against this resolution? For surely, you would not argue with God? (“Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker” Isaiah 45:9) But I know that the council voted unanimously in favor of this resolution and as a result I question the sincerity of your faith.
This just makes me unbelievably angry. Who are you to question anybody’s faith? Isn’t that your God’s job, not yours?
What does faith have to do with legislation? I understand that, as Christians, you want your lifestyles to be moral and clean and upright, and that you oppose things that you perceive to go against your faith and ideals. I really do understand that. But why can’t you live your life the way you think you should live it without trying to force your faith into legislation that dictates the way everybody should behave?
The way I see it, the Durham city council has their eyes open. They see equality in all people, and are trying to give equal privilege to all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
If only the state (hell, the country) would go so far.
