When it comes to gay marriage I usually keep my mouth shut. Trying to balance my Christian beliefs and not being a giant asshole can be challenging. It seems though Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, of Washington State has got that down. She recently announced her support for a bill that would legalize gay marriage in Washington state, and she issued a statement on her support of the bill that better articulates how I feel about the issue than I could.
“I have very strong Christian beliefs, and personally I have always said when I accepted the Lord, I became more tolerant of others. I stopped judging people and try to live by the Golden Rule. This is part of my decision. I do not believe it is my role to judge others, regardless of my personal beliefs. It’s not always easy to do that. For me personally, I have always believed in traditional marriage between a man and a woman. That is what I believe, to this day.
“But this issue isn’t about just what I believe. It’s about respecting others, including people who may believe differently than I. It’s about whether everyone has the same opportunities for love and companionship and family and security that I have enjoyed.
“For as long as I have been alive, living in my country has been about having the freedom to live according to our own personal and religious beliefs, and having people respect that freedom.…
“I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage. That’s neither here nor there. If I were the first or the seventh or the 28th vote, my position would not be any different. I happen to be the 25th because I insisted on taking this much time to hear from my constituents and to sort it out for myself, to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy.
I can’t say that it doesn’t make me nervous to see the values of my country change, but I am proud that we are embracing freedom and equality for all people.
Still this is probably a win for me, because as people become more accustom to alternative lifestyles, BDSM will hopefully gain a measure of acceptance. If you’re OK with two fellas getting hitched, you can’t really mind that my wife is the boss, and she hits me when I’m bad, or when I’m good, or when I look especially tempting.
“Trying to balance my Christian beliefs and not being a giant asshole can be challenging.”
Seems like you’re doing a really great job of balancing your beliefs and not being an asshole. 🙂 I’ve met a few people who self-identify as Christian, believe homosexuality is a “sin,” but still support the right of all people to find happiness and be treated equally under the law. While I may not agree about the “sin” part, I certainly agree with their position on happiness and equal rights.
(For the record, you didn’t imply that anything was a “sin” — just using people I know as an example)
Thanks, I try (mostly with the aforementioned tight-lipped-ness.) I could do a whole post on Homosexuality and Christianity in America, and I don’t think either side would be happy with the result.
Regardless of my religious beliefs, I think that every step this country takes towards ensuring freedom and equality for all is a step in the right direction.
I think MMH got it right.
I was pleased with her announcement.