Under Pressure: Staying Rational in the Gay Marriage Debate

This past week saw another explosion in my Facebook new feed. A plethora of equal signs, pluses, and minuses took over my little social media escape until it felt like senior year calculus all over again. Over the course of the last few days, the gay marriage debate surrounding this pseudo-calculus has become angry and, frankly, sad as ad hominem attacks and accusations of ignorance have replaced thoughtful deliberation and debate.
While I have no interest in arguing either position publicly, I would like to share an article with my readers (all three of you). I found it thought-provoking if nothing else. It does its best to avoid name-calling and attempts to foster real debate. Rabbi Bernheim, the article’s author, presents his piece not as a polemic, but as an attempt to articulate an intelligent defense of his (often called intolerant) position.

And so although the article is technically “anti-gay marriage,” I’d ask anyone who wants to read it to avoid labeling it right away. Narrow-mindedness and an over-abundance of labeling have put us in this position in the first place. In fact, France’s anti-gay marriage movement has proven one of the most successful in the Western world. Rabbi Bernheim helped to spur that success with this very article. So avoid dismissing his position out-of-hand as “intolerant” or “outdated.”

I must apologize for not presenting a good “pro-gay marriage” alternative. Today being Easter, I must confess that I did not have time to give any other article my full and honest attention. More importantly, I feel the need to defend “the little guy.” That is to say, in America the far more reviled position is that of the opponent of gay marriage. And although I may not hold beliefs consistent with such a position, I think it is important to hear all rational voices. I also must confess that Rabbi Bernheim’s comments on gender theory struck home for me. While I partially decontextualized them and did not necessarily think about them in terms of gay marriage, his arguments are hard-hitting and, I think, will show any reader where we as a society may be headed. So in short, take fifteen minutes, read the article (link below) I’m recommending and remember to keep an open mind. Søren Kierkegaard once said “once you label me, you negate me.” And while I do not stand behind this great Dane one hundred percent, in this circumstance, his words are wise, especially when the debate ahead portends so much.

http://www.firstthings.com/article/2013/02/homosexual-marriage-parenting-and-adoption