Prop 8 and God - A challenge to the views of author Rick Warren
There’s been a lot of talk about “God’s will” and the upcoming vote on California’s Proposition 8.
The latest to invoke God in trying to get the measure passed is Rick Warren, a televangelist and bestselling author.
I’m an author too, so Warren’s words got my attention. They sent me on a mission to look for other times in history when arguments like this have been used.
Warren said, “This is not a political issue, it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about. There is no doubt where we should stand on this issue."
Warren is telling his followers to vote yes on 8, which would eliminate the current right of same sex couples to marry in California. Warren is joined by the Mormon Church, which has poured millions of dollars from out of state into an advertising campaign aimed at changing our law.
There’s a great deal of historical precedent for passing laws to remove the marriage rights of minority groups. As you prepare to vote on Prop 8, I thought it would be interesting to share with you some past examples. Just as Warren has done, all of these past marriage bans claimed to be following God’s will.
"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."
--Judge Leon Bazile, Caroline County Virginia, 1959, in his ruling that sentenced Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter Loving to one year in prison for marrying in violation of segregation laws. Mildred was part African-American. Richard was white.
"It is my conviction that the fundamental trouble with the people of the United States is that they have gotten too far away from Almighty God."
--U.S. President Warren G. Harding. He signed into law The Cable Act of 1922, which revoked the citizenship of any American woman who married an Asian.
"Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."
--Adolf Hitler on September 5, 1935 when he signed the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, which prevented any subjects of Germany or related heritage from marrying Jews.
Ultimately, all of these acts of discrimination and hate were seen for what they really were. They no longer exist. But for a time they were the law of the land: Asians, African-Americans, women, and Jews restricted from marriage.
So as you enter the voting booth this Tuesday, ask yourself one simple question. Which side of history do you want to be on?
I urge you to vote NO on Proposition 8.
Kemble Scott is the author of the bestselling novel SoMa, finalist for the national Lambda Literary Award.
About Kemble
Kemble Scott is the pen name for fiction of Scott James, an Emmy winning journalist whose columns appear each week in The New York Times and The Bay Citizen. As Kemble he is author of the bestselling novels The Sower and SoMa, finalist for the national Lambda...
Connections
No on Prop 8
Really good post. I already voted against Prop 8.
The most amazing thing about many of the people who are against gay marriage is the simple fact that they themselves fear that they are gay -- and probably are. Its so obvious.
Why else would they care? Why else would they put so much effort into forcing their "moral" opinions onto others?
People who are straight and confident in themselves are not influenced / irritated / bothered in the least by the actions of others because they know themselves and do not fear the unknown. The latter is another reason people attempt to enforce their morality on others: fear of the unknown.
I can't remember their names, but one of the first couples to get married in SF were two older ladies. One was one of the first self-outed feminists. I could look it up, but saying who they are is not my point: I saw the ceremony and felt the love they felt for each other and was moved to tears. How can anyone attempt, in good conscience, to prevent two loving people from joining in a holy bond?
The irony is devastating. In our fast moving culture, people throw away marriages as if they were yesterday's newspaper. Yet at the same time some of these people balk over the marriage of two women who've lived, loved, and worked together for a life time, through good times and bad, and through more adversity than most will ever know.
There's this old phrase: "WWJD?" What would Jesus do? The answers always the same: "Love."
Intolerance is not love, thus these Christians fail in the first mission given to them by Jesus. I guess that's the saddest aspect of this. These people truly don't understand the master teacher they claim to love and respect.
That's a real tragedy.
Thanks for the thought provoking post.
true!
Kemble Scott Author SoMa
It does make you wonder, doesn't it?
Thanks for the reply.
perfect examles
I had used a similar argument previously, but your example quotes are fantastic. Thanks so much for doing the research and finding these!
Thanks
Kemble Scott Author SoMa
The Cable Act was the most obscure to find. I had no idea the U.S. government had done such a terrible thing. It's a lesson learned. Let's hope people don't forget history on election day and become condemned to repeat it.
Thanks for the comment.
Prop 8
Your quotes were outstanding. These quotes demonstrate how people change with time. I for one, want to see less hatred pushed on us from the religious leaders. I do not want thier views to be forced on all people of our nation. It is the time for change, as stated by one political candidate. Let it be so!
Slippery slope
Kemble Scott Author SoMa
What amazes me about the religious leaders is how they don't seem to understand how one act of discrimination opens the door to others. Today it's the gays. Tomorrow maybe it's the Mormons. Then perhaps the Evangelicals.
It's also not quite Christian. Do unto others? When I saw the huge, hate-filled prayer rallies this weekend it made me think of a religion that's been horribly hijacked.
Prop 8
Thank you Kemble.. for having the courage to speak these much needed words...
Candie Leigh White
Thanks!
Kemble Scott Author SoMa
tax the churches
DANIEL CURZON
It's time to get rid of the tax exemption for churches. Let's kill two birds with one stone: "moral" excuses for bigotry and the national debt. (By the way, there are more prohibitions in the Old and New Testaments against certain foods than against homosexuality. It is selective quoting from an outdated
guide to ancient living.)
Evangelicals and "God's Will"
I was raised Catholic, but I missed out on all the hatemongering that seems to be all the rage in religious circles these days. My religious education stressed tolerance, respect, and love. Also, it stressed the fact that God’s Will is un-knowable, and those who claim to be doing His will are just as likely to be doing the devil’s work. Jesus himself said that one should beware of devils coming in the guise of angels.
I do agree with Warren on one aspect of this debate, though. Warren said, “This is not a political issue, it is a moral issue..." Since it is not a political issue, it should not be dealt with via political methods (laws, ballots, initiatives). What a person does in the bedroom is between themselves, their partner, and God. I truly resent the evangelicals' putting an ugly face on religion by forcing their values on the political process. They have created an association in the minds of many people that if you are to be considered religions, then you must be narrow-minded, hateful, and constantly proselytizing.
Jesus himself said "what belongs to Caesar, render unto Caesar, and what belongs to God, render unto God." Most modern people interpret that passage to mean that politics and religion should be like oil and water, and not mix; that's how we came to have the separation of church and state that we do (or at least used to) have in this country. Now that separation has been broken by Proposition 8. There is much work ahead to repair things, both in terms of the law as well as in terms of people being able to live up to the true calling of religion: to treat each other with love and respect.
Thanks for writing this,
Thanks for writing this, Kemble. I'll link to it from LitPark.
Inauguration
I hope people reread your excellent post now that Obama has chosen Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.
Huntington Sharp, Red Room
Just two things, and I don't
Just two things, and I don't need to post it on blog.
I have seen that you posted anyway just oppinions which are praise you and this is the first question about your integrity.
The second is that each road has two limits, on the right but also the left which are bad both. On the middle is the best to ride. But the question is what is the middle in this case? What refference system I can trust? Could be my mind, my oppinion or something outside of me and outside of oppinions.
If you are right I missed some fun (which anyway leaves behind a bitter taste)
But if the Bible is right what you will miss?
I would like to think about this.
Love, Virgil