By Janet Brazill
Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who is a recent convert to Apostolic Christianity, has drawn nationwide attention because of her adamant refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She also refuses to quit her job.
Davis is admired by many for standing for her “sincere religious objection” to complying with the recent Supreme Court decision upholding same-sex marriage. Presidential candidates Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum showed their ignorance of our secular American history by supporting her “Christian beliefs” over her duty to uphold our Constitution.
Many such religionists opposed to homosexuality base their opposition on ancient writings. The Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament) calls same-sex unions an “abomination.” But that was a word used for many things the ancients wanted to forbid in order to make their society function. Today, it is no longer necessary to demand that every union produce children in order to ensure the survival of the tribe. In fact, after centuries of propagation, we now have an overcrowded Earth. Perhaps nature is compensating by producing nonproducing humans.
Or, to put it in the religious vernacular, the “gays” could be God’s answer to our overpopulation problem!
To be sure, modern society ignores much that is written in the Old Testament, such such as the requirement for a man to impregnate his brother’s widow so that the brother’s line may continue. (Deut. 25:5) Indeed, the word “abomination” is used for many things considered trivial nowadays. For example, the bible forbids women to wear slacks: “A woman shall not wear that which pertaineth to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination to the Lord thy God.” (Deut. 22:5)
Much of the hatred about homosexuality is based on the bible. But while Genesis 19 tells of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because homosexuality, take a look at the whole story as described there. A man named Lot was visited by male angels. An angry mob demanded that he turn over his visitors to them so that they may “know” them. Then Lot, a truly despicable character, tries to avoid the wrath of these angels by pimping his virgin daughters, so he goes out to the mob and says: “Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men do nothing.”
Fast-forward to the 21st century. Any thinking person finds the idea of Lot offering up his little girls for gang rape at the hands of a vicious mob horrifying. Morality has clearly evolved since the legends of biblical times were written, and this ancient book should not be used as a guide to moral living today. Through trial and experience, we have evolved a better moral code, one that fits the problems of our time.
The judge in Kim Davis’ case, himself religious, ruled that in accordance with our country’s secular standards, no one person’s religious beliefs can prevail in matters of law.
We are fortunate that our founding fathers had the foresight to create a country based on laws, not the happenstance of someone’s religious beliefs.
FFRF member Janet Brazill is a retired computer systems analyst who lives in Colorado.
