How Christianity gave us gay marriage

[cbayer]

http://theweek.com/article/index/256556/how-christianity-gave-us-gay-marriage

The American fight for equality began with distinctly Christian precepts By Damon Linker | February 19, 2014


Tocqueville knew that equality was inevitable. (adoc-photos/Corbis)

The suggestion sounds ludicrous: How could Christianity be responsible for the all-but-assured triumph of the movement for gay marriage? Aren't the most committed Christians the most passionate defenders of traditional marriage and hence the most ardent opponents of permitting gay couples to marry?

From the overwhelming support for traditional marriage among white evangelical Protestants in the United States to the Catholic Church's definition of homosexuality as "intrinsically disordered" to the black (Catholic and Anglican) Christians of Uganda who have recently worked to pass one of the most draconian anti-gay laws in the world, the answer would seem to be yes.

But things aren't quite so simple. Just flip through the opening pages of everyone's favorite work of secular prophesy — Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America (1835–1840) — and you'll find a provocative alternative interpretation of Christianity's indispensable role in the creation of the revolutionary ideal of human equality. The stunningly rapid rise of support for gay marriage over the past two decades is just the latest in a very long line of victories for that consummately Christian ideal — and it's unlikely to be the last.

Tocqueville begins the introduction to his two-volume study of American democracy by noting that "a great democratic revolution is taking place among us." The 700-page book is his attempt to make sense of this revolution, which was transforming life across the European continent during his lifetime, but which was already far more advanced in the United States by the time of his famous visit in 1831.

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[skepticscott]

1. Utter horseshit

Any non-delusional human who's been paying attention knows that Christianity is the only reason gay marriage isn't already legal everywhere in the United States. If not for the rabid homophobia of Catholics and fundie Protestants, we wouldn't still be fighting over this issue. At all.

I know you try your best to give religion credit for everything good in the world, cbayer, but you really should be ashamed to promote such revisionist crap.

[CubicleGuy]

20. No it's not utter horseshit

The point that was being made in the article, as I understand it, is that ideas have consequences, and sometimes they're unintended consequences. Unintended consequences which end up transforming the society and organizations that didn't recognize the full extent and reach of the truths they were preaching. Paul stated that "bond and free", "Jews and Gentiles" were equal in God's eyes; the whole "Good Samaritan" parable was to make the point that the Jews were to stop seeing themselves as the Samaritans' superiors. It may take a few centuries, but eventually people start to get the point.

[skepticscott]

21. Try a few millennia, and they still haven't gotten it

Giving credit to Christianity for gay marriage becoming legal in the 21 century because of Xstian writings in the 1st century, when Christianity has been the only reason it hasn't been made completely legal everywhere in this country is, as stated, utter horseshit.

[trotsky]

2. This kind of historical revisionism is simply insulting.

Like with nearly every social advance, Christianity arrives late to the party and pretends like it organized the thing. It's just insulting to all those who struggled against an institution that helped perpetuate the injustice in the first place.

The ultimate source of the democratic revolution — the motor behind its inexorable unfolding — is the figure of Jesus Christ, who taught the equal dignity of all persons, and declared in the Sermon on the Mount that the last shall be first and the first shall be last, and that the meek shall inherit the earth.

And here I thought the Greeks gave us democracy 600 years before the J-dude. Wow, were my teachers wrong. I wonder how Jesus' teachings about how one should treat one's slaves fit into the "equal dignity of all persons"?

[hrmjustin]

3. Interesting read. There are and were plenty of Christians who are on the right side of the issue.

[trotsky]

4. Of course. But the vast majority of them, historically and today, aren't.

Jesus didn't invent democracy. He didn't invent the golden rule. Rewriting history to pretend like Christianity gave us everything good and admirable does a great disservice to those people and cultures that actually did.

[hrmjustin]

5. Good points but Christians also have a part of the expansion of civil rights and

marriage equality.

[trotsky]

6. No one is saying they don't.

But they are not solely responsible for either. And plenty have opposed them for centuries, and used their Christian beliefs to support injustice.

[hrmjustin]

7. Again good points.

[cleanhippie]

8. And yet nearly ALL opposition to civil rights and marriage equality comes from Christians.

[hrmjustin]

9. Yes this is true in this country.

[cleanhippie]

10. Kinda difficult to tout Christianity as the solution when it's the problem, wouldn't you agree?

[hrmjustin]

11. Not all Christians are the problem and the solution is to pass bills.

[cleanhippie]

12. As soon as bills get passed, Christians complain that their rights are being taken away.

I noticed you completely ignored my question.

[hrmjustin]

13. Some do but not all.

[cleanhippie]

14. Kinda difficult to tout Christianity as the solution when it's the problem, wouldn't you agree?

[hrmjustin]

15. The solution is as I said, to pass bills. I don't understand touting a religion as a solution.

[Goblinmonger]

16. This is a new low. Even for apologists.

de Tocqueville would not be happy that he is portrayed as someone who doesn't know that the concept of Democracy and Republics well pre-date the first literary occurrences of Jesus.

This is just ridiculous. I have no other words.

[trotsky]

17. Looks like it was a post-and-run, I guess.

Even the OP realizes the futility of trying to defend such nonsense.

[skepticscott]

19. It's never stopped her from posting nonsense before

As long as she can get away with dumping sewage in the information stream, why should she care about defending it?

[LostOne4Ever]

18. No.

Same sex marriage existed long before he was even born.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage