My Attitude To Same Sex Marriage
The LGBT community remains as one of the country's minority sectors today. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people often face disadvantages in getting hired for jobs, acquiring rights for civil marriage, and even in starting up personal businesses. Most non-heterosexuals also have a higher rate of suicide and suicide ideation compared to non-homosexuals. According to an international research, 10% of the world's population are theoretically part of the LGBT community, out or not, including 12 million Filipinos who may experience discrimination based on who they are. This has led to the rise of the cause for LGBT rights, defined as the right to equality and non-discrimination. As a member of the United Nations, the Philippines is signatory to various international covenants promoting human rights.
The goal of most people in life is to be happy. There are two major fronts to their happiness, their jobs and their love lives. While education may be the key to securing that perfect job, there is no formula for finding the perfect mate, especially for gays. Furthermore, once gays find their partners for life, the law does not recognize their marriage, denying homosexual spouses the benefits that heterosexual spouses have enjoyed for centuries.
The whole same sex marriage has been a debacle ever since the LGBT had made its mark in society’s record. The question of whether or not same sex marriage should be approved has been rejected by the Catholic churches for months now. Why? Because of our deeply rooted faith. Our sense of being close to the person or the omnipotent being we call ‘God’. The thought of being in the so called ‘paradise’, after our hollow shells decay from the ground.
But I do not believe that, I am pro same sex marriage. Maybe the person we call ‘God’ is real or maybe he is not but one thing is sure, religion is just an institution; a label. In the bible ‘God’ never stated to hate the different. He never stated to stone the weak. ‘God’ never not disapproved of loving someone of the same gender. He never stated he would condemn them to ‘Hell’ for their sexual preferences. The Catholics believe in going to church will suffice for saving our soul from damnation, but it is never – nor will it ever – be enough to save us. You go to church every single day and beg for the sins you have committed yet at the end of the day you are still that same person you begged forgiveness for. Now tell me, what is the point?
We advertise change. We promulgate change and how change is good. But do we ever change? Are we a different person when we walk out those doors every sing day? Sometimes we wish we were, but most of the times we are not. Everybody wants change, but nobody wants to change. Why? Because change is a process, a slow turning process. A process in which we are not capable of waiting. Why?
“Everybody wants the prize, but nobody wants to pay the price.” - Jericho Arceo
Why is that? Because we want things instantly. When are not patient enough. We are not committed enough. ‘God’ waited for you to realize your worth, your purpose, yet you cannot even wait and see what God has laid out for you. Process may take longer but that does not mean it is not worth looking forward to.
Same sex marriage is not a sin. Loving someone was never a sin. Being who you are is not a sin. Accepting the truth that you are a little different is not bad. Having different belief systems is not wrong. Our faith does not depend on how well we know the bible, but how we live our days in the light with God. Society needs to learn the difference between being a person that goes through life according to the bible and a person that lives according to God.
