It's the bullying that follows that's the problem. While I believe in traditional gender categories that are both culturally defined
and empirically observable, and I also believe traditional marriage is best for human societies to flourish because they provide social cohesion
and provide opposite gendered parents for kids, I'm not as upset about the push for "marriage equality" as some of my conservative colleagues. I believe the philosophical horse bolted 87 years ago when René Magritte
painted the infamous 'The Treachery of Images' and wrote
Ceci n’est pas une pipe "This is not a Pipe" under it. Closing the barn door now will do little to alter the deep cultural change occurring in the Western world. Overall I think Nathan over at
St Eutychus is right in his observation that 'we should focus our efforts on loving individuals and link our public defence of marriage to the gospel'. And I would add this is because marriage is a living parable of difference and similarity, both for those in it and those observing it. Part of me feels I should add a remark about not being homophobic but that would actually be an insult to my Christian same sex attracted friends who chose not act on their attractions at considerable cost. They don't adopt a special label, they simply motify their desires like every other Christians should and does.
But back to the deconstruction of "marriage",
and the campaign of bullying that seems to be following in it's wake. For example, just this week the Archbishop of Tasmania distributed a book in support of traditional marriage to Roman Catholic schools in the state.
In an Orwellian move the Australian Marriage Equality is taking him to the Anti Discrimination Board. Will the Archbishop be sent to re-education camp and the schools forcibly nationalised? Not this year, but that's a frightening dystopian future to now consider. I saw a light-hearted version of this sort of attitude on Facebook. "Those parents who haven't changed their Facebook profile picture to a rainbow will be assigned extra time in the community garden." Somewhat sadly I noticed Senator David Leyonhjelm's
bill contains no exceptions for clergy, although it'll probably be Bill Shorten's
bill that is successful, which includes an exemption for clergy. However I wonder if freedom to oppose non-traditional marriage will last long afterwards?
