(And they lived happily, ever after)
...my husband made me a wife, and I made him a husband, as we made a marriage covenant for Time, and for all Eternity, before God and witnesses, legally and lawfully recognized by the state in which our union was solemnized. Eighteen years is awesome, but it's only the beginning. When we got married we were just a couple of poor, under-grad. college kids. Literally, we got married on faith, and we lived on love (and student loans). We had our struggles--meager income, a chronic illness for me, years of college left to complete, cross-country moves....Our first child was born 1 month after I graduated with my B.A. Our second child was born 6 months before my husband finished grad. school. Yep, we lived modestly, and struggled like any young marrieds, but those were good days, building our family, strengthening relationships on both sides of His and Her family tree. Now, we are not just 1+1=2; we are 1+1 = 7. We are parents of 5 wonderful children, whom we fully validate as individuals with their own needs, strengths, talents, and areas where they need extra help. We work hard to instill in them good values through weekly attendance at Church, Boy Scouts, the Young Women Personal Progress Program, family night once a week, community service, and daily family and personal scripture study (oh, and lots and lots of prayer--which makes a noticeable difference!). We encourage integrity, virtue, civic duty, education, and good moral values, such as those found in the 10 commandments. We are not perfect individuals, nor are we a perfect family, but as husband and wife, and father and mother, we do our best to live up to our commitments to each other, our offspring, and our extended family, as well as societal standards for marriage. We honor our children's right to have a relationship with and receive care from both their mother and father, and not just on the odd weekend, arranged by a judge, but every single day of their lives. Only marriage between a man and a woman guarantees this right of society's most vulnerable citizens. While it is true that the govt. may confer marriage benefits on some (but not all) sex-segregated unions (those who pretend such a union is the same as a marriage between a man and a woman), sex-segregated unions cannot, in turn, confer the same benefits and advantages on society, as does that of a public marriage between a man and a woman. (Hey, this is a political blog--you didn't think you'd get off without a little soap-boxing from me, did ya?)
Oh, and did I mention joy? The biggest blessing of marriage and children is joy. When I look at my kids, and see their father's features, mingled with mine, and know that these precious children are mine forever, and I get to enjoy the privilege and thrill of watching them blossom and reach for their full potential, well, there's just nothing better in life. Knowing my husband is fully committed to me and our children is priceless, above any treasure on earth. The price for joy is sacrifice; sacrifice of selfishness, above all else, and where better to learn to live for others than in marriage and family? Getting to joy is a process, and it doesn't happen overnight. But in marriage and family, it can be found, worlds without end. In marriage between a man and a woman, the whole is clearly more than the sum of the parts.
18 years down, eternity to go.
Posts
If children bring such a joy, why are you actively fighting to deprive married gay couples that joy?
ReplyDeleteHey Kieran, nice of you to stop by. :)
ReplyDeleteIf a man who labels himself as "gay" wants to procreate, he'll need a woman to be the mother of his child. He owes that woman and that child his complete fidelity as husband and father. I am all for that. If the mother happens to also identify as "gay," such that they are a "gay" couple, it won't change their mutual responsibility to each other, or to their child. Again, I support them.
A man cannot procreate with another man. The same goes for women. You know that. It's basic biology. By choosing each other, they choose the consequence of being non-fertile. It's inescapable. Sexual identity has no bearing on the non-fertile aspect of a same-sex "couple." The laws of biology would still be in place even if the two men or women were both straight. Making marriage a "gay" or "straight" issue is really a non-issue.
I take issue with the way you've phrased your question. One might almost think you were trying to slight me (a la George Wallace, eh?) ;)
I might add, too, that if two men hire a womb in order to raise a child together, they are being absolutely selfish. Same with two women who rent a donor. A child's need for both his/her mother and father trumps an adults wants to raise a child. Only marriage between a man and a woman provides that for a child.
ReplyDeleteBut you already knew that.