Should Homosexuals Be Able to Marry - Essay Example

Should homosexuals be able to marry?       Should homosexuals be able to marry? With the advent of modern times, advancements in the scientific world of technology and machines are not the only changes evident around us. Modernization of cultures, opinions, and way of living, traditions, relationships and forms of human behavior has also occurred. Humans have evolved in terms of their lifestyles and their interactions to other humans. The nature of relationships has also changed. Homosexuality is becoming a norm these days and increasing number of people are emerging who openly accepts their sexual orientation. Homosexuals or gays are now confidently declaring their individuality and do not feel any shame or hesitance in doing so. However, in many parts of the world homosexuality is met with religious and political barriers. Many religions such as Christianity strongly resist homosexuality. They consider it as an immoral act or a sin. Political leaders also have different school of thoughts regarding homosexuals and their rights. Many campaigns have been carried out both in favor and against particular rights of homosexuals. "Dont ask, Dont tell" was a famous campaign in USA which was initiated to regain the rights of gays serving in military. Another controversial topic is the marriage rights of homosexuals. This topic is the reason of intense debates and has faced many barriers faced on religious, political and cultural grounds. Nevertheless, homosexuals are adamant in gaining their rights as equal members of the society and are constantly fighting against the intense criticism, different labels and discriminative attitudes. Marriage is a symbol of a sacred commitment and it is the right of homosexuals as equal members of society to pursue their relationships as a legally married couple. It is the requirement of the current times, that the Americans accept the homosexuals as an equally important part of their society. Many Americans consider homosexuals as a personal preference or a disease. But it is the need of the circumstances that these conservative thoughts and misconceptions should be eliminated from our minds. “Homosexuality is a natural predisposition that exists throughout natural kingdom” (Siebold, np 2012). The American public hates the homosexuality and hence the idea of homosexual marriages due to several reasons. They have uttered their dislike and criticisms in intense and highly harsh words through televisions, radios, newspapers and daily life gestures. Homosexuals have suffered greatly from this severe and cruel behavior of their fellow-beings. Many question their morality while others go into severe depression after the hate-filled broadcasts on the media and the anti-gay sermons declared by the religious personals (Siebold 2012). Many misconceptions and baseless myths are associated with homosexuality. Some of them are that homosexuality is a disease or it is chosen by an individual. However, this is entirely wrong. Sexual orientation solely depends on the natural tendencies of the human being and homosexuals are not different at all from the heterosexuals. These misconceptions lead to the hate-filled opinions and words declared by many people opposing homosexuality. The opponents are hence, also against any rights that are given to homosexuals such as the right to marry. Homosexual marriage is emerging as an important and conspicuous matter that is being taken seriously by both the masses and the politicians. Some political leaders show harmony with this new culture while there are a few who are still resisting this new trend. Barack Obama, the president of USA, declared his support for the homosexual marriages on 9 May, 2012 during a news channel interview. With his open support for the same-sex marriages he became the first U.S. president to support homosexual marriages. Obama clearly stated that he was unable to make a clear decision earlier because of the strong religious and social resistance to same-sex marriages. But now his opinions regarding the homosexual marriages have evolved after years of discussions with his family, friends and colleges. He had always supported the same-sex relationships but had avoided the word marriage as it had many dimensions associated to it. However, now he felt, after observing various military personals and colleagues pursuing same-sex relationships, that they should be given an equal right to continue their commitments in the form of a married couple (MacAskill and Gabbatt 2012). Barack Obama has signified the importance of providing homosexuals equal rights through his symbolic declaration of harmony with gay marriages. This establishes the fact that not only culturally but also politically homosexuals are given the right to thrive as an equal part of the American society. The firm believers of Christianity strongly oppose homosexual marriages with reference to the Biblical teachings and resist that homosexuality itself is immoral and same-sex marriages will prove to be further enhancement of this immoral deed. The open support showed by Barack Obama was followed by resistance and opposition by firm religious believers and traditionalists of marriage. Bryant Wright a senior Baptist writes about the disappearing public values from society with the advent of radical changes in human minds, behaviors and the political decisions. Sexual promiscuity and immorality is becoming a trend these days and people have accepted sex before marriage and cohabitation of couples before marriage as a normal and accepted practice. According to him, the legalization of same-sex marriages will be another step encouraging sexual immorality and promiscuity in our society (Sabulis 2012). Experts believe that promoting same-sex marriage will wither the sanctity of traditional marriage and will also create many cultural and social problems. An important point put forward is the rights of children who will be devoid of one biological parent and would no longer be able to enjoy the love of both “mother” and “father” (Forman 2011). Homosexual marriage is considered as a source of immorality and sin in the society by the religious believers and according to them legalization of same-sex marriage will encourage the young generation of the society to openly and increasingly indulge in immoral deeds and promote homosexuality. Sociologists and traditionalists believe that bringing a radical change of legalizing same-sex marriage will come with its own consequences. They claim that although the supporters say that same-sex marriage can be accepted smoothly and will not lead to any changes, but the outcomes will be different. Another intense argument put forward by the religious opponents of same-sex marriage is on the basis of their Biblical teachings. They clearly state that Jesus has never supported homosexuality and those who say differently are spreading only a misconception. Bryant Wright states that Jesus has clearly spoken about the sacredness of marriage: “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one flesh’?” (Sabulis 2012). According to the Biblical readings, the Christians claim that Jesus was a strong advocate of heterosexual marriage and has expressed the importance and holiness of a traditional marriage. Hence, going against the Biblical readings and the teachings of Jesus is a sin and would be entirely immoral. America has a long history of discrimination and prejudice. Traces of discrimination on the basis of color and race are still found in the society. In spite of the so-called modernization the American public is still showing gestures of discriminative attitudes through their remarks, comments and hate-filled declarations against the homosexuals. The same-sex marriage resistance expressed by the Americans on the basis of religious, cultural and social grounds reflects their conservative attitudes that still persist in the society. The president of Humans Rights Campaign, Joe Solmonese said in response to Obama’s support for same-sex marriage: "His presidency has shown that our nation can move beyond its shameful history of discrimination and injustice. In him, millions of young Americans have seen that their futures will not be limited by what makes them different." (MacAskill and Gabbatt 2012). Randall C. Bailey, a professor of Hebrew Bible and an ordained Baptist minister, shared his views about the religious reasons put forward by most of the religious leaders. According to him, many Biblical views about heterosexual marriage have evolved with time such as the changed perception about adultery. According to Bible adultery is defined as when a married woman has sexual intercourse with any person other than her husband. However, Bible does not label sexual intercourse performed by a married man with any woman other than his wife as adultery. But, now this Biblical teaching has evolved and sexual involvement of both a married man and woman with any other person is said as adultery (Sabulis 2012). Hence, although people claim that the current traditional marriage is according to the Bible it would be wrong as many aspects have evolved with time. Hence it the followers of Bible should consider same-sex marriage as an equal right of the homosexuals and not a sin or immorality. Same-sex marriage is the basic civil right of homosexual couples who want to pursue their commitment as a married couple. Legalization of same-sex marriages will symbolize the attainment of the individuality and equality homosexuals have been fighting for many years. Although many people might not be ready to accept this radical change as a part of their society and culture, they should allow the homosexuals to flourish as equal members of their society. The discriminative attitudes, religious allegations and cultural fears regarding will only reflect the denial of homosexual rights and the society’s conservative behavior in the modernized circumstances. References Forman, S. (2011). Five arguments against gay marriage: society must brace for corrosive change. New York Daily News. Retrieved from http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-06-23/news/29710731_1_gay-marriage-traditional-marriage-gay-advocates/2 MacAskill, E and Gabbatt, A. (2012, 9 May). Barack Obama speaks out and declares support for same-sex marriage. The Guardian. Retrieved from  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/09/barack-obama-supports-gay-marriage Sabulis, T. (2012, 1 June). Baptists on gay marriage. AJC News. Retrieved from http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-forward/2012/06/01/baptists-on-gay-marriage/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_forward Siebold, S. (2012, 5 Dec). Legalize gay marriage- discrimination is not Christ-like behavior. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-siebold/legalize-gay-marriage_b_1560370.html Stein, S. (2012, 9 May). Obama backs gay marriage. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/obama-gay-marriage_n_1503245.html   Read More