Betty Bowers v. Traditional Marriage
It started out innocently enough. I posted a video link. It's up on my Facebook page. (If the video doesn't show up, go to YouTube and type "Betty Bowers." It's the "Betty Bowers Explains Traditional Marriage" vid.)
And then the flood gates opened.
While most of the responses were positive, I got one that was rather negative from someone who used to babysit me when I was a wee bairn, okay, I wasn't a "bairn" but I was young enough to run around without clothes, which was my modus operandi when I was growing up. I had planned to post a bit of what was said but it has been deleted by this person because of the flack she received from others who supported not only the video but my right in posting it.
Anyway, I was going to go into this long diatribe about why people get offended when confronted with the truth of the infamous little black book (every marriage mentioned in the video is biblically accurate) but then I began to wonder. Is this a generational thing?
Are those people of my generation (and younger) more willing to accept that the bible may not be the dictated holy word of God? Consider the first two chapters of Genesis, which offer two vastly different creation stories. Or the fact that the account of Noah's Ark cannot make clear the guidelines for the preservation of the animals. First it is two of each, then two of unclean animals and seven of clean, then seven of each but only males... you get my point.
So, it should not surprise anyone who claims to have read the darned text when someone points out that marriage as described in the bible is not all that of a traditional and (more importantly) moral "gift" sent by God to "preserve and propagate" the human species. Why would same-sex marriage be more of an affront than marrying one's sibling or two or three persons or forcing one's daughter into marrying someone she does not want to? And why can't folks over fifty get a handle on that? (Yes, I'm generalizing, I realize that.)
Why do Christians react so vehemently when something that is accurate is pointed out about that book in which they put so much faith? Isn't their faith strong enough? Wouldn't admitting that the book is fallible because humanity is fallible strengthen one's argument? The bible condones slavery. For eons, especially before the Supreme Court ruling Loving v. Virginia, people used the bible to oppose interracial marriage.
Now, of course, both seem unbelievable, downright absurd. How long will it take before people start seeing this whole uproar over same-sex marriage as ridiculous as slavery and interracial marriage?
And why are matters of faith deemed outside the lines of common decency? Why am I allowed to express my views on things such as politics, films, pop culture, and such without so much as a whisper but when I post something that, in a very funny jest, points out the absurdity of using a book that has some of its greatest characters behaving immorally (in terms of marriage), people cry foul and start questioning my character?
Am I no longer that "sweet" girl she remembered because I take the viewpoint that using the bible to denounce homosexuality in general and same-sex marriage in particular is ludicrous? Blasphemous? Is the fact that I am no longer a Christian mean that I am some sort of subversive deviant, bent on some lewd and destructive act that will contribute to the downfall of young persons everywhere? (If that is the case, explain Twilight and the fact that the author is Mormon. Please! Anyone? No, I have not read it!) Does my support of gay rights put me at odds with a law-abiding, do-unto-others existence? How? How can "loving one's neighbor" be at odds with Christianity since the namesake of the faith said that this is the second most important commandment?
My best friend once confided in me about something that was on her mind. After our conversation, I asked why she had not shared this with others. She said that she knew she could share it with me because I would not judge her. I'm not trying to toot my own horn but that really meant something to me. It's my philosophy of life, garnered after forty years of living experience. Frankly, it's none of my business. As long as no one is getting hurt and every one has given consent, etc., it's none of my business. If it doesn't involve me personally, I take a live and let live view.
So, live and let live. Marry for love. Have sex for fun (but use a condom because you just never know). Pray as often as you think you need to. Talk to whichever god you desire. Or just talk to yourself or your life partner. Be kind to animals and for pete's sake, recycle. The planet isn't feeling good right now.
And then the flood gates opened.
While most of the responses were positive, I got one that was rather negative from someone who used to babysit me when I was a wee bairn, okay, I wasn't a "bairn" but I was young enough to run around without clothes, which was my modus operandi when I was growing up. I had planned to post a bit of what was said but it has been deleted by this person because of the flack she received from others who supported not only the video but my right in posting it.
Anyway, I was going to go into this long diatribe about why people get offended when confronted with the truth of the infamous little black book (every marriage mentioned in the video is biblically accurate) but then I began to wonder. Is this a generational thing?
Are those people of my generation (and younger) more willing to accept that the bible may not be the dictated holy word of God? Consider the first two chapters of Genesis, which offer two vastly different creation stories. Or the fact that the account of Noah's Ark cannot make clear the guidelines for the preservation of the animals. First it is two of each, then two of unclean animals and seven of clean, then seven of each but only males... you get my point.
So, it should not surprise anyone who claims to have read the darned text when someone points out that marriage as described in the bible is not all that of a traditional and (more importantly) moral "gift" sent by God to "preserve and propagate" the human species. Why would same-sex marriage be more of an affront than marrying one's sibling or two or three persons or forcing one's daughter into marrying someone she does not want to? And why can't folks over fifty get a handle on that? (Yes, I'm generalizing, I realize that.)
Why do Christians react so vehemently when something that is accurate is pointed out about that book in which they put so much faith? Isn't their faith strong enough? Wouldn't admitting that the book is fallible because humanity is fallible strengthen one's argument? The bible condones slavery. For eons, especially before the Supreme Court ruling Loving v. Virginia, people used the bible to oppose interracial marriage.
Now, of course, both seem unbelievable, downright absurd. How long will it take before people start seeing this whole uproar over same-sex marriage as ridiculous as slavery and interracial marriage?
And why are matters of faith deemed outside the lines of common decency? Why am I allowed to express my views on things such as politics, films, pop culture, and such without so much as a whisper but when I post something that, in a very funny jest, points out the absurdity of using a book that has some of its greatest characters behaving immorally (in terms of marriage), people cry foul and start questioning my character?
Am I no longer that "sweet" girl she remembered because I take the viewpoint that using the bible to denounce homosexuality in general and same-sex marriage in particular is ludicrous? Blasphemous? Is the fact that I am no longer a Christian mean that I am some sort of subversive deviant, bent on some lewd and destructive act that will contribute to the downfall of young persons everywhere? (If that is the case, explain Twilight and the fact that the author is Mormon. Please! Anyone? No, I have not read it!) Does my support of gay rights put me at odds with a law-abiding, do-unto-others existence? How? How can "loving one's neighbor" be at odds with Christianity since the namesake of the faith said that this is the second most important commandment?
My best friend once confided in me about something that was on her mind. After our conversation, I asked why she had not shared this with others. She said that she knew she could share it with me because I would not judge her. I'm not trying to toot my own horn but that really meant something to me. It's my philosophy of life, garnered after forty years of living experience. Frankly, it's none of my business. As long as no one is getting hurt and every one has given consent, etc., it's none of my business. If it doesn't involve me personally, I take a live and let live view.
So, live and let live. Marry for love. Have sex for fun (but use a condom because you just never know). Pray as often as you think you need to. Talk to whichever god you desire. Or just talk to yourself or your life partner. Be kind to animals and for pete's sake, recycle. The planet isn't feeling good right now.
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