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Amendment 2 Misses The Mark

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 29, 2008

Updated: 10/29/2008 11:44 am

The closer we get to November's elections, the more I find myself questioning Amendment 2 - the referendum designed to codify "marriage between one man and one woman" into state law.

Marriage, I believe, is a divine institution, intended for the purpose of establishing family as the most fundamental and necessary building block in society.

I have several gay friends; men and women whom I love and respect. Some are Christians, and I don't doubt their genuine faith in God. These are good people, and their sincerity is self-evident. But I simply can't get my head around same-sex weddings. Marriage only makes sense, in my belief system, between one man and one woman.

There are, however, many worshipping communities in Florida that take a different view. Some are traditional Christian congregations. Others are organized as Metropolitan Community Churches, interfaith fellowships, Universalists, synagogues or temples. Same-sex marriages are performed; it's a fact of life. I don't have to agree with them, and neither do you.

Fair enough. It troubles me, however, to see so much effort geared toward enacting a comprehensive legislative prohibition regarding a matter that really isn't any business of government at all. If we want to "save marriage," then this is not the way.

I agree wholeheartedly that the institution of marriage is in serious danger. But it's not gay weddings that characterize the problem so much as the colossal failure of traditional marriage in this culture. Too many of us routinely discard our vows and fail to live in faithful relationships defined by love.

As a committed Jesus follower, I believe that the manner in which my wife and I live out the covenant of marriage is one of the more important ways we can witness to the truth of the gospel message we claim as our guide.

If anything is hurting traditional marriage, it's the example of married Christians who live as if the transformational love of God has absolutely no power to make any kind of difference in the families we say we value so much.

So, let me be clear. Marriage between a man and a woman is the only arrangement that makes sense to me. But, Amendment 2 not only seeks to marginalize a whole segment of the population, it points the blame in entirely the wrong direction.

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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