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Monday, November 3, 2008

My Opinion

Political views vary greatly - as they should. It's the only way to have a free country. The scary thing for me is how people jump on the bandwagon without really studying the issues. They like or dislike what is said by the media, without recognizing the implications. When people take a simplistic view on any issue without realizing how it will impact over the long run, it is frightening. We have government by the people (that is those who actually vote, for whatever reason - even the sound of a candidate's name or number of signs). But when those few people vote based on the rhetoric, huge mistakes happen. Remember that Hitler was popular with the people. In rough times he promised a better, changed Germany.

I believe everyone should vote his/her own conscience but don't do so without learning how the issue will actually impact others. This is the problem with redefining marriage. People feel it's great to support any form of love and giving it the sanctity of marriage proves that support. So, they jump on that bandwagon without really examining the actual effects it has on other aspects of life. They choose to ignore areas where this has already impacted and caused government involvement in families or church affairs - exactly what the Constitution was designed to protect. When you start telling clergy what they can do in a religious rite such as marriage or how they can conduct their religious activities such as adoption (study how Catholics were affected by Massachusetts' same-sex marriage laws), you are causing the discrimination you claim you are opposed to.

You can allow equality in "love" without redefining what marriage is. In the Judeo-Christian world, marriage is ordained of God and is about male and female together. It's God's law whether you choose to believe it or not and changing it legally does not change eternal truth. But it can hurt those who do believe if you try to do this without protecting the believers as well. This is not the same as discrimination, but we are opening the door for discrimination by legalizing same-sex or other forms of marriage apart from male/female. We also interfere with the way parents want to teach their children about marriage and how they parent their children. We can force schools to teach a concept parents don't believe or want for their children.

This is not just theory - it has already occurred. Anyone studying the issue knows it has negative long-term consequences on others - unless these open-minded individuals refuse to see the impact or believe that it is OK to interfere with religion - just don't interfere with love. They are saying "Give sanctity to gay marriage but take away the right of religious freedom." Something is wrong with this picture. This is what people came to America to escape from. We can't allow the government to dictate religious practice without taking away basic freedoms that America stands for.

It's my opinion, but I hope that when religious rights are stomped on, those in favor of "equality" in marriage also come out to support the rights of religion. My experience is that they won't.

The other interesting concept I notice all the time is how the liberals who are supposedly so tolerant of everyone's differences actually have little tolerance for the conservative opinion. In other words, anything goes unless your opinion differs from mine. It's not really about respecting everyone; it's about "we're right and you're wrong." If they truly believed what they claim their opinion of me would remain positive because "different is good."I see this all the time. I have been avoided and excluded - even put down - because I take a different stand. I am blacklisted because I come out with a conservative opinion. They label me as intolerant and in doing so display their own intolerance. Kind of ironic.

If you question this, put it to your own test ~ as a reader, friend, or family member - how have your feelings about me changed after reading or hearing my strong opinions on religion, health care or politics? In word you may say I have the right to my opinion but in reality do you really believe it ~ or am I now one of the "others"?

3 comments:

  1. This a great post Debbie. I agree completely. One of my biggest "beefs" with the liberal movement is that anything goes -- except for conservative ideals. Liberals also base their judgement of Judeo-Christian religious beliefs, saying that we are all just just talk and no action. Nothing could be further than the truth. I find that in nearly all churches, regardless of denomination, compassion for the poor is one of the greatest priorities. The people who lobby these assaults at churches are generally people who don't go inside churches to find out what is really going on. (Oh look, since I promised to be "politics-free" on my blog ... I can come here and talk about it! I didn't promise to be politics-free on other blogs! haha)

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  2. I just love that within a family, we can all still have our own opinions and respect each other...I love reading your blog....99%of the time I agree with everything you say, and the other times, it's great to see another perspective....and I respect you 100%...oh, and cute Fall background on your blog!! I have a feeling it will be snowflakes soon :( oh well...have a great day!

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  3. I also love sharing both of your blogs and seeing differing opinions on issues, their photos and stories of families, etc. Thanks for the vote of confidence! Hopefully we will all see the good we have to share with each other and be better for it.

    And Michelle - you have blown me away with your creative flair. I had to wait for Aubrey to get here to help me figure out how to do it myself! I guess it's a generation thing....

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