Rick Warren and gay politics...

[fajrdrako]

There are two interesting links to essays about Rick Warren on lilithlotr's LJ today.

The second is written by Melissa Etheridge and it impressed me no end. Gave me a sense of hope: a reminder that things aren't always as black and white as they appear. There is so much sensationalism and polemicizing, it's refreshing to see an essay that looks at other possibilities. And yet, and yet... being of a peacemaking, see-both-sides-of-an-issue temperament myself, I find it difficult to be optimistic for the hopes of peace or progress in this particular battleground.

The first essay is by Alan Cumming, whom I love as an actor.

I found the two essays an interesting case of cultural comparison. Against stereotype, American Melissa Etheridge is the voice of peace and conciliation. The British Alan Cumming talks as if the UK has torn down all barriers with the legalization of 'civil partnerships', gving him all the human rights a gay person could need or want. John Barrowman would agree with him. What's in a word?

As a Canadian - happily accustomed to gay marriage being legal, and being called such - I find myself baffled. How can it be equality, when one group of person gets one thing legally (civil partnership), and another group of persons gets another (marriage)? Something from which the first group is barred? If marriage is a desirable state, shouldn't it be accessible to those who want it? How can it be said that 'marriage' has meant a certain thing for thousands of years when the word didn't actually enter the English language (such as it was) till the 13th century? And since definitions of words are arbitrary and change with time anyway, why are we letting this be a stumbling block to human rights? Is there any reason to remain governed by the same laws as 500 years ago, or a thousand, or two thousand?¹

Seems to me that partial equality is not equality at all. And it also seems to me that the olive branch of compassion is a little demeaning when equality is denied. Which is why I like Alan Cummings' statement: "It is about human decency and respect." Acceptance is the word I'd use. I don't think I can demand respect - that has to be earned, individually - but I can demand equality, and each and every one of us has a right to that.

Has Barak Obama made any statement to the press (or to gay rights groups) about his thoughts on the matter - why he chose Rick Warren to speak?

Gay rights aside, regardless of what Rick Warren believes about anything, I am philosophically more troubled that the USA is thought to need a public and ceremonial Christian invocation to start off a Presidency. Long tradition, I know, but it seems to me that the basic conflict is between religious doctrine and secular change. A spiritual speaker with no religious affiliation - ah, well, I can dream, right?


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¹ And those laws were not what people think they were, either, but that's yet another issue.

Comments

[topgeargirl2.livejournal.com]

Yeah well that's why they got married in that church except where they would usually get married.

I like the idea of civil partnership though

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of civil partnership though

I do too. It lacks a lot of the traditional baggage attached to marriage.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Chaz and Millie didn't get married in a church, but a registry office: they had a religious blessing afterwards. Some Anglican clergy have peculiar attitudes about divorce.

My parents had a registry office marriage (a civil partnership) back in 1964, because my mother was raised as a Catholic (but got better), my father is non-Catholic, and a Catholic marriage would placed my parents under obligation to have any offspring raised as Catholics. As a result, when my mother went to arrange her mother's funeral with a priest in 1981, the priest accused her of 'living in sin', because they don't recognise civil marriages between straight people, let alone gay. She told him where to get off.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Seems amazing what church officials think they can tell other people to do.