Faramir

So I posted the following on fb yesterday. Basically I think gay marriage is a non-fix for a problem of discrimination. I don't see how it will help prevent discrimination but I certainly see how it gets people angry @ one another & sidestepping the real issue. I also think the more we do to protect the rights of individuals, regardless of lifestyle, the more ability we can have to prevent gay marriage from being treated as a right. I said it better yesterday, publicly so here it is: Recently there was a protest in Idaho that, though some may be surprised, I most definitely support. This protest was an anti discrimination protest. Our state legislature is being asked to add protections to people who are gay and/or transgender from discrimination, (add them to the list of groups already protected). I think, in a state that tends to be conservative, this clarification is an important one to add, as the discrimination is likely to be happening. I do not believe it is right to discriminate against people who's only offense is a lifestyle that someone else does not approve of. I know there are a lot of people who are supporting this right now, but let me explain that I am not jumping on a band wagon. The way this is being supported in other states I do NOT agree with. What is generally being pushed for is legislating the re-definition of the word marriage to mean something it has never before meant. In my opinion this is both ineffective & inappropriate. In this time where adultery & fornication are no longer illegal or seen, (by most), as non-offensive, then what does the re-definition of the word marriage really gain someone who fit's the description of 'LBGT'? It seems to me that this push to re-define marriage is a political machination designed to create contention & confusion NOT to protect peoples rights. (NOTE: LGBT supporters will likely think this is where I lose my sanity & credibility, yes I realize that there are legal constructs that have been created around legal marriages, let me state now, that I am not referring to these legal constructs as being rights granted by marriage, they are not. They are legal constructs. They do NOT define the word... so my focus is on rights if the legal constructs need to be removed, that's fine, or added to other groups, that's fine... see where I'm coming from?). The real issue is that discrimination is absolutely not justifiable, including discrimination based on the lifestyle someone lives. What's worse is this erroneous conflation of marriage & rights makes it less obvious that discrimination can & likely will continue (and may even increase) when the word marriage is re-defined legislatively. The more effective way to prevent discrimination is to pass anti-discrimination laws. By doing so we clarify that treating people badly & unfairly because of differences in lifestyle is wrong & not to be tolerated. For those of you, (like me), that do what we can to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, please remember His approach was very non-discriminatory: Here: Matthew 9:10-13Â* & here: Luke 18:9-14Â* he specifically shows that he did NOT treat people badly because of their lifestyles, (or health, or station in life etc...). And, if you'll remember, he even has an entire parable showing us how to take care of our neighbors: Luke 10:30-37Â*