New Zealand has recently legalised gay marriage, an action that sent waves of rejoicing and objection throughout the Asia-pacific region and the Western world. The implications for its neighbouring countries, particularly Australia and how it views the issue have been immense. Currently, our government does not support gay marriage, but there is a growing voice, not only in the gay and lesbian community, but in the Australian media and society generally in favour of the legal union of same-sex couples.
This increase in support for the "rights" of same-sex couples to be married has led to an inevitable push back by the proponents of the status quo, be they Christian or otherwise. And so it has become a debate, in some cases an argument, and in the extreme, verbal slinging matches over "human rights".
Who Is Right?
Gay and lesbian lobby groups champion equal rights for same-sex couples to be married, while many Christian, many family and other groups advocate for protection of marriage as it stands, the rights of the family unit and the right for children to be raised in such an environment. This has led to quite heated discussion, with neither side seemingly willing to budge on their beliefs of what comes down to their view of "human rights".
Both sides believe that they need justice and recognition of their views and are willing to fight for their beliefs and needs.
So, who is more "right"? Which way should Australia move as a country? Towards legalising gay and lesbian marriage, or hold on to the "sanctity of marriage" as it now stands under Australian law and thereby the "protection of the family unit" according to those rights?
Which position is fairer, more just? Is there any way that our Australian society can resolve this issue that does not alienate, segregate and discriminate a large part of itself?
Why do we as human beings hold so tightly to our need for recognition, for validation of our beliefs and lifestyles to the detriment of others? Why do we hold our views as being so much higher and more right than the views of those around us to the point where argument and disagreement turns to animosity and hate? Are we all so really insecure that we must fight to prove ourselves right?
In doing this we are really saying, "Look at me, I am worthy to be noticed, to be recognised. My view is important and I need to impose it on you." Perhaps our need for worth and acknowledgement is so unfulfilled that we create a false and cheap imitation of it by demanding others to accept us.
Right Is Not Always Right
I have noticed in my own life that this need to be "right", and have others see just how "right" I am has never given me what I was looking for. Instead of love and acceptance by and for others, it only breeds contempt, even for and in the ones closest to me. So why do we expect this attitude to work on a large, societal scale?
Our loving, Holy God is more right and just than we could ever hope to be. We rise up against Him at every opportunity. Christians do this. Homosexuals do this. We all do this. It is in our very sinful nature to tell God that we don't need Him or want Him. We push against Him every day, telling Him consciously or unconsciously that our way is the right way and that He needs to listen to us, or leave us alone.
So what does God do when we push our beliefs, values and moral interpretations on Him and demand that He accept them and validate them? Does He push back in righteous anger for His own justification? Should He? The Bible is very clear on God's position in this and it should be our own:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2 verses 5-8
Truth Beyond What Is "Right"
God did not believe that His position was something to be held so tightly that He had to impose His righteousness upon humanity. Instead Jesus gave up His "rights" as God to become one of us and humbled Himself in order to love those who were His enemies, knowing that He had to suffer to do so.
Our desire to find a sense of validation and worth in how right we are has brought Australia to its current struggle on the issue of same-sex marriage. In my opinion, this insecurity is something that both sides are guilty of. Someone once said, "Desperation is a stinky cologne", and both sides reek of desperation to be heard, to be right and to be validated by the other. Why, when all this would ultimately accomplish would be to inflict upon those opposed a begrudging acceptance and hate for the position forced upon them?
Jesus offers another way, the only true way to peace and reconciliation in our own hearts and with others. He offers the worth and value we seek in His love for us, a love that gives us the example and the ability to let go of our insecurities and division to truly love those we were once at odds with.
Russell Croft has a heart for community and reaching out to the marginalised and forgotten. He is currently studying a Diploma of Youth Work with Praxis Melbourne and living the journey of faith with his family in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.
Russell's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/russell-croft.html