WI State Senator Defends Gay Marriage Ban with Liberty Mag

[Key Guy]

By a gay writer. Senator Tom Reynolds is taken to task for spending taxpayer money to espouse the heterosexual lifestyle, including sharing an article from Liberty Magazine with concerned constituents.

It's a moderately long article from Vital Source Magazine online.

http://vitalsourcemag.com/story/view/1001247

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

As one of Reynolds’ constituents, I experienced this firsthand. I am openly gay and continue to actively oppose the marriage ban. I mentioned those facts during a listening session Reynolds held at my church on the matter in 2004. After that meeting, Reynolds personally sent me information on “re-orientation therapy” for gay people on his state senate letterhead and franking.

I have done the same thing. The question here is that since Reynolds is a State senator, does he lose his freedom to practice his faith (i.e. share it with others) because of the elected position he holds.

Quote:

Shortly after the meeting, though, Reynolds sent Schauer an issue of Liberty magazine, a publication of the Seventh-day Adventist church. While Reynolds noted in an accompanying letter that “the magazine was provided… by the publisher and at no cost to the taxpayers or to [him] personally,” the 32-page document arrived in the mail on state senate letterhead and franking.

The magazine included an article entitled “Response to Same-Sex Unions” approved by the Seventh-day Adventist church. It reads in part: “Homosexuality is a manifestation of the disorder and brokenness in human inclinations and relations caused by sin coming into the world. While everyone is subject to fallen human nature, we also believe that by God’s grace and through the encouragement of the community of faith, an individual may live in harmony with the principle of God’s word… t is very clear that God’s word does not countenance a homosexual lifestyle.”

From what was quoted, it doesn't seem Liberty Magazine was supporting the gay marriage ban. They were addressing the issue of homosexuality but not how legislatures should deal with it.

Quote:

Schauer, who double-majored in theology and political science at Marquette University, feels Reynolds’ behavior was inappropriate. “I’m being told through state fiat not to be homosexual,” he says. “Senator Reynolds is espousing an overtly religious view from a religious organization in order to sway my mind, not only on a government issue, but in regard to my orientation in general.”

I don't see an issue here. I see that an elected official is still free to practice his or her religion. Say a Jewish politicion ran into a Chrisitan at a rally that was trying to convert him. Some days later the Jewish politician writes a letter, on his official stationary, to the Christian, thanking him for his concern but expressing to him his disbeleif in Jesus. Is the issue simply over the use of official stationary?

[Parade Orange]

What will happen if Gay Marriage is legalized in the United States?

[Dr. Shane]

If gay marriage is legalized federally I suspect the US will become a magnet for homosexuals around the world. This is because gays that are US citizens will be able to bring gays here from other countries to marry them. After three years they can divorce them, they can stay here, and they can bring another one. Since the average male, gay relationship is significantly shorter than a hetrosexual marriage, it is not hard to imagine a gay man bringing five to ten other gay men to the country. And each of them bringing a number after they become citizens.

Is it far fetched? I tend to doubt it. The only way to find out is to legalize it federally and see the results.

[Parade Orange]

Yes that would be true, wouldn't it

homosexual men do not stay in relationships cause the SEX fizzles.

and there is almost always more fish in the stream to flyfish.

Buts its not about the other temptations in gay relationships.

Its about an emotional reality that when gay guys at first glance are sexually attracted they will bond. These bonds become emotional. The sex loses its excitement as the years go(or days or weeks or months)by.

There is an emotional bond that becomes brotherly and not sexual. God gave us the church so we can have bondes. Bonded with each other.

With gays it comes out in many ways.

In the church it comes out as real fellowship and glorifying God.

O to be a wordssmith!