Washington state senator twists Bible to support gay marriage

Washington State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen recently voted in favor of Washington’s bill to legalize same sex marriage. She then proudly proclaimed on her blog why she as a “Christian” found it necessary to support it. Those in favor of gay marriage are now using her as an example of why Christians should “set aside their personal prejudices in the name of equality.”

Ms. Haugen, claiming to be a “committed Christian”, stated “…when I accepted the Lord, I became more tolerant of others. I stopped judging people and try to live by the Golden Rule. This is part of my decision. I do not believe it is my role to judge others, regardless of my personal beliefs. It’s not always easy to do that. For me personally, I have always believed in traditional marriage between a man and a woman. That is what I believe, to this day. But this issue isn’t about just what I believe. It’s about respecting others, including people who may believe differently than I. It’s about whether everyone has the same opportunities for love and companionship and family and security that I have enjoyed.”

Her statement clearly shows she really isn’t the committed Christian she has deceived herself and others into believing she is. If she were, she would know everything in her statement goes against what the Bible actually teaches. Accepting the Lord may make you tolerant of others, but it makes you hate sin and makes you instruct people NOT to sin. When Jesus convicted the religious leaders who wanted to kill the woman caught in adultery, he told the adulterous woman to “go, and sin no more,” [John 8:11]. Following in Christ’s footsteps, his disciples told people such things as “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded,” [James 4:8]. For Christ and his disciples to make such statements, it means they judged others to determine if their works were good or evil, even as Christians today should do.

Ms. Haugen also mentioned the Golden Rule. But no one in the Bible ever called it the Golden Rule. It was a term created by men, but here’s what Jesus said in its proper context–

¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

 ¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

 ¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. [Matthew 7]

The underlying theme of the “golden rule” includes the humility of recognizing and turning away from one’s own sins before helping someone else who is on the wrong track. It is NOT the idea that “I’m not going to do anything about my sin, so I won’t do or say anything about your sin either.” This is what so many people imply, like Ms. Haugen, when they bring up the “golden rule.”

If Ms. Haugen were a committed Christian as she claims, she would have the discernment to know that gay marriage is not about everyone having “the same opportunities for love and companionship and family and security.” Gay marriage is about violating the free speech and freedom of religion of others who stand against their views. If supporters of gay marriage were so concerned about the “golden rule” of treating others like you want to be treated, then why are they trying to get people fired or arrested or found guilty of a hate crime who simply say that homosexuality is wrong? Those in favor of gay rights couldn’t care less about the golden rule or tolerating others.

Gay marriage is not about love. It’s about wanting to fulfill one’s lusts at the expense of what strengthens a society. It’s about making a mockery of and diminishing the importance of what has been established as right and good throughout the centuries.

Ms. Haugen reminds me of the woman Jesus spoke against in the church at Thyatira– Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. [Revelation 2:20].

Homosexuality has always been, and will always be, an act of fornication. All fornication, or sex outside of God’s established & accepted form of marriage between a man and woman, is a sin. So Ms. Haugen has basically shown herself to be a liar and a hypocrite.

⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

 ¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 6]

Source: Editorial. Faith-based tolerance on gay marriage. LATimes.com. Sunday, February 5, 2012.

–Harry A. Gaylord–