So much is in the news today about the issue of gay marriage. Recently, clerks in Utah County (Provo, Utah) were threatened by the Fed for not allowing homosexuals to register for marriage licenses. The reason the clerks were hesitating was said to be because they figured the ruling would be argued more in court. Now, all this is a sign of the breakdown of the religious fabric of the United States of America, because (supposedly) the only thing that prevents homosexuals from having their due civil rights is the condemnation that the world’s three biggest religions place upon it.
Gay marriage license protests in Provo, Utah
The sign is of a breakdown of Christianity because Christians cannot defend any form of perceived hatred and persecution, by pointing to text from the Holy Bible that clearly says, “You will go to hell if you practice homosexuality.” While there is plenty of text that alludes to that conclusion, the “kumbaya” Christians can never get away from the “Jesus taught us to love one another as our neighbors” slap in the face.
States that have voted to ban gay marriage.
As far as I am concerned, Jesus defined “marriage” in Luke 19, verses 3 through 15. Unfortunately, what people hear when they listen to those words is Jesus talking about divorce. Such deafness is why Jesus said, “Let those with eyes see and those with ears hear.” You have to be able to read Biblical scripture a different way.
Let me being this analysis of those verses by reminding everyone about a trait of God. God is “All-knowing,” or “Omniscient.” Everyone has to keep this in mind, because the Big Brain syndrome (as I call the intellectualism of Scripture) thinks Jesus and his play pals were ignorant morons, compared to today’s college educated ordinary citizen. With that in mind, know that God was within Jesus, making Jesus God-personified. When Jesus spoke, it was really God, such that the words of Jesus are from a Godhead that knows everything – past, present, and future.
A Christian symbol, the Eye of Providence.
The next thing worth knowing is the definition of “divorce.” According to the Free Online Dictionary by Farlex, “divorce” is defined as a noun, “The legal dissolution of a marriage.” As a verb, “divorce” means, “To dissolve the marriage bond between.” The question put to Jesus was then about the legal aspects of the dissolution of a marriage, and the questioners were Pharisees, the ones who had memorized the Laws of Moses.
In the question placed to Jesus, “Some Pharisees … asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?’” (New International Version translation) For the purpose of identifying “marriage,” which could then be dissolved, “marriage” was defined as between “a man” and “his wife.” This defines “marriage” as between a man and a woman.
In Jesus’ reply to the tricky Pharisees (who “came to [Jesus] to test him”), he said, “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Again, “his wife” is linked to “marries,” the action of “marriage.” The statement that “sexual immorality” was no excuse for divorce, is a condemnation for any form of “sexual immorality.” Additionally, getting together for anything less than moral sex is “adultery.”
The word “immorality” is defined as, “immoral behavior, especially in sexual matters; licentiousness; profligacy or promiscuity.” That means a lack of moral standards, where multiple partners are involved, and rules are no longer of value. Changing “marriage” from meaning between a man and a woman qualifies as a state of “immoral behavior; licentiousness; profligacy or promiscuity.” We are changing the rules simply to recognize adultery as commonplace.
When the disciples of Jesus heard this explanation to the Pharisees, they said, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” The same objection should be made today. If you want to change the definition of “marriage” to any pair together in an immoral sexual relationship, then the answer is not to make “gay marriage” legal, the answer is to abolish anything that is recognized by a church as moral. Eliminate the word “marriage” from our vocabulary and just call all pairings “civil unions,” recognized as legal by the government.
Unfortunately for those who would relish this answer, Jesus said not to do that. He explained, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.” That means there are those who can never abide by the rules of “marriage.” He explained that by saying, “There are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”
The definition of “eunuch” must be seen in our context as the informal definition, as, “An ineffectual, powerless, or unmasculine man.” That can then be attributed to women as, “Ineffectual, powerless, masculine woman,” such that one sees a “eunuch” as a gay, lesbian, or transgender person, who can never truly “marry” because they are “ineffectual” and “powerless” as procreators, due to their desire for the same sex. Homosexuality is as sterile as is a “castrated man” (the standard definition of “eunuch”).
When Jesus concluded by saying, “The one who can accept this should accept it,” he was referring to the suggestion of the disciples that “it is better not to marry.” He was stating that “marriage” is between the opposite sex, for the purpose of precreation, not immoral sexual relationships. Those who cannot procreate (i.e.: make babies), they “should accept this.” “Marriage” is only about the creation of children. Divorce is only about two who came together to make babies going their separate ways, as the Law of Moses allowed that there would be people whose hearts would harden.
Jesus described the purpose of “marriage” as being always the same, since Creation. A “male and female … will leave [their] father and mother and be united [as husband and] wife, and the two will become one flesh.” “Becoming one flesh” is not some squirmy condition that develops under the sheets of a bed, where selected body appendages are temporarily inside body orifices, but a holy union brought about by God. For that reason, Jesus said, “What God has joined together, let no one separate” (or “tear asunder”).
Remembering back to how I prefaced this explanation, I said God is Omniscient and Jesus was speaking from the knowledge perspective of God. Keep in mind that for as little as those dumb rubes knew about DNA, having no electron microscopes back then, this entire statement by Jesus is about the joining of the DNA of a man with the DNA of a woman. That transformation (including the miracle of RNA transfer) is an action of union that is brought about by God. No human brains willed that unzipping of chromosomes and the reconnecting with those of a sexual partner. It is the miracle of God’s power, so that two opposite sex human beings can create a child.” Once that bond has been blessed by God, God forbid you stick a coat-hanger into the mix and abort that holy union.
This means that “marriage” is the sole act that brings two halves of a double-helix together as a new double helix strand bearing the code of life. While a man and woman can have sex, that does not make them married. Even if a Church throws a ceremony to join two human beings together for legally having sex, it is a civil union if no babies are created. Back in the days of kings and queens, not bearing a male heir was grounds for divorce. However, having a bunch of girl babies meant they were married, through the holy bond of genetics matrimony.
This is why two of the same sex can never reach this state. Just as eunuchs have no desires and no physical ways to generate babies, a same sex couple will NEVER be married with child (one sharing the DNA of BOTH). The gays, lesbians, and transgenders of this world should accept that. Unfortunately, because they do not, which means one is now seeing the sign of the times: the destruction of moral values. Christians stand by and let this happen, which is the worst sign of all.
In the verses that go along with this explanation of “marriage,” the focus turns to the children brought to Jesus form him to bless. This is the blessing of marriage. No priest should bless two promiscuous people in a licentious union. If you want to change “marriage,” then follow the lead of Jesus. Bless the children that come from two bound in the eyes of God as joined as husband and wife, for the purpose of making babies. After all, as Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Christianity’s future depends on the children.
P.S.
When you can see the value of this explanation of Luke, look at the Commandment: Honor thy mother and father. This is not God wanting you to make the greeting card industry rich. This is not telling Charles Manson to love his prostitute mother who forever corrupted his life. It is not telling some kid beaten black and blue by a dad addicted to booze to praise his father as a hero. This commandment is a statement about recognizing the two who joined DNAs to create you, that union must be reciprocated by you going out and creating another child. It says, stop being a boy and a girl, become a man and wife, so you can become a mother and father, just like your parents before you. This commandment is promoting “marriage” as between a male man and his female wife.
R. T. Tippett.
P.P.S.
Due to the Supreme Court’s ruling of June 26, 2015, I have written an article posted on the website mentioned above. In that article (which includes the Scripture text), I have added three similar stories from Genesis (chapters 12, 20, and 26), which adds to this theme that “marriage” is and only is found in children, not bed companionship.