Bellwether NEWS? What is the Bell Saying?
Some apparently contradictory news trickled through the media in Week 25. There is a bit of evidence of closing ranks among those who call themselves Christian, yet there is increased division as well. Which is the anomaly and which is the trend? The new Southern Baptist head has promised to “stand strong for true marriage.” However, within days thereafter, the Presbyterians voted to redefine marriage and offer “gay marriages.”
Good news and bad news came through the courts. The Mormons (and one can realistically see Utah as the Mormon vote) had refused to permit “gay marriage” or to recognize same-sex “unions” from other states, but a Federal Court slapped down their ban, and did the same to Indiana. On the other hand, thousands joined in the
first March for Marriage in Washington, D. C. featuring prominently Archbishop Cordileone from the hot-spot of San Francisco, and who handled expertly and charitably the Nancy Pelosi debacle of her trying to curb, simultaneously, his Freedom of Speech, his Freedom of Assembly and his Freedom of Religion. (Thanks, Nancy, for giving extra exposure to such an important event.)
An important “bellwether” decision occurred in Week 25 regarding Ohio, but which carries significance for the entire U. S. Back at Week 02 we wrote that a Freedom-threatening move was underway in Ohio, and the target was a pro-life group’s election materials. At stake was the right of free speech, the right to criticize political opponents and election candidates. The threat was that virtually all political criticisms could be shut down by the Ohio Laws. See original post for more information. However, a unanimous decision of the US Supreme Court, with opinion written by Clarence Thomas, gave the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List the right to sue. Now it moves onto the suit itself, but anything unanimous from the Supreme Court is extraordinary and one might think, even hope, that the handwriting to uphold free speech is “on the wall.”
Meanwhile, an international assembly of Latin American Countries in Paraguay, in a “clear and numerous response,” rejected recommendations to approve same-sex unions during the Organization of American States General Assembly. And Slovakia has enshrined “true marriage” in its Constitution. The pincer of public opinion has rarely been a more important strategy than it is now.
Conclusion: Great gains and great losses can occur during times of such fluidity and uncertainty. When the trends are hardest to read, when contradictory decisions are reached even among parties who had seemed to agree, when the expected is rebuffed but the unthinkable gains ground, there is much opportunity for change (as opposed to times when all options are already frozen.) Perhaps the only real “bellwether” at the moment is that the field of battle is still open, and sitting on the sidelines is the worst option of all.
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It is no surprise that the Southern Baptist Convention voted against gay marriage and upheld the traditional definition of marriage between a man and woman. It is no surprise either, that the Mormon Church would decide the same way.
It is also no surprise that the Presbyterian Church would vote for gay marriage; look at conditions/situations at the Downtown Presbyterian Church within the last 20 years.
I know for a fact, that especially older parishioners in mainline Protestant churches including denominations such as the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church, are extremely upset that gay marriage has been granted from their denomination’s hierarchy as marriage equality. Many of these parishioners, especially the older ones, are reeling with this decision and are in a state of shock, bewilderment, pain, and anguish, as they see the values their church has always ascribed to, which has continued to be their life-long values, uprooted. These people think their denomination is going against the Bible and compromising their stand to accept the secular culture’s stand of Marriage Equality and the LBGT Lifestyle.
These parishioners who are upset by the acceptance of the LBGT Life Style and Gay Marriage by their denomination, are in turmoil. They have made statement in regard to contributing to their Synod or left their parish or denomination. There is at least one mainline Protestant denomination which left it up to individual parishes to whether or not they would perform gay marriages. The board of elders meet along with the pastor and a vote is taken. I know of one parish who unanimously voted to not allow gay marriage.