My God is your God, but you must be crazy

by Evan Khaleghi

Now, I agree completely with Brad's argument, but since he's agnostic, I figured I'd add an anti-Prop 22 christian sentiment, since I'm christian.

First, I'd like to state that not all christians agree with Mr. Connor. Now, you can say that about any argument, but when I stood in the rain outside the Monterey, CA Post Office, handing out fliers against Prop 22, many people told us they were christian, etc. and many agreed to vote "No". I know they didn't just say that to get away from us, because we had long talks with them, and they could've just ignored my company and myself like many others did.

Now, to provide a counterpoint, my roommate believes that it's not ok for the state to say poligamy is illegal, but say that homosexual marriage is. I agree with that. Just as Brad pointed out that you can't take only part of the Bible without taking everything, I think that you can't limit marriage one way and allow something else, when the two things aren't very different in principle. Man and several women (and vice-versa) is the same as Man and Man or Woman and Woman, because they're not Man-Woman marriages.

The main argument against Mr. Connor's is that of interpretation of the Bible. I have believed in God for many years (or Goddess, whichever you want to take), and have gone to church since I can remember. I've even gone to Catholic services (but I'm not catholic), so I have religious experience (btw, catholicism is far too ritualist IMHO). Now, the Bible says a lot of things. In Leviticus (I can't quote exact verses here, but if anyone really wants to know, or challenges my credibility, the next rebuttal of the argument will have them) it says that we should poke the homosexuals with flaming swords, spilling their blood onto the ground, or some such. How can you say the Bible is against homosexuals, and you agree with the Bible, but you don't go stabbing the homosexuals when you see them (with flaming swords, no less)? (btw, I believe it's Leviticus 17:19) It's very easy to people to look at the entire Bible, and take what they want to agree with, and what they don't and put it all together, and call themselves "christian" and think they know exactly what the Bible has to say.

I don't believe in the Bible anymore, because just as a Christian group has idolized a man (named "Michael", if you talk to anyone at UCSD) and placed him between God, by asking "Do you agree with Michael?" rather than "Do you believe in God?", I think the Bible stands in the way of following God and worhsipping him. I also think that Church is just a way for men to control men. This seems like a lot of talk about me, and not about the argument, but here's what it comes down to. The Bible was written BY MAN, oftentimes many years after the events took place (you seriously believe that Moses, a very old man, always carried parchment with him and a writing tool to scribble down what God said to him, as it happened?), and it was meant to lead and control man. For when the Biblical events happened, and when the Bible was published, it was pretty controversial, and I'm sure people asked a lot of questions. The writers new that God's words would be what would lead men for centuries, and I'm sure it occurred to them to change things around as they saw fit, to make people to believe what they wanted and to follow their own rules.

My mother tried to tell me that God didn't want me to ask for selfish things and would be vengeful against me if I did. A Christian group on campus says that if I don't believe in Jesus, I'm going to Hell. But the Bible says both that god is vengeful, and that he is not, and both that the wicked go to Hell, and at the same time all people are saved, no matter what. What is the real truth? I'd say that basing your knowledge and beliefs on a text that is centuries old, contradicts itself, and is written by a bunch of old men who had slanted views, is just downright nutty. But that's just me.

And the audacity you have, Mr. Connor! Either that, or the deep connection with God you must have, to know exactly how he feels, and how I wish to be you! "He loves us, and it hurts Him whenever we act like this or allow Satan to rule our lives." I wish I talked to God closely enough and he told me his personal feelings about people, because I'd really hate to hurt the being who I trust my existence to, and who created me. How can you possibly claim to know that it "hurts" God when we do things? I would think that the millions of people who don't believe in Him would cause him so much pain he would've died or converted them by now. And to think that you talk to him, and know how he feels. Tell him I'm sorry for being mean to that girl I hate, yeah? Don't want to lose any points with Him.

Another statement Mr. Connor makes which drew my attention is "He set down the laws..." God did set down some laws. But man made a lot more laws, and don't those laws make life so much better for those who live within them (certain laws, I don't agree with, i.e. Prop 21 or anything that furthers the prison-industrial complex, especially in CA, but I refer to the majority of laws we all love)? Are we not allowed to make new laws, or to change old laws, as our society sees fit? Also, God never set down a plan of government for His people, so does that make Fascism equally as nice in the eyes of Him, as democracy is (assuming democracy is a better form of government)? He didn't tell us how to run our lives, or organize our society, but he left it up to our own judgment. How can it be different to understand that the laws and beliefs we hold can't be altered with our own judgment as well?

The final part of my argument is in response to #2 of Mr. Connor's argument, so-called "Life says so". You know, there are lots of creatures who reproduce asexually, both hermaphroditically, and by just splitting into two. Neither of these involves a male, nor a female of a species, nor a combination, but just one organism. God made this life too, and yet it doesn't involve heterosexual reproduction. Does it follow that these are the organisms of the devil? Of course not. The idea that heterosexual reproduction is the best because many animals do it is easily refutable by the large amount of animals who don't do it. A lot of insects don't do it, a lot of sea life don't do it, and plants sure as heck don't hetereosexually reproduce. And if you consider bacteria, or other unicellular organisms, their reproduction is most associated to homosexual. Wait, did I just say homosexual reproduction? Why, yes I did! Most bacteria reproduce by spliiting in two, but they can also transfer dna and rna amongst themselves, in various ways. The ability to do this is why genetics works, and how we can make rats produce insulin for human use. You take a section of dna or rna from a bacterium, put it near a second bacterium, and the second one will take it into it's own body. Sometimes, the second bacterium will incorporate the dna from the first bacterium into it's own (this can be helped with restriction endonucleases, which cut holes in the bacterial dna and allow for more opportunities for incorporation of the new dna), and then when it reproduces, it's a mixture of both bacteria. They transfer dna and rna, and then they reproduce, making a new bacteria with a combination of the dna of the original two. That's the basis of sex, in all heterosexual species. You take two different ones, you mix em together, and voila, a new and different one. So, the simplest organisms one Earth are homosexual. And they are the majority of beings on Earth, so I guess the rest of us heterosexuals are just wrong then.

My whole point comes down to this: If it doesn't affect you in any way, and will only make other people happy, then leave it alone. The Bible tells us to look out and help our fellow man, does it not? So why can't we allow them to be happy and married? Also, besides Mr. Connor just being wrong, he's trying to assert his views and impose them on other people. That's the same reason why many people came, and continue, to come to America. People don't like views imposed on them. Who cares if two gay people get married? You don't have to go to the wedding if they invite you, and you could even write a nasty letter telling them how terrible they are. After that, they'll never talk to you again, and you won't have to worry about it. It's not as if they're going to shove it in your face that they're married. I mean, people who get married now don't do that. Let God judge things in his court, with his rules, and with his eyes. If we try to make His judgments for him, to help him out or for whatever reason, not only is it not our place, but it's blaspehmous to even think that you could make a decision that God is capable of. You're not God, you never will be. The Bible says that more than anything. So leave the judgment to him, and let the people have the same rights as everyone else.

Original Editorial: A Rebuttal to Brad Lohr's comments in the Ask the Oracle column for March 10, 2000.