Sexual union—Marriage, at its core, is the sexual union of a male and a female. Common sense tells us that male and female sexual organs were clearly designed for each other. Even an infertile male-female couple can engage in intercourse. Although infertile couples cannot "unite" their DNA by producing a child, they are still capable of sexual union. Two men (or two women) lack this complementary design and are unable to have proper intercourse. There are many risks associated with same-sex activity, especially for gay men, who are at an increased risk for STDs. Problems arise when we use things incorrectly, and sexuality is no different. Men and women were obviously designed for each other, and we will not gain true happiness from going against God's design.
Reproduction—Male-female sexual union is unique because it is the only relationship that can produce children. Reproduction is essential to society for obvious reasons. Yes, some male-female couples struggle with infertility (or choose not to have children for some other reason). But remember—we have to look at the big picture, not just a few individuals. On the whole, male-female marriages tend to produce children. Same-sex relationships never produce children. Biology shows us that male and female are the basic "building blocks" of the family unit. Even an infertile opposite-sex couple acknowledges this fact, even if only in a symbolic way. While of course family planning is the responsibility of each couple, procreation is also important on the whole.
Parenting—Male-female marriage provides the best possible environment for child-rearing. When same-sex couples raise children, this always results in the child being separated from at least one biological parent. Also, children raised by same-sex couples will lack either a mother figure or a father figure in the home. Even if a male-female couple is unable to reproduce, they can provide the closest thing to a natural family unit for their adopted children if they choose to adopt. Unlike a same-sex couple, a heterosexual couple can model healthy male-female relations for their children—and for the whole community.
Mothers and fathers each play a unique role in their children's lives. To deny a child either parent's influence without an exceptional reason is to needlessly jeopardize their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Children raised by married, opposite-sex parents are at a lower risk of living in poverty, having mental health problems, dropping out of school, being sexually promiscuous, and ending up in jail. Does this mean that gays and lesbians are always bad parents? No, of course not. But it does mean that children raised by same-sex couples are disadvantaged from the start. The masculine virtue of security and the feminine virtue of warmth are the key ingredients for healthy child development. In general, mothers nurture their child's self-esteem (internal sense of value as a person) while fathers nurture their child's self-confidence (pride in their external achievements). Both are equally necessary for a child's wellbeing.
Commitment—Another benefit of male-female marriage is that it promotes a stable, healthy, monogamous relationship. Sexual intercourse naturally unites a man and a woman—not any other combination of humans. As a result, gay people tend to be much more promiscuous than straight people, and that's not guaranteed to change just because of a marriage certificate.
Same-sex marriage opens the door to polyamory and so-called "open marriages." Like same-sex marriage, open marriage is an oxymoron. The marriage covenant has always been about the lifelong sexual union of one man and one woman. But if we no longer adhere to the gender component of marriage, then why should we stick to the two-person rule? If marriage is just about love, then there's nothing wrong with three men or three women loving each other in that way. And there would be nothing wrong with two brothers marrying each other, since marriage is just about what makes people happy, and biology is irrelevant. But we intuitively know that biology is very relevant. Political correctness—or even a Supreme Court ruling—cannot override biological reality.
Fulfillment—We as human beings are clearly designed for sex and reproduction. Our sexual organs are the only body parts that require union with someone else's body in order to achieve their purpose. Most of us naturally want to find a partner and have children. Marriage is the best environment for those desires to be fulfilled. Yes, some people are single/divorced because of their life circumstances, just like some couples are infertile. But there's a reason why singles are encouraged to marry, and child-rearing has historically been viewed as part and parcel of marriage. Matrimony, after all, literally means "motherhood." Therefore, we should not be pushing lifelong singleness and "childfree by choice" in most situations. Everybody is called to be united to another and to leave a legacy to the world, whether physically or spiritually.
Gender differences—It may sound cliché, but opposites really do attract. Even on a molecular level, the world is built on complementary opposites. Positive and negative atoms naturally bond because of their differences; the same can be said for men and women. They fulfill different, but equally valuable, roles in sex, reproduction, and family. Call me old-fashioned if you want, but I believe that women were created to be beautiful and feminine, and men were created to be handsome and masculine. Like it or not, male handsomeness and female beauty are not socially constructed; rather, they are innate dimensions of our gender. The flaw in same-sex relationships isn't what they are; it's what they lack. A marriage without a man (or without a woman) is incomplete. Each gender brings something unique to marriage—and to society as a whole.
Comments
Post a Comment