Far-left blogger Ezra Klein asks, "Will D.C. Force Congress to Consider Gay Marriage?" Actually, I've already answered yes to this question. See, "How Does Gay Marriage Affect Me?"
But check out this article from the Christian News Network, "Connecting the Dots: The Link Between Gay Marriage and Mass Murders":
"Having lived in New York City for more than 30 years, I am all too aware of the harm that firearms in the hands of criminals can cause. Having grown up in a small town in Illinois, where citizens owned guns without misusing them, I am also aware that guns aren't the underlying problem. I am not an opponent of gun regulation; I am an opponent of making guns the scapegoat for mass murder.Check the link for the introduction to the article, as well as the responses at Memeorandum.
"The underlying problem is that increasingly we live in a 'post-Christian' society, where Judeo-Christian faith and values have less and less influence. Among other things, Judaism and Christianity taught that murder was wrong and that included murder motivated by anger, hatred and revenge. Both religions also taught that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves and to forgive others.
"For many citizens, what has replaced Judeo-Christian faith and values is the secular value system that is reflected in films, rap/music lyrics, and videogames and on TV and now the Internet, where the taking of human life for just about any reason is commonplace and is often portrayed in an appealing manner and in realistic detail. Murder motivated by hatred and revenge is also justified.
"This secular value system is also reflected in the 'sexual revolution,' which is the driving force behind the push for 'gay marriage;' and the Iowa Supreme Court decision is another indication that despite all the damage this revolution has caused to children, adults, family life and society (think abortion, divorce, pornography, rape, sexual abuse of children, sexually transmitted diseases, trafficking in women and children, unwed teen mothers and more), it continues to advance relentlessly.
"It most certainly is not my intention to blame the epidemic of mass murders on the gay rights movement! It is my intention to point out that the success of the sexual revolution is inversely proportional to the decline in morality; and it is the decline of morality (and the faith that so often under girds it) that is the underlying cause of our modern day epidemic of mass murders.
"I would add that if conservative media's irresponsible talk of revolution can 'poison weak minds,' the liberal entertainment media's irresponsible portrayal of mayhem can also poison weak minds."
While I agree with the main points of the religious morality angle, I don't think that argument will prevail amid the growing hegemony of secularism Peters decries. A powerful secular case can be made against same-sex marriage, based in the logic of biological reproduction and the regeneration of societies. The gay marriage extremists can do little to change the logic of social reproduction and the facts of biological procreation. To win the argument, gay radicals have to argue in denial of the fact that social institutions are normatively substantiated in such terms. The left has yet to do so, of course, which is why the notion of "same-sex marriage" remains a fantastic radical progressive ideological construct.
See my earlier piece on this, "The Secular Case Against Gay Marriage."
There's a lot to unpack here, but for now I would just like to challenge you--a social scientist who should understand that just saying it's so don't make it so--to show some causal link between a "decline in morality" (whatever that means) or the "sexual revolution" (whatever that means), and mass murder, abortion, divorce, pornography, rape, sexual abuse of children, sexually transmitted diseases, trafficking in women and children, or unwed teen mothers.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to hear your argument that "social institutions are normatively substantiated in such terms" as "the logic of social reproduction and the facts of biological procreation." Norm construction has a lot of other sources and conditions.
One more thing: as a general matter, I see no reason to think that Christianity, with its long history of approving the right kinds of murder (witches, heretics, muslims, disobedient children), if not murder on a mass scale (the destruction of humanity itself in a flood!), has much claim on moral superiority in this particular realm. And for the record, this atheist rejects outright the notion that Christian belief specifically, or belief in God generally, is a necessary condition for "morality" (whatever *that* is).
RSS: Amen!
ReplyDeleteDonald pushes this misguided notion relentlessly. But he insists on publishing very weak moral opinion pieces that have no basis in reality.
For example, if we are so depraved as this author suggests, wouldn't the homicide rate be skyrocketing?
But no, we are held in place by a system of rules and laws that keep us in check, and maintain a reasonably safe and sane society.
As a fellow atheist, I also don't get the equation that if you don't believe in a sky god that watches your every move you are some how morally depraved. I guess Rev. Ted Haggard is superior to me because he begs for forgiveness from the all-powerful god that made him a depraved, drug-taking homosexual.
By the way, what about all these shootings at churches and the killing rampages of a right-wing Nazi thug...
These are not the actions of the atheistic principled.
Tim:
ReplyDelete"I agree with the main points of the religious morality angle, I don't think that argument will prevail amid the growing hegemony of secularism Peters decries."
No response, Professor?
ReplyDeleteNazi thugs are left wing by definition. Typical leftist drivel to ascribe every heinous act by anyone, no matter their affiliation, to the right.
ReplyDeleteAscribing the "right" kinds of killings to Christianity is some what akin to blaming Islam for those who use religion for their own purposes.
I could equally cherry pick history to blame every evil ever committed on atheists,i.e. the millions of deaths perpetrated by the Soviet Union, but that would demonstrate a rather corrupt and lazy intellect.
People commit that which is considered by most individuals as evil. Typical leftist failure to take that which they think is logic and carry it out to its ultimate conclusion.
"A powerful secular case can be made against same-sex marriage, based in the logic of biological reproduction and the regeneration of societies."
ReplyDeleteActually, that's an incredibly weak case. Marriage provides the structure that encourages people to have children. More gay marriage means more gay people choosing to have children, whether through in vitro, surrogate mother, or other means.
More gay marriage = higher birth rates.