6 months of gay marriages in Iowa; still no sign of Satan

It has been 6 months since the ban on gay marriage was ruled unconstitutional in Iowa.  Unless I missed some major story, the gates of hell have, surprisingly, not opened up sending an army of demons to destroy the state.  Children are not being bombarded with gay rhetoric and propaganda in school.  Gay couples are not pounding on the doors of every church demanding to be married.  Debauchery is not pouring through the streets.  It is not in Connecticut, Vermont, or Massachusetts either.  And it will not in New Hampshire once it becomes legal on January 1.

The Reverend Mark Stringer, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, gave a sermon on October 18^th that became an opinion printed yesterday in the Des Moines Register (Link). He speaks of commitment, family, and love.  “How can any of us tout the importance of family values if we aren’t willing to value these loving families?”

He provides anecdotes of some couples he has married, together 17 years, 27, 30, or multiple decades.  His remarks at the wedding of the 30-year gay couple: “I asked the congregation to reflect on how much the couple had endured to simply inhabit their relationship. And then I thanked them, on behalf of everyone present, for their example of love and commitment.”

So which traditions of marriage are more important: the traits of the couple or the love and commitment they share?  I say “traits” generally because, remember, mixing races was once seen as a threat to the tradition of marriage as well.  Love is a more important component of marriage.  Commitment is more important.  These gay couples, and many more around the country that have been waiting faithfully for decades, uphold the only values that should matter when defining marriage.

gay marriage, Gay Rights, Iowa, Religion, Unitarians