Marriage, be it gay or straight, is, in today's America, primarily a government institution. If this were not true, we would be well on our way to a theocracy (government ruled by a religious entity). As we know, that would be unconstitutional. Iran is an example of a theocracy, as would Afghanistan be under the Taliban rule.
In a society where there is a 50 percent divorce rate and an increasing amount of infidelity in the other 50 percent, I don't see much of a religious experience.
This trend tends to weaken any claim organized religion may have on its primacy in this arena Please don't blame the gays for this trend. Having said that, let's render unto Caesar what is Caesar's (marriage) and unto God what is God's (love, tolerance, forgiveness if you feel offended).
Search your being and wonder to yourself, "Why am I against gay marriage?" It's really fear, isn't it? We all know gay people, what is the basis of your fear?
None of us is perfect. God perfects us. Forgive, as you are forgiven, just like you are taught every Sunday. Try loving them as you would your own children, because, though they may not be your children, they are indeed our God's children.
Our president's statement was aloha-filled and pono.
Jack Kerr
Haiku
