From the Pastor - May 2006

At the end of this month, Susan and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage.  It’s a very important milestone for us; one that we will celebrate by renewing our vows.

As I think about the years that Susan and I have had together, I can’t help but think about the ongoing debate in our state about marriage.  As you know, a few years ago, the state judicial court stated that nothing in our state’s constitution precluded two people of the same gender from getting married.  Since that decision, there have been people all over the state collecting signatures to get a ballot question before the voters of Massachusetts to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Those who want to define marriage in that particular way argue that both the Bible and our own history defines marriage in this way.  The only problem is that if you look at them both, you’ll quickly begin to see that it really isn’t all that simple.  The Bible is filled with stories about men with more than one wife (interestingly, there’s nothing in the Bible highlighting the reverse situation), not to mention concubines.  David, Solomon, Abraham, Isaac all come immediately to mind.  These are all seen throughout the scriptures as men of great faith.  No where is their “alternative lifestyle” condemned.

Even those one man, one woman couples that we read about in Scripture do not conform to our current understanding of marriage.  Marriages were pre-arranged, with engagements occurring at an age that we would find repulsive (sometimes as early as twelve).  Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, was engaged at an early age and probably gave birth to Jesus when she was around 14.

Likewise, in our own history it is not true that we’ve always defined marriage as being between one man and one woman.  In fact, the only way Utah was able to become a state was that they agreed to give up polygamy.

By no means am I arguing that polygamy ought to be legalized.  Nor do I support someone 14 years old getting married. I am simply pointing out that the support sought by many to define marriage as being strictly between one man and one woman is not as solid as they’d like to think.

Those who want to define marriage as being between one man and one woman talk about “defending marriage.”  If anyone’s going to “defend” our marriage, it’s going to be Susan and myself.  We have some good friends who have gotten married who happen to be of the same gender.  Their marriage does nothing to threaten ours, nor does ours threaten theirs. 

I have made many mistakes in my life.  Marrying Susan was not one of them.  Why would I want to deny someone else the same joy that I’ve known? 

Pastor Tony