Continuing the series on marriage with Bob and Socrates. Check out parts one to three first!
Bob: I think I understand now your objections to same-sex couples being considered the same as married couples: it’s about children and what’s good for them.
Socrates: That’s true, but it’s not all. It’s also about doing justice for everyone, even those who are attracted to persons of the same sex, since they were also made to love as God does.
Bob: Except that’s what you’re denying them: the right to love.
Socrates: Who said that?
Bob: You did. You said they can’t get married because that’s not what marriage is.
Socrates: Is marriage the only form of love?
Bob: No, but it is the ultimate form. Even according to the Bible!
Socrates:You mean because marriage is a symbol of Christ’s union with the Church?
Bob: Yes. Basically, you’re denying people the ultimate way to express their love for each other.
Socrates: How did Christ express His union with the Church?
Bob: By marrying her, like I said.
Socrates: And when did He marry her?
Bob: I don’t know. Didn’t Jesus go to a wedding at some point?
Socrates: Yes, He did, but it wasn’t His own. I’ll give you a hint: Jesus showed His love by dying for the Church.
Bob: Oh. On the cross.
Socrates: (silence)
Bob: What?
Socrates: Well it doesn’t sound like Christ’s idea of love or marriage is about an emotional attachment to another adult, does it? It sounds more like Christ’s love was expressed by self-sacrifice; by offering Himself to do the Father’s will, even when that was obedience unto death.
Bob: What are you saying?
Socrates: I’m saying that we are all called to imitate Christ before anything else. Every one of us is called to sacrificial love. For some people, that means the total gift of self in marriage, which always entails sacrifices. For others, loving as Christ does may mean celibacy for the Kingdom of God.
Bob: But telling someone they have to be celibate for life seems so harsh.
Socrates: Only if you equate love with sex and don’t acknowledge other ways of finding love and fulfillment. There’s also a distinction between telling someone they have to do something and someone’s freely choosing and accepting to be celibate.
Bob: Sounds like we might need to talk about this more.
FAQ: Isn’t it unjust discrimination to not allow two men (or two women) to marry?
2 responses to “A Dialogue on Marriage: Part Four”
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God created them man and woman and not,polygamous or polyandry or same sex.
He never created them same sex at the first instance. If in His infinite wisdom he did not encourage same,then why should man act the devil by luring his fellow man to commit this grave sin.The case will be like that of our original parents who allowed the devil to manipulate them to disobey God.
It is not love but an absurdity.
Love is life and life is love.