On June 19, 2006, the following appeared as a “Letter to the Editor” in the Montgomery Advertiser.
Once again the State of Alabama overwhelmingly showed its hypocrisy by voting to approve the ban on homosexual marriage in the state. As a Christian heterosexual married man, my faith teaches me not to judge other people, but to leave the judgment to God alone. As a state, 81 percent have judged those who seek to find fulfillment in their lives by telling them they can’t do something everyone else can, and they are doing so based on a set of beliefs (Christianity) that not everyone holds. It’s ironic how we are so concerned with keeping the “sanctity of marriage” by banning the legal union of homosexuals, and yet the divorce rates in the country continue to climb higher and higher. Last time I checked, 50 percent of marriages in the United States didn’t end in “gay” – they ended in divorce. Allen Goldman, Montgomery
Here is the response that I sent to the paper.
Hypocritical? Judge Not?
It is interesting that in the recent letter by Mr. Allen Goldman, he says, “My faith teaches me not to judge other people, but to leave the judgment to God alone.” Yet, in the letter, beginning with the title, “Marriage Vote Hypocritical,” he passes judgment on everyone who opposed homosexual marriage as hypocritical. I guess his religion teaches him that no one is to judge except him. The amazing thing is that the Bible teaches that we are not to “judge” with a standard by which we ourselves are not willing to be measured (Matthew 7:1-5), and judging others for doing what we ourselves do (Romans 2:1-3). In the case of Mr. Goldman, he has violated both of these principles – he judged others by a standard to which he does not hold himself, and in the process he violated his own principle.
On the other hand Jesus commands us, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). ‘Righteous judgments’ would be judgments based on the Word of God. Christians must stand by the principles of God’s Word, and they must oppose what God has stated to be sinful (Ephesians 5:11). Truth is not based on what a majority (or a minority) thinks, but rather on what God says. God is the ultimate Judge, and He will pass final judgment. He has, however, given us His will so that we can know right from wrong.
I agree with Mr. Goldman that the rate of divorce is devastating to the sanctity of marriage. This is a blight on marriage. Allowing the “legal union of homosexuals,” however, will do nothing to solve this serious problem. That is a judgment that God has made. Opposition to a sinful practice, from a biblical standpoint, is not “hypocritical” unless we are participants in that which we oppose.
