A Christian Responds to the Iowa Gay Marriage Ruling

“Gay marriage will be legal in 21 days.”

This was the tweet from the Des Moines Register that brought me the news that the Iowa Supreme Court overturned a ban on gay marriage in the state, declaring it unconstitutional. Gay couples will be able to marry in the state of Iowa in three weeks.

No matter which side of the fence you fall on, this is a historic day for Iowa (where I live) and for our nation (if you live in the U.S.)

As soon as I heard about the ruling, I checked out Twitter and found the #iagaymarriage hashtag and it was booming. Lots of people with lots to say. The only unfortunate part for me in watching all of it wasn’t the fact that people were celebrating the ruling. It was watching how Christians were responding:

  • “Churches are going to get sued now.”
  • “First Obama, now this! Our country gets what it deserves!“
  • “I’m going pray extra hard tonight!”
  • “God have mercy on this nation! We don’t know what we’re doing!”

With all due respect to my brothers and sisters in Christ who choose to respond this way: Shut up. You are speaking curses over this state and this nation. You are Christ’s ambassador and your speech is to be filled with light, not darkness.

I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to see your fellow Christians responding in such a disdainful way. If you’re a Christian and you are responding in this way you need to stop it. Now.

What you ultimately have to ask yourself if this is you is, “WDJD?” What Does Jesus Do? Jesus does not speak to people this way. Jesus does not treat fellow image bearers of God with such disrespect, no matter what they believe or behave like. These responses, ultimately, sound like the grown-up equivalent of “I’m taking my ball and going home! Hmph!”

I can’t say that I’m crazy about the (unanimous) decision that our Supreme Court made today, but that’s beside the point. As Christians, we can (and should) have firm convictions that are rooted and grounded in Scripture. But as followers of Jesus, we are to live differently. We are not to react as people who have no grounding in something greater than ourselves. We either believe that Jesus is Lord or he is not. Not the Iowa Supreme Court; Jesus.

If you’re a Christian and you are upset about the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling today, let me ask you this question: Are you busier telling people what they are doing wrong or living a light-filled life? There is a huge difference between the two, I hope you make the right choice.

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Contributor: Justin Wise

A religious deviant who enjoys coffee, collared shirts, spending time with his wife and son, learning about quantum physics and creatively exploring the riches of the Spirit of Christ. Culture + Faith + Technology. Contact the author
  • Tim
    amen. i couldn't agree more whole-heartedly. its trite to say, but so true, but it's sad that Christians are known more for what we are against than what we are truly "for." I think the Church has a lot of growing up and maturing to do in this area as more and more states make moves and decisions like Iowa did today. I think we need to realize that we are the ones who need to change... not backing down from what we believe, but changing the way we approach people and this issue. There's a great book coming out soon on this very topic, I'd highly encourage you -- and anyone else out there - to check out called Love is an Orientation. It's a great challenge for all of us... http://www.amazon.com/Love-Orientation-Elevating-...
  • Jerry Waage
    Very interesting statement, Justin. Props to you.
  • Lars Pearson
    Absolutely... a very considered and compassionate response. Well done.
  • Justin, your attitude and influence are beautiful. Thank you for being light. I agree with you completely!
  • Marc
    Granted, it goes against my personal beliefs, but it's a civil marriage, they're not forcing the church to recognize it. Even then, the couple of gay people I know are aware that while I disagree with it, I still treat them as a person. Much like how a Jew or Muslim would respond to me eating a pulled pork sandwich, they may disagree with the action, but they still treat me as a person regardless. It's a shame that some of my fellow Christians cannot look beyond the sin and actually love the sinner.
  • I have never heard BBQ used in such a grace-filled manner. Well done, sir.
  • I agree in general with Justin's post and your reply. Keep an eye on your first sentence, though. There are some very smart people that follow courts that believe that our current law may now allow same sex couples to sue the church. They may even win. Pastors should be diligent to do the right thing(s) and build coalitions and relationships with others so if the time should come as it has in Sweden, Canada, and elsewhere, they are prepared to fight back. I agree we need to show love as we'll never hate anyone into the Kingdom; however, we need to be prepared to defend our First Amendment rights should it come to that.
  • Lars Pearson
    I might be losing the thread of the discussion here, but where is this silly notion of same-sex couples suing the church coming from? In the first place, churches are perfectly entitled to decide which marriages they recognize and which they don't. The Court's gay marriage decision has virtually nothing to do with this. Second, it's absurd to think that homosexuals on a grand scale want to sue the church for recognition. Every homosexual I know wants to be treated equally under the civil law, and they're leaving the churches to make their own decisions.

    I am also a little alarmed when I hear talk of pastors "fighting back," as if mobilizing against gay people being treated equally under the law is more important than --- oh, say --- caring for the sick or feeding the poor.

    Sorry, but I think that talk of homosexuals suing churches for recognition just feeds into the wild hyperbole that's present in some places of discussion. Such lawsuits wouldn't go anywhere, and there's no evidence that anyone would have any interest in launching them.
  • The reason I bring it up is because it has already happened. As a matter of fact, a pastor in Sweden was put in jail just for mentioning that Romans 1 prohibits gay marriage. Canada has had similar issues with believers and churches being sued for "discriminating."

    And they Civil Rights, Anti-bullying, and other legislation with almost the exact same wording as the ones we have passed in Iowa and elsewhere over the last few years.

    I have no doubt that most homosexuals (including some in my family) just want to be treated fairly. I may disagree but I respect that. But there is a movement driving this agenda that wants much more. Societies never become more tolerant. They simply shift the demographic they are intolerant of. This is what we need to be wary of.
  • Susan
    Well there's always going to be that one guy who has to stir the pot (like the Pledge of Allegiance guy in Cali...his wife and daughter were ok with the daughter saying "Under God" but he had a bug up his butt.) and I suppose it will happen but people file ridiculous law suits all the time, that doesn't mean they'll get anywhere.

    My own church could have found reason to reject my own heterosexual marriage. They didn't but they have that option. They denied my cousin's since her previous marriage had not been annulled. My cousin didn't sue, she just had a civil service with her new husband and she's in the pew every Sunday because as she says, the Church may have turned it's back on me, but I'm not giving up on them. (who is showing the greater charity there, hmmm?)
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