“The difference between just doing what comes naturally and principled self restraint is called civilisation…”

– Greg Koukl

Writer’s note: I wrote this post originally in June 2015, around the time of the SCOTUS decision. I didn’t properly publish it for any length of time back then for several reasons, one being that I didn’t want to add to what was (at the time) a climate of extreme emotionalism on both sides of this issue. I hope that as the smoke clears something I wrote back then might be helpful for those still interested in this topic (in December 2015) and particularly for anyone interested in giving the Christian perspective a fair hearing.

Dear Friends,

It is my hope that upon reading this you still feel able to call me ‘friend’. Let me say I am well aware that we may disagree on this issue and for some of you this disagreement will be quite wholehearted and passionate. However, I believe friends should be able to acknowledge their differences and even have rigorous discussions on such matters without writing one another off as valued human beings based on their differing views. I write this letter not simply to add to the plethora of [often angry] posts on social media in support of or mourning the [at the time of writing] recent SCOTUS decision, but rather to try to respond accurately and consistently to two groups of people;

1. Those who have engaged in conversation with me on this issue with genuine interest in the conversation prior to various social media threads becoming entirely cumbersome and genuinely unhelpful as a result of militant, angry or emotionally driven posts that cloud the train of thought of all parties and derail any form of helpful discussion.
2. The many friends whom I have seen jump on the social media ‘progressive activism’ bandwagon (so to speak) by painting their profiles with rainbow colours in support of the decision and who may have been wondering why or how I could possibly not do the same with a clear conscience.

Before I continue I would like to make clear what I believe and why I am seeking to write this letter in love for those who struggle with same-sex attraction and for those who have been swept up in the wave of popular opinion in support of the marriage redefinition agenda.

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