This exposition by Rita Nakashima Brock was published in today’s Huffington Post. It’s worth a read.

Prop 8, Judge Walker and the Biblical View of Marriage Equality

Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision Thursday to allow resumption of legal same-sex weddings in California has right-wing Christians claiming his ruling against Proposition 8 threatens “Bible believing Christians.” I’ve read the Bible pretty carefully myself (I read it cover to cover when I was in high school) and even taught it as a college professor. It is not a source I’d turn to in order to defend traditional marriage, but I think it does offer ways to think about ethical marriage.

The Bible presents multiple views of marriage, and most actual marriages it depicts are terrible by modern standards. “Traditional marriages” in ancient biblical times were arranged as transfers of the ownership of daughters. The tenth commandment lists wives among properties like houses and slaves: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17, also found in Deuteronomy 5:21). Marriages occurred via deception, kidnapping, adulterous seductions, theft, rape, and murder, and were often in multiples so that the pater familias could amass land, flocks, and progeny and cement political alliances. Abraham, David, and Solomon had marriages that would be illegal today. The book of Hosea likens the mercy of God to a husband who has the right to beat or kill his adulterous wife, but spares her — for this, she was supposed to be grateful. When women seek marriages, such as Naomi arranged for Ruth, it was to avoid an even worse fate such as destitution.
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So Utah Congressman Kevin Garn has admitted to not only nude ‘hot-tubbing’ with a 15-year-old girl from his ward some 25 years ago, but also of paying her $150,000 to keep quiet about it.

It apparently surfaced this week and the LDS church was quick to step in and state:

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for sexual abuse of any kind, especially instances involving minors,”

Now, is it me, or does the addition of “especially instances involving minors” seem like they took it just a little too far. Is it ‘zero tolerance’ or ‘extra-extra-zero tolerance” in the case of minors? This should actually be one of those times when it is a black and white issue; not a “black and white, but really, really black and white for minors” issue.

When Mormons Mobilize: Anti-Gay Marriage Prop. 8 Effort ‘Outed’?
By Joanna Brooks
Posted on January 31, 2010

On Wednesday, January 20, in a federal courthouse in San Francisco, plaintiffs in the Perry vs. Schwarzenegger trial challenging the legality of California’s Proposition 8 introduced two documents (over strenuous objections from the defense) indicating close but cautious coordination between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Yes on 8 campaign.
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At dinner with some friends last night, one of them mentioned a friend from California. He said in passing that although she has a partner, the church leaves them pretty much alone because she and her partner were legally married during the pre-Prop 8 period.

OMG — I finally figured out why the church was so vehemently opposed to same-sex marriage legalization: If the couple is legally married, the church cannot excommunicate them for having sex outside of the bounds of marriage, which is the standard practice and rationale used to eliminate same-sex cohabiters.

They won’t allow them into the temple, but do not have any legal, ethical or moral standing if the relationship is indeed legal (which all pre-Prop 8 ones are).

That actually made me laugh. No wonder they were so fit to be tied when the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of equal rights!

And I can’t believe that aspect of their fight never crossed my mind before. WTF?

Certainly a step in the right direction, but like granting the priesthood to blacks, many years later than is justifiable.

Pro-gay statutes win city, LDS nod
“This will make the legislative session a lot easier,” McAdams said.

Surprise move » Parties met in secret to reach common ground.

In a rare move, the LDS Church announced Tuesday night its support of Salt Lake City’s proposed ordinances protecting gay and transgender people from discrimination in housing and employment.
Hours later, the City Council approved the measures unanimously.
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