Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 59 - Spring (Sep-Nov) 2016

Online Magazine: Edition 59

Spring (Sep-Nov) 2016

Welcome to the Fifty-ninth Edition of the Online Magazine of the Thornleigh Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Articles

Editorial

by John Morris

Same-sex Marriages

It is clear that for a number of people marriages between couples of the same sex is an item of importance. Female to female and male to male "marriages" are being sought by members of the community who are seeking to have the right to structure their life as those in the typical male/female marriage.

Some want to see the change in the marriage structures democratically determined either by vote of the federal parliament or by vote by eligible voters - a plebiscite. Those seeking the full determination of the matter by federal government legislation see this as preferable purely for economic reasons. A plebiscite is costly.

For some the subject is critical. For some it is an irritant. For some it is just a second tier issue. For the minority who will take part in the ceremony the best thing since sliced bread. For the news and reporting fraternity personnel it helps fill the blank spaces in their publications. The only difference for most people is that it is second to putting food over their head and keeping their job. (Daily Telegraph 30.08.2016 P24)

Newspapers of this date (30.08.2016) reported on the uniting of churches to fight same-sex marriage. The reporter suggests that there appears to be a groundswell of concern amongst members of the community and a running of action by members of the clergy to support this concern with the various religious bodies acting in concert. This week saw the screening of an advertisement opposing the same-sex marriages opposition. The thrust of the advertisement was opposition to the action of religious bodies in directing people how they handle the sex act.

Sex is a dual function activity for a means of procreation and for an expression of the love feeling between the consenting parties. It is a function that operates at the "direction" of the participants. Some argue that the activity was initiated by chance during the long evolutionary process. Others see the function along with others being outlived by a loving God who is able to determine the best for each of us.

The procreation process and results are fantastic. From the time of conception until a baby is born today's society has the opportunity using devices such as ultrasound to follow the development of a child. It's magic. The procreation function is part of our total being for those who accept the creation concept as having a design base; where each partner supports the other; and supports the development of a working relationship that operates "as one".

The sex act is equally intriguing. Adam and eve were directed to reproduce. This is a sexual function and is combined with relationships. Ideally, sexual expression demonstrates more than a rapid, physical, sexual release. Sexual interaction must include love, care, pleasure, and total expression of ourselves if we are fulfilling our sexuality as God intended.

God's intentions were very clear. These activities were to be wrapped up in a male-female package with each committed to maintaining the relationship. Sexuality was to function as part of the methodology, part of the process of adhering to the goal and to the other half of the compact. Damage the package and the family breaks up. Damage the family then society is damaged. Damage society and the world will fail - and we are watching the process on the way now.

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