New York State Sen. Diaz: You Can’t Get Married, Nothing Personal.

Photo: Nicholas Confessore/Jeremy W. Peters, 11/9/09

A friend of mine sent me a New York Times article detailing New York State Senator, Ruben Diaz’s crusade against gay marriage.  Mr. Diaz, a Pentecostal minister, says this is nothing personal as he has several gay friends and gay family members, but same-sex marriage goes against his religious beliefs and the teachings of his church.  Therefore, the bill that would legalize gay marriage in the Empire State should not be allowed to come to the legislative floor for a vote.  It seems that the Reverend Diaz is perilously close to falling into that category of the pious who are too heavenly minded to do much earthly good.

It never ceases to amaze me why our conservative religious society is so uncomfortable with us making our own decisions regarding inner faith.  As I have written before, isn’t it time that we begin to to move beyond a superficial posture in our lives that says, “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.” I’m a little leery when someone bases their belief on “The Bible says…” The Bible says that it is good to take the children of our enemies and kill them by throwing them against boulders. That statement speaks for itself as just wrong.  The Bible says that it is an abomination to God to wear clothing made of two different kinds of material. I am of the belief that polyester is a sin, but I am not going to force my beliefs on others…well, not too hard.  The Bible says that adulterers are to be killed.  That would eliminate two thirds of our elected officials. The Bible says that it is an abomination to God to handle the skin of a pig…well, there goes football.  My point is, if we can easily discount these mandates as the rules of another time and age, then why can’t the perspectives, the science, and the math of 2,500 years ago, as it pertains to sexuality, be just as easily discounted.

Mr. Diaz, just as I believe in your right to preach your opinions on the evils of what you believe is a less than conservative lifestyle, I also believe those opinions have no place in our political process.  True, the delineation of church and state is tossed around at times in trivial matters, but in this case where the rights of the minority are concerned, the secularism of government has to take precedence over the freedom of religious exercise.  The obstructionist principles you extort from a book with as many translations and editions as there are denominations, IS personal.  It is a personal affront to your friends, your relatives, and the people of the great state of New York to assume their relationship with their creator is somehow less able to make a choice of faith than yours.  Step out of the way, Senator, and let the process continue.  Better yet, let the good book decide…the Constitution of the United States.