Conventional wisdom?

You may recall that the Federal law that sets lesbian and gay marriage outside the full faith and credit rules is called the, "Defense of Marriage Act." The question is what is being defended from what?

All of the data suggest that marriage is not being attacked. What is being attacked is the idea that family formation which is what marriage is about, must be reserved for a special class. It is the idea that this is a special club only "we who are good enough" may inhabit is what is being challenged.

Their view suggests that marriages should be damaged when lesbians and gays have equal access. The data are not encouraging. Iowa is one of the States with legal lesbian / gay marriages. Its most recent numbers give evidence (although none should be needed) that having lot of folks hold marriage dearly is more important than those folks sexuality. At article you can see a fascinating set of numbers. In a sentence, marriages are up, and divorces are down after the decision for marriage equality. Marriage exclusiveness it seems did not have to be enforced.

Iowans take marriage seriously, are not divorcing because gays can marry and appear to be pretty decent folks. How dare they? Here are all those fundamentalist preachers in and out of the Episcopal Church, all those Roman theologians and all those secular conservatives decrying "gay marriage" and the stats suggest that the major difference is they actually encourage fidelity? What is a Bible pounding angry politician supposed to do with that?

Iowa's experience is not unique. Massachusetts and Vermont are reporting similar numbers. I suppose I can be forgiven for thinking California needs gay marriage the way its most visible citizens abuse straight marriages?

Here then the truth. Love simply is. It is not 'gay love,' 'lesbian love' nor 'straight love.' In a generation if not faster no one will discuss "gay marriage" as we figure out that there is no reason to consider a category except for academic studies. It is and perhaps someday the General Convention, Congress and maybe just maybe the fundamentalists will get this, time to move along.

Yes, I am aware of the Bible verses some are compulsive about quoting. I think they have been well dealt with in several very good books and studies. Of course some (cue the archbishops) having not read these keep prattling on about "doing the theology." They either know it has been done or refuse to know.

Love imagine(!) in Iowa, love works. My hunch is that it might work in all 50 States if the DOMA was not in the way.

FWIW
jimB