The spirit of liberalism is alive and well in the Editorial and Forum pages of the Whig-Standard, our local daily newspaper. In the past week, columns have appeared titled, "Gay marriages: Change the laws" (Jan 17), and then "Making the case against heterosexual marriage" (Jan 18). For those who are not avid readers, there was a fine piece of artwork courtesy of artizans.com (Jan 18), picturing those who oppose gay marriages as over-the-hill, out-of-date, mean-spirited 'ogres' with their noses twisted out of joint.

The latter column mentioned above was nothing short of absurd. The writer took the issues and laws imposed against same-sex marriages, and substituted heterosexual for homosexual. To print a response to it would be a complete waste of time, energy and ink. However, the first article mentioned, which voices support for the homosexual cause and two recent same-sex marriages in Toronto's Metropolitan Community Church, demands a response.

The Whig columnist would have us believe that the current fight to legalize same-sex marriages in Canada is parallel to Martin Luther King Jr's quest for equality between white and black Americans. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Declaration of Independence (1776), the very basis for the existence of the United States as a country begins, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..." Mr. King fought for the very freedom which the founding fathers of the nation declared for all men.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which might be compared in some respects to the Declaration of Independence, opens with these words, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law..." While the Declaration of Independence affirms the equality of men, regardless of race, the Charter of Rights bluntly closes the door on homosexuality. Same-sex marriages are contrary to the very principles upon which our nation was founded!

The writer reasons, "On what grounds does...anyone oppose same-sex marriages? For religious reasons? The marriage ceremony was performed by an ordained church minister."(a) For religious reasons? Absolutely! It makes no difference that an "ordained church minister" performed the ceremony. It was performed by a minister who has sold himself to Satan, having nullified the commandments of God.

The Lord has very clearly defined what is acceptable before Him in regards to sexuality. We read, "...a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) We read that the Lord destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on account of their wicked conduct (Genesis 19). The apostle Paul penned by inspiration, "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." (Romans 1:26-27) Again, the apostle Paul wrote, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

We are in desperate times, that such sexual immorality would be openly condoned in a nation that "...recognize(s) the supremacy of God..." And further, that a man who claims to represent God would unite in marriage people of the same sex. Well did Paul speak of both his day and ours, "For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3:2-5)

(a) "Gay marriages: Change the laws", Paul Schliesmann, The Kingston Whig-Standard, January 17, 2001, p 6.