According to Rev. John Grinnell (“You can call it sin and not be prejudiced,” March 23), Rev. Dr. Tom Sorenson was wrong in his March 9 letter stating that opposition to same gender marriage must stem from prejudice. Are we to assume that Rev. Grinnell believes, as a matter of faith, that judgments made or opinions formed before the facts are known is not prejudice?
As a faithful layman in the United Church of Christ of Everett, and from my own personal Christian perspective, to say that a marriage between two committed persons of the same sex is sinful would, indeed, be based on prejudice. A marriage in which a couple is abusive, disrespectful, selfish and unsupportive to one another, I believe, is sinful. Straight or gay this would be true.
On the other hand, if a marriage is mutually based on love, generosity, respect and support, the relationship is not sinful and is worthy of our honor and respect. This also would be true – straight or gay. From this Christian’s viewpoint, the real sin comes from treating each other badly, not who we are. I never learned in Sunday school or church that Jesus would have us hold a group of people down or discourage their commitment to one another – to do so would be prejudiced and, I believe, a sin.
I respect the right of Rev. Grinnell to express his views from his own religious perspective, but he does not speak for all Christians. As Rev. Dr. Sorenson stated in his letter, opposition to same gender marriage is not a universally held Christian tenet.
Tom Blossom
Snohomish
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