Alabama Judge Roy Moore: A Christian Hero?

Recently a federal judge ruled that Alabama’s ban on issuing marriage licenses to gay couples is unconstitutional.  While this has taken place in a number of states across the nation, what has put Alabama in the spotlight is that State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore has instructed all state probate judges to defy the federal court ruling and to continue to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  A few judges have gone ahead and issued such licenses but most have followed Moore’s directive.  It remains to be seen how this will all turn out.

Moore is the same judge that was removed from the state supreme court some years ago after defying a federal order to remove a large stone monument bearing the ten commandments that he had erected in the court rotunda.  He ran for this office again in 2012 and was returned to the post of Chief-Justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court.

Judge Moore frequently cites biblical morality as the basis for his defiance of federal rulings.   Some evangelical groups and leaders have hailed his actions as noble, courageous, and righteous.   Evangelist Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) recently said of Moore’s actions, “I applaud Justice Moore and the many Alabama judges who are upholding the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman.”

I would like to suggest that those who feel compelled to support Judge Moore and hold him up as a Christian hero consider the following:

1.    How does it further the Christian mission to alienate a whole segment of society? No one chooses sexual orientation.  Even if one disagrees with same-sex marriage, why take such a public position that likely ensures that gays (and their families) would never want to attend your church?

2.   Jesus never taught his followers to demand that their government make laws that enforce Christian beliefs and traditions. 

3.   Would Jesus have made opposition to a particular segment of society the centerpiece of his work on earth?  Today, many have come to associate Evangelical Christianity with opposition to Gay rights. Jesus, on the other hand, famously refused to condemn someone who was presented to him as being clearly in violation of a Jewish commandment.

4.   Does refraining from marrying someone of the same gender insure a person’s salvation?  If the mission of Christianity is to bring all to salvation, what is the point of insisting on laws that force non-believers conform to Christian practices? 

5.    Many gays who would like to marry their partners are sincere Christians.  It is easy to view gays as individuals who choose to defy God, but the truth is that many attend Christian churches, pray, give, and serve.  Larger cities often have churches that minister primarily to gays.  These believers read from the same Bible and sing many of the same hymns as believers in churches across the country.  Yet, leaders on the Christian right are in the habit of saying that those seeking same sex marriage are bringing God’s judgment on America.  Does this make sense?

6.   Judge Roy Moore has some surprising associations and backers.  Moore’s 2012 campaign was heavily financed (60% of campaign donations) by one individual (Michael Peroutka) who has frequently had to fend off charges of being a white-supremacist and who has close ties to a group which advocates that the southern states may need to withdraw from the United States.  In addition, the Mississippi KKK (Ku Klux Klan) has made a public statement in support of Moore’s efforts in Alabama to prohibit gay marriage.

7.   Are Christians going to someday regret having so ardently opposed gay marriage? Historically, Christianity has vehemently asserted a number of things that now seem absurd;  1) the earth is flat, not round 2) Slavery is an acceptable practice 3) Women should not be allowed to speak in church or vote in elections 4) Women must always cover their heads 5) men must not cut their beards 6) certain races are cursed by God 7) people are not to marry someone of another race, 8) People with mental illness are actually demon possessed, etc. If you come to the conclusion that an individual is gay by no choice of his/her own, then you must eventually accept that it is wrong to deny that person the rights that heterosexuals enjoy. 

I find it sad that many feel that in order to be a good Christian, they must follow Judge Moore's view in this matter.  By allowing gays to marry, government is not forcing anyone to violate their own beliefs nor is it denying non-gays of any of their rights.  This fight does not further Christian ideals and is not a worthy fight. 

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