Church and State, Marriage and Marriage

Politicians, like all humans, gravitate towards people that hold similar beliefs. It appears that religious values are much more polarizing than political values, and we have seen politicians slowly move towards those of similar religious values in Washington.

The Republican Party used to stand for small federal government with powerful state governments, and the Democratic Party believed in larger federal government influence. Within these parties, members debated various issues regarding religion and values. This allowed party members with similar beliefs to work together in government across party lines on issues of religious values, and within their party on issues based in political perspective.

Today it is nearly impossible for cross-party collaboration thanks to political alignment along religious lines. The only pro here is that politicians have gravitated towards those with similar beliefs, proof that they are indeed still human.

The brilliant marketing work of the Republican Party building their positioning upon religious values hasn’t helped. True, the Republican Party holds traditional values when it comes to abortion and gay marriage, but it is the Democratic Party that believes in funding programs that serve the less fortunate. The Republican Party may hold more steadfast to the values of the bible, but it appears the Democratic Party is more effective at doing God’s work among the poor.

Gay marriage is a particularly troublesome topic. Controversy is built into the very nature of marriage, hence the need for two ceremonies. Married couples receive benefits from the state, and the state must issue an official license of marriage under the guard of two witnesses. Yet the rituals of marriage are held in the halls of religious tradition, where a religious leader conducts a traditional marriage ceremony among friends and family. Like so many challenges in Washington today, the true struggle of gay marriage is one of separating church and state.

Let's separate: The state provides civil unions and the benefits associated with a civil union to all citizens, and the title of marriage is left to religion where it began.