Yesterday's Washington Post reported that President Obama has extended hospital visitation rights to same-sex partners. Although this may surprise some people reading this article, I don't have a problem with that--as long as he extends the same rights to heterosexual partners that are not married. I don't support gay marriage--I feel there is a potential that if gay marriage is legal, we will trample the conscience rights of pastors who believe in the Bible. I do think, however, that compassion requires visitation rights to people who have lived together and made a commitment to each other--gay or straight.
The problem with legalizing gay marriage is the question of what happens when a pastor who believes the Bible condemns homosexuality refuses to marry a same-sex couple. Does he have a right of conscience to refuse to perform that marriage? Does a photographer who believes the Biblical position on homosexuality have the right to refuse to take pictures? Could we honor everyone's rights by allowing civil unions and not involving the church? I don't claim to have the answers to these questions--I bring them up simply to make the point that this is a very complex issue, and we need to find a way to protect the rights of as many people as possible.
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