My Generation’s Civil Rights Movement

The Who had a song which was a hit many moons ago, titled "My Generation". In it, they sought to vindicate their generation's problems in the eyes of others. This article most definitely does not have that purpose.
Let me tell you a little bit about my generation. Meet "Generation Y". We are often also called "the Millennials". There are also probably a few other names that I'm not even aware of. Some would argue that our generation made some improvements over the last one, but that's yet to be seen.

One major part of my generation's experience is the movement to streamline homosexuality. I can remember watching Nickelodeon and seeing Rosie O'Donnell from a very early age. She was in children's movies like Harriet the Spy. Think about the impact that it had on people my age to find out that someone you had watched as a young child was… gay. What message did that send my generation? In some way that made it seem more okay, right? Look at how she now is one of the staunchest advocates for homosexual "rights" of anyone. I grew up watching her, and so did many in my generation.

I can also remember the shockwaves that went around the world when Ellen DeGeneres "came out of the closet" on TV. Now I never watched Ellen growing up, but I'm aware of the impact that all of that had. It suddenly became fashionable during my generation to "come out" and be "openly gay".

Another thing that changed as I grew up was the acceptance of more and more homosexual content into mainstream television. The same year Ellen "came out" another TV show made waves. I can remember how it was a shock to the world to see two women (or men kissing) on Ally McBeal (which I didn't watch, by the way). Because of that event, and others like it, same sex lip-locking soon became commonplace, and is "no big deal" anymore.

The meaning of many words changed well before our time, like the words "gay" or "queer". I can remember seeing a children's book with the word "queer" in the title and my mother telling me that it's not a good word to use in today's time. So many things changed just before or during my generation's days of childhood.

With all of that in mind, what I heard this morning on the radio really made me shiver. Is it any wonder that things are the way they are today?

I was listening to local talk radio and the discussion was about "man-gagement" rings (men's engagement rings) and tradition. I wasn't paying too much attention until a particular guy, sounding very obviously young, called in. This is what he said (to the best of my memory):

"I just can't agree with anyone entering into an institution which discriminates against people. I wouldn't go into a restaurant or a bar that doesn't let black people in. Why would I ever enter into an institution that doesn't let gay people in? It's just bad for business."

Since it wasn't exactly clear to me (or the host for that matter) what he meant, the host pressed him further for his thoughts:

"I'm talking about marriage! I don't think its fair to let others do something that my gay friends can't do. How could we ever look at one of God's children and treat them unequally. I think it's my generation's civil rights movement [to support gays' right to marry, D.H.]."

It turns out that this man is heterosexual. The host then asked him his age: 26. He's in my generation. He's someone that I could have gone to high school with. What happened to us? Who is to blame?

I'm not going to pass blame around. It could be that the parents of the previous generation just didn't raise their kids to hold strong convictions of what is right and what is wrong (remember, they were "Generation X"), but that could be said of almost any generation. At some point, though, we become responsible for our own actions (Ezekiel 18:20).

Besides, what an (and I write this as kindly as possible) ignorant and absurd comparison this is to the civil rights movement. Men and women devoted and sometimes gave their lives to fight for the recognition of this principle – "God shows no partiality" (cf. Acts 10:34), especially when it comes to race and nationality (Romans 1:16, Galatians 3:28). How could we show "partiality"? The civil rights movement is an entirely different subject (its own problems and all). The argument could also be made that marriage is not a right, but rather it is a privilege reserved for those who meet the qualifications (even for heterosexuals). But that's for another time.

The point is this: homosexuality may be paraded around as an "alternative lifestyle" (it is a choice, cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), but it is a lifestyle of sin the same way that a drug addict or a drunkard sins. In all fairness, legalizing gay "marriage" is the same as legalizing the sale of illicit drugs, or allowing drunks to drive. It's feeding into the desires of a sin. Why is the problem so clear in those cases, but blurred for many when it comes to homosexuality?

If people are willing to hold this kind of disdain for God's plan for the home, what can the church expect in the future? For the moment I will leave you with the bone chilling words of the Spirit inspired apostle Paul in Romans 1:26-27:

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26-27 ESV)