Why I voted 'No' on Prop 8

If you are a Catholic living in California, you have heard of "Prop 8". It is an amendment to the California Constitution intended to prohibit gay marriage. Much of the ordinary, including our Archbishop here in Los Angeles, was very supportive of it. On Tuesday, it passed. But not with my vote.

Based on what Rome has written on the matter, it should have been a no brainer:

"When political activity comes up against moral principles that do not admit of exception, compromise or derogation, the Catholic commitment becomes more evident and laden with responsibility. In the face of fundamental and inalienable ethical demands, Christians must recognize that what is at stake is the essence of the moral law, which concerns the integral good of the human person. This is the case with laws concerning... Analogously, the family needs to be safeguarded and promoted, based on monogamous marriage between a man and a woman, and protected in its unity and stability in the face of modern laws on divorce: in no way can other forms of cohabitation be placed on the same level as marriage, nor can they receive legal recognition as such." (emphasis added)

I admit, I have some doubts about our teaching.  As Theologian Lisa Sowle Cahill points out in her book "Family: A Christian Social Perspective", our modern concept of a 'traditional' family bears little resemblance to the family structures and social norms of New Testament times.  After reading works like Bruce Malina's "Windows on the World of Jesus: Time Travel to Ancient Judea", I would have to say that many of these changes have been for the better, moving us closer to the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels.

However, part of being a Catholic is accepting the Apostolic nature of the Church.  The Bishops, when they are in communion with the Pope,"are authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ" (LUMEN GENTIUM #25).  Even when I do not fully agree, I should strive to obey.  

So why did I vote no?  It is simple, if I had voted yes, I would not have been supporting 'the family', I would have simply been persecuting a minority.  It is not that I do not agree that the family should be protected and fostered, it is just that I do not see our modern concept of marriage as being even remotely related to the Catholic sacrament.

Others may feel differently, and I respect that, but when 50% of marriages end in divorce and premarital and extramarital sex are the widely accepted, and even glamorized norm, it is hard for me to wring my hands and wail about the 'threat' of a small segment of the population wanting to form similar social structures.  Even if I could perceive an actual threat, it would seem hypocritical of me to focus on that one threat while remaining tolerant of so many others.

Think about it.  John McCain's first wife raised his children alone while he was a captive in Vietnam.  But after she was in a horrible car accident and lost her looks (along with some of her height and almost her life), he dumped her for a younger, wealthier woman.  A woman who, clearly, was willing to engage in an extra marital affair with him.  They began planning their wedding before his divorce was even final.

John McCain's current marriage is hardly in keeping with our Sacrament.  But I do not recall anyone asserting that he is not in a 'traditional' marriage, or that his disregard for the our idea of marriage and family disqualifies him from public office.  His current wife often spoke in public on his behalf during the recent campaign and I do not recall any of the women who held "Yes on 8" signs near my office protesting her appearances with shouts of "Jezebel!"

My point is not to pick on poor John McCain (or his heiress 'trophy wife').  My point is merely that if I were to focus on the tiny and remote (for me) issue of homosexual marriage before addressing the larger and more pressing attacks I see every day, I would not be doing so to protect my marriage, or that of my neighbors.  I would be doing it to hurt gay people.  Hurting people, even under the lip service of promoting the common good, does not meet the standards of my own 'moral conscience' for upholding the faith.

This is not to say that I would pass judgement on other Catholics.  I am just saying that I could not convince myself that I would be acting in good faith.