The GOP on sodomite marriage

There is currently some judicial and political momentum for sodomite marriage. Some Republicans are trying to shift the GOP in favor of sodomite marriage. Jump on the bandwagon.

i) Since the GOP is not a Christian denomination, it has no intrinsic moral core. The identity of the GOP is determined by many different, sometimes conflicting, participants, viz. Republican voters, Republican politicians, ideological activists, think-tanks, party bosses, pollsters, preachers, pundits, campaign managers, campaign consultants.

ii) Whenever the Republican establishment runs a “moderate” candidate and loses, the lesson which the Republican establishment takes from the loss is the need to move to the center and run more “moderate” candidates.

iii) Making the GOP support sodomite marriage wouldn’t even be good political pragmatism. It would drive away more voters than it brought into the party.

iv) There’s always this statistical fiction about how the younger generation is more liberal than the older generation; hence, there’s a liberal trend. What that overlooks is that the younger generation tends to become more conservative as young voters assume adult responsibilities.

v) Some Republican politicians have no concept of principled dissent. They operate with the if-you-can’t-beat-‘em-join-‘em philosophy.

Now, suppose for the sake of argument, that sodomite marriage is inevitable. Suppose opposition to sodomite marriage is a lost cause. That doesn’t mean you should switch from opposing it to backing it.

Virtue begins with ourselves. Personal virtue. It’s preferable if we can promote social virtues. Have public policies that encourage social virtue and discourage social vice. It’s good to influence others for good when and where we can.

If, however, you and I can’t stem the tide, that doesn’t mean we should go with the flow. For you and I are still responsible for our individual fidelity. Even if we lack control over what other do, we retain control over our own beliefs and conduct. If need be, we are called to swim against the current. If the majority washes down stream and over the waterfall, that’s their fate. You don’t have to join them.

Take Christian persecution. When Christians are out of power, when Christians are in the minority, you don’t cease to be a Christian, even if that puts you on the losing team. You are still answerable to God.

Even if we grant, for the sake of argument, that the GOP can’t effectively prevent legal and national recognition of sodomite-marriage, that doesn’t mean the GOP should give up supporting traditional marriage and swing around behind sodomite marriage. In that event, we should remain a prophetic voice of principled dissent.

vi) Of course, to say the GOP should throw its support behind sodomite marriage because that’s inevitable is, at best, circular, and, at worst, a self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough people do something because they see other people doing it, then they make it inevitable by their imitative behavior. If you take your foot off the brakes and put your foot on the accelerator, then, by definition, it’s unstoppable.

vii) Some cultures are prone to social fads. Even if that represents a popular or influential wave of opinion, the public quickly tires of the latest social fad. The public is fickle. Opinion-makers are always on the lookout for a new social fad to promote. The opinion-makers are easily bored.