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Letters to the Editor

Marriage, pregnancy are private matters, not for public to decide

FILE - In this June 26, 2015 file photo, the crowd celebrates outside of the Supreme Court in Washington after the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the U.S. A brief exchange during Supreme Court arguments in the same-sex marriage case has exploded into a full-blown crisis for some conservatives who warn that the IRS could start revoking the tax-exempt status of religious groups that oppose gay marriage. The attorneys general of 15 states have written Congress asking for legislation to protect religious schools and other groups. Bills in the House and Senate are gaining support.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - In this June 26, 2015 file photo, the crowd celebrates outside of the Supreme Court in Washington after the court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the U.S. A brief exchange during Supreme Court arguments in the same-sex marriage case has exploded into a full-blown crisis for some conservatives who warn that the IRS could start revoking the tax-exempt status of religious groups that oppose gay marriage. The attorneys general of 15 states have written Congress asking for legislation to protect religious schools and other groups. Bills in the House and Senate are gaining support.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Jacquelyn Martin AP

Not surprising about the election was the evangelical influence on the outcome. If Christians hadn’t voted for Trump in droves, he couldn’t possibly have won. So why were evangelicals enticed to vote for the least popular, least qualified and most controversial candidate in history? The answer was trumpeted in churches across America — to take ownership of marriage and abortion rights.

While ignoring Trump’s embarrassing, prolific dysfunctions, many churches focused only upon intruding into these immensely private issues. Who one loves is nobody’s business. Legislating over others’ relationships is intrusive, irrational and accomplishes nothing.

Gay marriage has been proven innocuous in Massachusetts for 12 years despite the church’s mendacious predictions of cataclysm. Professing that gay marriage harms anyone is ludicrous as it affects nobody. Marriage ceremonies are irrelevant to the standpoint of being married.

Denying abortion rights is intrusive. One can argue terminating a pregnancy is intrusive, but denying women and gays rights begs questions: What gives anyone the right or authority to make decisions for others? Why should a stranger’s pregnancy or sexuality be of anyone’s concern? What makes these issues anyone’s business?

Being pregnant is an immensely complicated and personal condition for any woman. Facing multiple complicated circumstances and consequences, there is only one person qualified to make any decision concerning a pregnancy — the person who is at the center of it. Decisions of abortion and marriage cannot belong to the public at large, especially only for religious reasons as they have no consequence to the public.

Being anti-abortion and anti-gay doesn’t give anyone the right or authority to make decisions for other people. We can argue about the rights of the unborn, but if we are unwilling to let strangers decide how we raise our children or who we can love, it’s because it’s nobody’s business but our own.

Gerrard Wilbur

Bradenton

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Marriage, pregnancy are private matters, not for public to decide."

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