I'm a pusher

... a button pusher, that is. With some people, I get a small thrill out of making scandalous comments to get a rise out of them. A bit sadistic? Perhaps. This "hobby" of mine sometimes extends to my relationship with my parents. Since going to college, my values and worldview has vastly diverged from their Chinese American Immigrant Silicon Valley Christian Republican Conservative Right Wing views.

Unless you've been living in a hole somewhere, you know that California has been granting marriage licenses to gay couples this week. I informed my mom that a childhood friend was among those wed in San Francisco. After answering questions along the lines of how did she get like that she noted that it was important that we vote against this law come November.

I replied that I hadn't decided which way I would vote yet. This was the truth - I wasn't saying this just to get my mom all P.I.A.B. (panties in a bunch to those who didn't read my old blog). I guess I have been living away from home too long because I wasn't prepared for her response. She was incredulous that a Christian would even have to consider such things. She declared that God was against this so it was a no brainer. She wanted to know what InterVarsity would think knowing I had such opinions (let me remind you that my opinion was that I had no opinion yet).

I honestly have a really hard time when it comes to the law. I don't believe there is always a Christian response to any topic, and it's rare that I meet people who don't vote with double standards. When it comes to this gay marriage stuff, I struggle with people being up in arms about protecting the sanctity of marriage because of how divorce is treated in America. If we understand what God says about marriage and divorce in Scripture, why don't we have laws that make it harder for people to get married and divorced? Why can't we make people take a test to get their marriage license? We have tests for driver's licenses, don't we? It makes me think something else is behind the Christian response to gay marriage other than it being the right thing to do.

I find laws surrounding hot topics complicated and I don't think being a Christian always points to a "right" answer. Abortion, poverty, the environment, taxation, the economy, education, violence... these are all issues we have to deal with because of how messed up people are. I want to think thoroughly about these things, mull over it, and understand the implications before making any final decisions. I guess in some ways, I think that is the Christian response.

I have a feeling this post outs me as a flaming liberal or something of the sort.