January 14, 2004
With this regulation, I thee wed
The federal government has proven itself pretty good at doing things like building dams, fighting wars and managing air traffic around our airports. Does that mean they will do a good job promoting marriage?
Of course not. In fact, regulating interpersonal relationships is the area in which government is most ineffective -- easily thwarted and ignored at every turn, in fact. From homosexuality to underage sex to interracial relationships -- you name it, government regulation or promotion hasn't worked.
So if you're a social conservative who thinks the only diddling that should be allowed is that which occurs within the confines of a Southern Baptist marriage, you should be spending your time campaigning against federal marriage programs on the grounds it will backfire, creating thousands of athiest couples knockin' boots in broad daylight right in the middle of the street.
Sorta like our regulation of drugs.
Posted by rj3 at January 14, 2004 10:40 AM
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Comments
While Southern Baptists have long been serious fun-extinguishing wet blankets locally (note Texas' crazy quilt of liquor laws), the national level asshattery got its start in the late 70s/early 80s when the fundies took over the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Traditionally, there was no Southern Baptist Church, only the state and national-level conventions of individual congregations, and officially, this is still the case. The national convention had no power over who your congregation chose to be pastor; statements about men being the only ones God would choose to be pastors are very, very recent. Over my lifetime, though, it's sure started to feel like a large church, and I can understand why outsiders would mistake SBC for Southern Baptist Church rather than Southern Baptist Convention.
Which brings me to my point: what Southern Baptists a few decades ago would have been among the first to point out as government incursion into religious and personal life, they are probably now applauding. Devout, politically moderate/liberal Southern Baptists like my aunt are becoming increasingly disgusted, but love their own local congregations too much to leave.
Posted by: Amanda at January 14, 2004 2:47 PM