We live in a world where the word sin has lots of connotations and has become a pejorative word where society builds a scale of sins and some are acceptable and others not... we see that most clearly in our justice system where transgressions against society are on a sliding scale...
However, the concept of sin is a simple one - it is about doing what 'I' want, not what God wants (a common reminder is that SIN has 'I' in the middle) - so with any debate like this, it is important to ask several questions:
- What does God want?
- What do I want - does that include pleasing God?
- Do I even believe in God?
If someone has no belief in God, then the concept of sin is an irrelevance - all that stands between that belief and anarchy is a common human or humanist code of what is right - and this is something which changes over time - so on that basis, how society determines right or wrong is the correct basis for deciding what you can / can't do - and society has become more liberal, so more is acceptable...
Society is now at the stage where as long as a vocal minority want to do something then it becomes an 'ism' and you are not allowed to disagree with them - there is a slippery slope there if society is not careful, because at a philosophical level it allows virtually anything - and then we are back to anarchy... However the 'soft line' in the sand seems to currently be that:
- if a vocal minority group accepts it
- and it doesn't affect others
then it should be allowed - whatever it might be...
so society no longer has a basis of a constant moral code / ethic - it is fluctuating and developing, and in some places that might be good - and in others perhaps not - each person's perspective will be different...
However...
If you do believe in God then there is something else to consider - that God has a framework which is how He would prefer you to live - a framework demonstrated by Jesus Christ in how he lived as both man and Son of God. That means that there is a constant which has been there for over 2,000 years and which is unchanging, and clearly explained.
God's desire is simple, for us to build an eternal relationship with Him - and in doing that to seek what He wants of us day to day...
In that framework it is very clear, marriage is a God-ordained institution between a man and a woman, there is no space for an alternative view.
So on that basis there is a choice (and God gives all of us choice every day) - a choice to orientate your focus towards God and look to do what is pleasing to God, or a choice to place that focus on ourselves - the 'I' in SIN - it is a choice we all make every day, and a choice we make 100s of times a day - and a choice which no doubt most of us get wrong on many many occasions!
So the statement from the House of Bishops is simply an observation on God's stated way of living - that is not condemnatory of those who choose otherwise, it is simply to say that if your decision in life is to live focused on God, then that is not compatible with the concept of marriage being anything other than between a man and a woman. But as much as God allows people to have a choice, so as Christians we must allow others to have a choice - and it is as valid for someone to choose differently as to choose the same - that is freedom of choice, and as Christians we should respect that ability to make that choice...
However...
- that does not mean that the Church should change what it is to include those choices - at the very core of Christianity is the Bible and its teachings and it would be totally inappropriate to change those teachings
- if someone wishes to come to God and follow Christ then the core of that is choosing God's way, not their own and that means that marriage in those circumstances could not be same sex. Yes they might have homosexual inclinations, but the choice there is abstinence, not changing the definition of Christianity / the teachings of the Bible. You don't come to God on your own terms, you do so on His terms and they are very clear... If someone doesn't like that then they have a choice to do their own thing - that is a valid choice, as Christians we would believe that the Bible teaches that can have eternal consequences - but if someone is a non-Christian and doesn't believe in life after death then those consequences are really rather irrelevant!
- why should someone have the right to tell me / other Christians that we have to change the Bible to fit their desired way of life? If it were any other religion it would be considered religious persecution / racist, but because the CofE is seen as a white male establishment organisation it is okay... really?!
The issue we have here is that some people want everything (back to the I at the center). They want to 'be Christians' / have eternal life / be in Heaven / do it all on their terms - they take societal processes and believe that God /the Bible should change to suit the way they now think - but they will have a shock coming - it is a non-discussion, quite simply it is black and white and non-moveable, God is eternal and his message of salvation isn't one for negotiation and compromise, so it is what it is... Ultimately you could pass as many laws as you want telling the CofE that it must say x or y or z, or do something not in accord with the Bible - it will make no difference, God is - eternal, unchanging, divine...
so anyone can have whatever marriage they want - God allows choice, but lets not pretend that it is necessarily God's way of living, it isn't, we don't have to like that, but it is not a human construct, it just is how God has presented His approach to life through the Bible - if you don't believe in that / accept God's existence then it is an irrelevant discussion - do what you want - however if you do accept God / Bible, then it is not up for negotiation...
And those who do not accept God's direction have no right to tell those who do to change the Bible.