"Chicken Little" Christians

You may remember the childhood story of Chicken Little who had all the animals in an uproar because an acorn fell on its head and was convinced the sky was falling. Chicken Little was only following a duty to warn and keep the rest of the community safe, but had missed the reality of what was happening. Actually the acorn falling was a perfectly natural thing that didn’t have any negative impact, in spite of the little chick’s unfounded fears.

There are some bigger Chicken Littles who are starting an uproar again, and, once again, they are missing the point all-together. A group of self-identified Christian groups and some rather powerful politicians are trying to stop gays and lesbians from having the right to marry. Interestingly, the United States is one of the only civilized governments moving in this direction, when most are moving toward recognizing same-sex unions in some way or another. Right now, same-sex partners do not have the entire list of benefits given to opposite sex couples by the Federal government. Yet, some are trying to take away a right that doesn’t exist. How absurd!

The Christian Coalition, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Eagle Forum are among more than two-dozen Chicken Little Christian organizations fighting for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in the United States. The groups have declared the week beginning Oct. 12 as "Marriage Protection Week." Poor Chicken Little was misguided and scared, one must wonder about the motivations and prejudices of these modern Chicken Littles who seem to only want to persecute others because they are different. Claiming to be Christian, they miss Christ’s teaching of love and acceptance, it would appear.

Sandy Rios, a spokesperson for Concerned Women for America said to the Associated Press, "We want to make sure that homosexual marriage is not legal in this country This is the very underpinning of civilization. If we remove those foundations, our entire civilization will come crumbling down."

Doesn’t she sound just like Chicken Little? Does she and her religious and political cohorts really think that the majority of people will choose to be in homosexual relationships if it is made legal? That would be the only logical justification for her argument. No doubt some would feel less persecuted and be able to admit their sexuality, but it is practically impossible that the majority would do so. It hasn’t happened in any society that openly accepted homosexual relationships as equal to heterosexual ones before. The facts simply don’t line up.

This outcry comes when the evidence is growing that sexual orientation is an inherited trait that is part of our genetic makeup. A study just released as a joint effort of the University of East London and the Psychiatric institute showed significant differences in the limbic system of the brain depending on one’s sexual orientation. They used involuntary responses to loud noises to measure the differences since it can’t be faked, and comes from the same section of the brain that one’s sexual desire comes from. This study affirms what millions of sexual minorities have known all along from experience. No one chooses to be gay or lesbian. Sexual orientation is hard-wired.

Just as Chicken Little’s acorn was a perfectly natural part of life that the little chick had no reason to fear, so also is one’s sexual orientation. It is a part of God’s naturally diverse world to be embraced. Would that the religious folks who are in an uproar would pay attention to all the evidence to the contrary and let nature take its course. The acorn falling from the tree is not to be feared but appreciated. The gay or lesbian who wants to live in commitment to her or his partner is to be appreciated as well.