Some group I’ve never heard of is asking that the next Vice President be a ‘True Christian’, given that neither Presidential candidate counts, apparently. It brings up the old whine about marriage again, unsurprisingly:
The group isn’t suggesting names but is citing criteria for a perfect candidate, including that it be someone who is against abortion and for defining marriage as “a union between one man and one woman.” It plans to send the petition to the presidential candidates.
I don’t like that definition particularly, but part of my dislike is because it’s so wishy-washy. Historically marriage hasn’t been like that in many places and times, so what these loons are using isn’t historical precedent but their religious teaching. That’s fine, I guess, but if you’re going to commit to these things then you should commit:
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Matthew 5:31-32
So marriage is between one man and one woman for life. And don’t think that you can get away with adultery:
And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 20:9-11*
Worryingly even not getting divorced doesn’t seem to be much protection there:
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:27-28
That’s a pretty tall standard to live up to there. Or to quote a less Biblical scholar, Tony Hancock, “Stone me!”
*Yes I know, Christ’s arrival allowed us to put away some of the excesses of Old Testament behaviour, so we can just revile adulterers rather than actually killing them.