If that's the mindset you're coming from, then this discussion is doomed. I doubt there's much point in me trying to dissuade you from that belief. Understand, though, that I disagree with you on a fundamental level. And I really, really wish you hadn't brought that word in. I'd hoped to maintain a higher level of civility.
The problem is that "sin" is subjective, and something as subjective as that should not be the basis of political policy. Not in this country. If we were a theocracy, sure -- but we're not. I consider starting a war pretty freaking un-Christian, and I consider denying somebody health insurance the antithesis of "love thy neighbor," and I consider the condoning of torture to be against everything in the New Testament, but I wouldn't use religious rhetoric to try to argue for or against policy change. I might appeal to basic humanity: eg, I might argue for stricter DUI laws because putting other people in harm's way is just not the act of a decent human being, whatever religion they or I or the policy makers are. But I wouldn't argue that there should be stricter DUI laws because drinking is a sin.
That's not an exact analogy at all, obviously, but it's not meant to be, so.
Okay, I've never been so in love that I wanted to marry someone. I'm twenty-freaking-one and I'd never even kissed anyone until this summer. But I'll tell you this, from falling in crush over and over and over: when I hug my friends, I don't get butterflies in my stomach. When I hug my crushes? I do. I don't feel the desire to kiss my friends. And I don't imagine falling asleep in their arms. So yeah, for me, romantic love is very much tied into physical desire. It's also very tied into advanced-friend love, you're right -- but it's definitely not the same thing.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-11-19 09:13 pm (UTC)The problem is that "sin" is subjective, and something as subjective as that should not be the basis of political policy. Not in this country. If we were a theocracy, sure -- but we're not. I consider starting a war pretty freaking un-Christian, and I consider denying somebody health insurance the antithesis of "love thy neighbor," and I consider the condoning of torture to be against everything in the New Testament, but I wouldn't use religious rhetoric to try to argue for or against policy change. I might appeal to basic humanity: eg, I might argue for stricter DUI laws because putting other people in harm's way is just not the act of a decent human being, whatever religion they or I or the policy makers are. But I wouldn't argue that there should be stricter DUI laws because drinking is a sin.
That's not an exact analogy at all, obviously, but it's not meant to be, so.
Okay, I've never been so in love that I wanted to marry someone. I'm twenty-freaking-one and I'd never even kissed anyone until this summer. But I'll tell you this, from falling in crush over and over and over: when I hug my friends, I don't get butterflies in my stomach. When I hug my crushes? I do. I don't feel the desire to kiss my friends. And I don't imagine falling asleep in their arms. So yeah, for me, romantic love is very much tied into physical desire. It's also very tied into advanced-friend love, you're right -- but it's definitely not the same thing.