I know. I’m sorry.

When you saw this post come up on your news feed, you probably thought, “Oh no! Not another preachy manifesto on the moral implications of same-sex marriage. Why does everyone with Internet access suddenly think they are the second coming of Frederick Douglass?”

Or perhaps you’re thinking that if you have to see one more red equals sign on Facebook, you might just go ahead and strangle somebody.

If either of the above categories represents how you’re feeling, that’s totally fine. I get it. I’m just about there myself, to be honest. Here’s the good news: I’m not going to add my own two cents—at least not right now. If you are interested in what I have to say, I have already written some of my own thoughts on same-sex marriage here and here.

Though these issues regarding same-sex marriage are important for Christians to understand and wrestle with, there also comes a point where it hits you all at once and you just need a break. So feel free to check out of the discussion for a little bit.

Put on a movie. Go for a walk. Read a book. Learn a language. Live your life and be happy! You don’t need to stay glued to your computer or television screen, worrying yourself silly about what the U.S. Supreme Court will decide. It’s okay to pull the plug for a while. But make sure you come back at some point. You can’t ignore this stuff forever.

For those who are interested in staying engaged right now, allow me to point you to some good resources for helping Christians think well about how to approach the same-sex marriage discussion with compassion, intelligence, and biblical faithfulness. I have read all of these articles this week and have found them helpful in my own thinking and discussions with others. Both of these articles deal with the causes and effects of professed Christians supporting gay marriage. Here they are:

 

Why the Arguments for Gay Marriage are Persuasive

Kevin DeYoung discusses five reasons why the arguments in favor of same-sex marriage are persuasive for many Americans, including young evangelicals.

 

When Did Idolatry Become Compatible with Christianity?

Joe Carter considers explores the current trend of evangelicals supporting same-sex marriage due to an idolatrous allegiance to the American ideal of civil liberty. Essentially, Carter argues that some Christians are in danger of abandoning biblical faithfulness for the sake of protecting the American way.

 

Note: If you are not familiar with The Gospel Coalition, you should be. The Gospel Coalition is a network of Christian thinkers that aims to equip evangelical with resources for thinking well about issues related to gospel ministry, the church, current events, and pop culture. You can check out their online resources here.