Sing You Home

Today I'm not going to post a picture because I want to actually blog about a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. I know not everyone reading this will agree with my viewpoint and that's okay. I welcome any type of discussion as long as it doesn't turn mean and hateful.

Jodi Picoult is known for writing about controversial issues and her latest book, "Sing You Home" does not disappoint.

Zoe and Max Baxter suffered years of infertility. After Zoe has two miscarriages and delivers a stillborn son, she finds herself divorced and all alone.

After finding new love with a woman, they go to Massachussettes to legally marry. During their honeymoon they decide to have a baby with the embryos that are at a fertility clinic. The embryos belong to her and her ex-husband. In order to use the embryos, Zoe's ex-husband must sign them over to his ex-wife and so begins the controversy.

Is gay marriage okay?
I have several gay friends and a few gay family members. Most of my gay friends have been in long term committed relationships longer than my heterosexual friends. They have gone to other states so their marriage can be recognized. Some of them have said they don't really care if it's called marriage or not; they just want the same benefits of same sex marriages (healthcare, retirement benefits, life insurance benefits, power of attorney, etc.) I just think it's a shame that two people who have been together for 20+ years are not entitled to ANYTHING if something happens to their partner. What about divorce? What about it I ask? Heterosexual couples get divorced all the time. They are able to split their assets up and settle everything in court. Why can't gay couples do the same thing if they divorce? If you don't want to call it marriage due to Biblical reason, call it something else. Just pass a law so gay people can have the same benefits as same sex marriages.

Are you born gay or is it a choice?
My husband and I have debated this many times. I haven't read a lot of research on this subject and I know I'm in the minority with what people believe. I just know what my heart tells me and that is yes, I believe people are born gay. Picoult writes a compelling piece on both arguments and I've said for many years exactly what Picoult wrote in her book. Nobody would choose to be gay. Nobody would choose to live day in and day out under such scrutiny gay people live under. Nobody would choose to live a life where they are hated so much.

I also realize people can become confused and not really know what they totally desire. And for those people, I would say they need to seek counseling to see what their issues are. But there are those people who I have no doubt from day one they knew they were gay.

Is being gay a sin? Yes. But aren't we all sinners? I've recently started reading Christian fiction books by Francine Rivers. One of the things I've realized after reading her books is that adultry, domestic and child abuse, prostitution, etc have been around since the biblical days. I don't think one sin is more sinful than another. I know many people who are alcoholics or have committed adultry and it's not up to me to judge their choices. Just like it's not my place to judge a gay person. I wasn't born gay, but if my children or grandchildren told me they were gay I would love them just the same and pray a lot because the road ahead of them will be a hard one for them.

Should gay couple be able to have children? ABSOLUTELY!!!! My oldest daughter had a friend in kindergarten who is being raised by lesbian parents. I received a lot of heat letting my daughter go over to their house to have have sleepovers with their daughter. Both of these women have wonderful jobs, they are hard working women who are building a home for their daughter, they both have great extended family who they love and who support them 100%. To my knowledge there are no issues of drug abuse or alcholism. I don't know about you, but I can't say that for all of my daughter's friends who have straight parents. I can think of about 5 families right off the bat that I would not allow my daughter to spend the night with. And I have even been called out by one of those families. Even though my daughter no longer goes to school with her kindergarten friend, we still run into her and her moms on a regular basis. My husband and I always hug them and welcome their friendship. Their daughter is CRAZY about boys which dispells the notion that if you are raised by a gay couple, you'll become gay.

Okay...I'm done with my rant. I still have many opinions on this subject and I would encourage you to read Sing You Home.