Roger E. Olson Asks About Solidarity

Someone asked me for my thoughts on challenge posed by Roger E. Olson that I found here at patheos.com. Olson has a question for supporters of the same-gender freedom to marry...

What purely rational or religious-based reasons can be given for continuing to criminalize “plural marriage” or to deny marriage licenses to groups?

Now, just to stave off an avalanche or even a trickle of comments based on misunderstanding. I am not here discussing the ethics of gay marriage, so do not respond as if I were. I am only asking advocates of gay marriage how they would argue against, if at all, legal plural marriage. And by “plural marriage” here I am only talking about arrangements where all the parties to it are knowledgeable, free adults and where there is no abuse or coercion.

He asks again...

What ethical or legal arguments would you, who advocate and support gay marriage, give for continuing to prohibit plural marriage?

He goes for full marriage equality by asking...

Then, let’s take it a step further. Image a biological brother and sister who wish to be legally married. One or both of them will undergo voluntary sterilization to avoid the possibility of having children (who might have serious birth defects as a result). They can prove to the government that they cannot have biological children, but they plan to adopt. To those who advocate and defend gay marriage, which is the same as saying redefine marriage from its traditional definition, what rational or purely religious arguments can you give for prohibiting such a marriage? If such a couple sues for a marriage license, what reasoning should a judge use (if at all) to deny their claim?

As a supporter of the same-gender freedom to marry, my answer is that I don't want any adults to be prohibited from marrying. I support full marriage equality. I don't have an invisible asterisk. There is no good reason to deny full marriage equality.

Olson is asking a good question that I hope will encourage solidarity. We should not only support the same-gender freedom to marry, but the polygamous freedom to marry and the consanguineous freedom to marry, which are all part of full marriage equality. Let's not throw anyone under the bus. Equality is not something to be feared.