Standing on the Side of Love

I just signed my first Conch Republic marriage license.  It was such a pleasure to add my signature to a license which is granted to all couples in love who wish to solemnize their relationship in a public way.  The two men whose lives have intertwined over a number of year, standing on a strip of sand where earth, air, water, and sun meet, spoke words of commitment as deep and moving as any other married couple.  I was honored to offer the blessing of spirit to the occasion as I knew for these two people this was not only a physical but also a spiritual union.

Now, note I did not say I signed a State of Florida marriage license.  Florida is held in the grips of extreme prejudice, hatred, and manufactured fear where we could uphold acceptance, love, and faith.  The religious "right" (they think they are the only ones right) made rejection of acceptance, love, and faith a cornerstone of their efforts in the most recent election.  Wait a minute!  I thought that the essence of the Abrahamic tradition was acceptance, love, and faith.  I guess I got that wrong. 

I also thought that the Realm of Heaven, the idealized state of being toward which we would all strive, was beyond the limits of the physical, so it was more a state of mind, a concept of being, cleansed of the impurities of separation, hate, and worry.  

So, it is puzzling that the State of Florida which identifies itself so thoroughly by physical and legal boundaries tries to define something as spiritual as marriage. By contrast, the Conch Republic says it is a "state of mind" which seems much more conducive to having something relevant to say about marriage.  And for them, marriage is about love, and commitment, and responsibility, not about sex and gender roles. 

A State of Mind Standing on the Side of Love.