Myths that Led to the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

A printable, one-page PDF file listing all eighteen myths is available here.

Part 1: Myths Relating to the Courts, Government, Law, and the US Constitution
A shorter version of this article (without an introductory illustration) is available here.

- Myth #1: Marriage is a government construct over which government and government alone has oversight.
- Myth #2: The federal government, especially through its court system, has absolute authority over marriage.
- Myth #3: The government bestows rights; therefore, the government can take them away.
- Myth #4: The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of disputes in the United States.

Part 2: Myths Relating to Male-Female Differences, Procreation, Parenting, and the Absence of a Mother or Father in Every Home Run by a Same-Sex Couple

- Myth #5: Sex differences are absolutely meaningless in marriage.
- Myth #6: The fact that procreation occurs naturally only through heterosexual intercourse has nothing to do with marriage and the family.
- Myth #7: Sex differences are absolutely meaningless in parenting.
- Myth #8: Marriage is really all about adults—not children.

Part 3: A Myth Relating to Sexuality and Procreation

- Myth #9: Marriage has more to do with sexual pleasure and emotional ties than producing children.

Part 4: Myths About Race and Racism

- Myth #10: The denial of marriage to same-sex couples is akin to the denial of civil rights to blacks during the Jim Crow era.
- Myth #11: The denial of marriage to same-sex couples is akin to denying interracial couples marriage.

Part 5: Myths About Discrimination and Equality

- Myth #12: All discrimination is bad and must be criminalized.
- Myth #13: Equality for gays with regard to marriage will be achieved only when discrimination preventing gays from marrying each other is eliminated.

Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8: The “Live and Let Live” Myth

- Myth #14: Same-sex marriage has implications for the same-sex couple only, and not for others.

- In part 6 we discuss the implications of same-sex marriage for society at large.
- In part 7 we highlight how institutions are being affected, especially the church.
- In part 8 we consider how same-sex marriage is upending the institution of the family.

Part 9: Myths About Homosexuality

- Myth #15: Homosexuality is on par with heterosexuality.
- Myth #16: Homosexuality is primarily an identity, not a behavior.

Part 10: Myths About Absolute Truth and the Resulting Responsibility of Government

- Myth #17: Absolute truth does not exist.
- Myth #18: Because absolute truth does not exist, government can manipulate the meaning of marriage to mean whatever it deems appropriate.

Related series:

The Christmas Story teaches us many things, including the often-overlooked truth in our day that every child needs both a mom and a dad.

Holy Family with Bird, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1650

This two-part series explores various aspects of Mary’s role as Jesus’ mother, and of Joseph’s role as His father by adoption. Hopefully, this series will help Christians better understand the need of every child to have two opposite-sex parents—ideally his or her own biological mom and dad. This isn’t always possible in the world in which we live, but that reality never should keep us from upholding the ideal.

Every Child Needs a Mom and Dad—and so Did Jesus, Part 1: Mary

Every Child Needs a Mom and Dad—and so Did Jesus, Part 2: Joseph