Recently editorial by Bishop Keith Butler, a pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center Church from www.wordoffaith-icc.org titled an editorial in the Detroit Newspaper titled “Keep defining marriage as between man, woman” 

A few simple comparisons are all that is needed to show the ignorance and bigotry in Keith Butler’s editorial on same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general.

He states references to the beginning of creation, God, and sacred relationships as though marriage has not changed over time. He ignores the reality that some religions such as Reform Judaism now allow same-sex marriage. More importantly he ignores the fact that within a short time span he was not allowed to marry outside of his race. 

If we were to use an 1828 Webster’s Dictionary for today’s world there would be no concept of African-American civil rights, and I’m sure the definitions of race would today be considered extremely offensive. 

Marriage is changing. Inter-racial and inter-faith marriage are now allowed, these changes affect both religious marriage and civil marriage. 

It is unclear how allowing same-sex marriage in any way denigrates or diminishes traditional marriage. This terminology only reminds me of when someone says property values in a neighborhood are diminishing because THEY are moving in. That logic is ridiculous as is the marriage correlation logic. 

I should remind Mr. Butler that if public polls were used to determine civil rights we would not have seen much progress since the 1960’s. The issue is equal civil rights for gays and lesbians and an end to heterosexual privileges regarding marriage. Mr. Butler also seems to imply that couples that cannot reproduce should not be allowed to marry. 

Mr. Butler then launches into a mean-spirited, bigoted attack against gays and lesbians. Calling homosexuality a choice ignores evidence to the contrary. Saying equal rights for gays and lesbians is not a civil rights issue ignores the ongoing discrimination that exists. 

What is so misguided about his attacks and the examples he uses, are that these are the same attacks used against African-Americans during the civil rights struggle. People were not against Blacks because of their skin color, they just used skin color to identify a person whose lifestyle they did not like. 

To say that gays endanger family, children and the core of society is a statement used against all minorities at one time. These bigots were also afraid a lifestyle was being forced upon them. It is not a lifestyle; these are simply people deserving equality.

Playing word games with the term homophobic is a recent strategy by people who are tired of being called bigots. They think by dissecting the word they can avoid responsibility for their actions. Words change over time and homophobic has become the term for bigotry against gays, just as racism means bigotry against African-Americans, and Anti-Semitism for bigotry against Jews. All have broader meanings when dissected but that is irreverent. 

I started this letter angry at the content of the original editorial and angry at Keith Butler. But looking at Mr. Butler’s words I see he has placed a sense of his own superiority in them. In essence the oppressed has become the oppressor, the abused has become the abuser. I abhor what he has put into words in his editorial, but I see he himself is to be pitied. Love the sinner, hate the sin.