Chuck Colson: “Gay marriage will inevitably undermine all marriages”

Editor’s note — 07.14.11: Since Dan Savage isn’t really good at reading or writing, I hope you’ll read my response to his “Confidential to David Badash” post: Monogamy: Dan Savage Calls Me Out.

Virulent anti-gay activist and Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson, Nixon’s former “hatchet man” who became a Watergate felon, wrote Tuesday, “‘gay marriage’ will inevitably undermine all marriages.” Colson bases this idea on the misplaced rambling of gay activist Dan Savage, whose New York Times interview last month was widely quoted. Savage, sadly, said in the Times that he has been unfaithful nine times in his marriage, and feels his infidelity has strengthened his marriage. Savage, who is also a sex-columnist, told the Times,

“I acknowledge the advantages of monogamy, when it comes to sexual safety, infections, emotional safety, paternity assurances. But people in monogamous relationships have to be willing to meet me a quarter of the way and acknowledge the drawbacks of monogamy around boredom, despair, lack of variety, sexual death and being taken for granted.”

Of course, radical gay-haters, like Colson, twisted the already circumspect statement into this:

According to Savage, while monogamy has its “advantages,” it’s not for everyone, because, he says, monogamy leads to “boredom, despair, lack of variety, sexual death and being taken for granted.”

So Savage counsels a more flexible ethic. According to him, the “unrealistic expectations” of fidelity “destroys more families than it saves.”

Savage practices what he preaches: He admits to nine “extramarital encounters,” which he insists have been a “stabilizing force” in his so-called “marriage.”

Nice.

Colson, author of dozens of books, including his latest, Born Again ” target=”_blank”>Born Again (photo), makes a wild accusation, that “marriage is unlikely to change the habits of gay men.” Really? Because Dan Savage is unfaithful?

Colson ends with this:

There’s nothing “unclear” about this at all. The evidence Oppenheimer [the Times author] cites and Savage’s own counsel make it very clear that marriage is unlikely to change the habits of gay men. But, as Oppenheimer notes: Savage believes that heterosexual couples will learn from gay couples’ example. So “gay marriage” will inevitably undermine all marriages. That is very bad news for our culture.

No wonder Oppenheimer admits that Savage’s views and actions, will give “ammunition to all the forces . . . who say we had better stop [gay marriage] before they ruin what is left of marriage.” So the next time you hear friends question what harm gay marriage will do, why not talk about the Times article-and ask them whether they think fidelity, “forsaking all others,” is an essential part of marriage, stable families, and a healthy society.

For those of you who say its none of Colson’s business how same-sex couples conduct their marriages, you’re right. But those same-sex marriage activists who enter into marriage might want to think about the fact that they are the ones who will be looked at as setting the standard.

Oh, and by the way, Dan Savage does not speak for me, or, I imagine, for the vast majority of same-sex couples who hope to one day be able to be married.