NFL's Matt Birk responds to gay marriage debate

Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo have made headlines this year for their vocal support of same-sex marriage.

Now Kluwe's former teammate — and Ayanbadejo's current one — Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk, has joined the fray. Birk wrote an editorial in Saturday's Minneapolis Star-Tribune that takes the other side of the issue.

Celebrating the free-speech rights of Kluwe and others, Birk complains that people who are "simply acknowledging the basic reality of marriage between one man and one woman are being labeled as 'bigots' and 'homophobic.'"

"Same-sex unions may not affect my marriage specifically, but it will affect my children — the next generation. Ideas have consequences, and laws shape culture," Birk writes. "Marriage redefinition will affect the broader well-being of children and the welfare of society. As a Christian and a citizen, I am compelled to care about both."

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Evermyrtle

How can anybody think they can ever stand before GOD who is a homosexual? Makes no difference how thy feel about it, because they will one day stand before HIM, and try to explain "WHY"
- http://www.facebook.com/clarence.leblanc Clarence LeBlanc
  
  Did God not make them that way? Gay people will stand before God the same way divorced people stand before God, people that had sex before marriage, people like Teebow who made millions on the Sabbath…working. Why single out gay people?
Washington22

These two vocal football players are now notable supporters of same-sex marriage? That doesn't score them any points from this avid watcher of their sport. In fact, it does the opposite. I'll put them to memory as negatives. I don't support those who come out against God's word. Burke has suddenly come on my radar and I like him for it. These celebrities who are comming out in support of gays are shooting themselves in the foot. Much of the public, such as myself, are choosing sides.
fliteking

Birk is right about how liberal agenda items will effect the next generation, something a good conservative always keeps in mind and something a good liberal could care less about.
- Esther
  
  Yes that is the point. Obama is scurrying about after his recent, new Alinsky training in California, to bring about all this change before the American people can stop him and certainly his brigade of advisors are scared stiff they will lose their jobs so they won't stop him… he is hell-bent on doing everything because, he tells the American people, the congress won't do anything to help so he must do it himself… knowing it will only give rise to his dictatorship, putting in place the straw that will break our children's backs.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/ keyboardshark

Yes, it is getting ridiculous when anyone who supports traditional marriage is labeled as a bigot or homophobe (which is itself a ridiculous term–why would someone be "afraid" of homosexulas?). Kudos to Birk for standing up to this nonsense. Too bad Kluwe and Ayanbadejo aren't man enough to go against the Politically Correct tide.
- Esther
  
  I can't see how you can possibly think it is impossible to be afraid of homosexuals. Have you ever unknowingly come between a couple of guys and you began to talk to one like you would to a regular person and the other guy begins to practically hiss at you like a snake. THEN you realize that you have interrupted a "couple." That happened to me in college. I am a homophobe.
  - http://www.answersingenesis.org/ keyboardshark
    
    I have not had that experience myself so I was not really thinking of that scenario. Hopefully your experience was not typical, but I can see where maybe the simple fact you decided to talk to one of them may have bothered their already guilt-ridden conscience and they simply lashed out at you on the assumption that you were about to say something judgmental.
    
    But please do not misunderstand. I was not making a case for gay marriage, or condoning gay behavior, or any such thing. I was attempting to point out that the pro-gay crowd overuses and misuses the label of "homophobe" simply as an insult to keep the critics at a distance. They probably do not even consider what it actually means. They WANT it to mean that any opposition to homosexuality means you are a bad person.
    - Esther
      
      I call it jealousy. And the fact that his reaction, when I realized that he was directing it towards me, I see that it could have been perfectly reasonable to him to call me "homophobe." And yes, it did keep me at a distance, so did it keep others at a distance who witnessed it. Very uncomfortable situation. What else could they do to advance their cause then to make it a mantra?
mallen11

Too many people have dug themselves into the pit of degeneration in our country that I doubt they will be able to climb out. There is not one person or many who can turn this country around until We the People are willing to put God first in our lives. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are not being taught what the Bible teaches and are even interested in learning. They would rather be entertained and be involved in socializing with each other instead of good Bible teaching. Our only hope for our country to be turned around is for God to intervene but why should He when so many have turned their backs to Him and follow after their own lusts.

Here is what God says…
Jude 1:17-25 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be
mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
aceituna

How often when a person is taunting another of being afraid really are voicing their own fears? Every homosexual who is accusing someone of being a homophobe probably deep down is really accusing himself of being afraid that he is wrong in his thinking, but he is so enamored of his lifestyle that he doesn't want to leave it. Like the Bible tells us those who refuse to recognize their sins and repent end up going deeper into their sins and are heading for self destruction.