Despair is a spiritual weapon, and it is the gay-marriage movement’s single most powerful weapon.
I understand that, and therefore I understand why gay-marriage advocates use it so often. But why do we pro-marriage conservatives use it on ourselves so often?
Maggie’s rule: Don’t say about any cause you think important, “this cause is hopeless,” unless you want people to give up. That’s the only good reason to say it. Culture wars are over, like all wars, when one side is persuaded to give up the fight.
You feel hopeless about a cause? I understand. There’s lots of good work to be done in the world — go do something about which you have hope. But don’t get in the way of those of us who are in the middle of the fight. Because, after all, it’s the future we are talking about — and you could be wrong!
I suspect the reason pro-marriage conservatives say it so often, is that is has become a magic talisman of intellectual sophistication. “I am not part of the stupid party, I understand reality.”
(I love Rod Dreher by the way, who is unfailingly kind to me even though every time I comment publicly about something he writes I am ranking on him.)
Can the powerful gay-marriage movement be stopped? I don’t know. I promise you one thing though: I am going to find out.