I have heard it argued that if we allow same-sex marriage, then the next step would be to allow pedophilia, since that is also an identity and the next logical step after accepting gay marriage. The reasoning goes that we should just stick with what God created and only permit heterosexual marriage between two adults. There was a time when I thought the argument made sense, but I have since learned that it is based on a logical fallacy.
Here is the problem with this argument. It is equating apples to oranges. A straight marriage is a covenant relationship between two opposite sex adults of equal status who have every intention of living together in a committed, monogamous relationship for the rest of their lives. Gay marriage is exactly the same; the only difference is the sex of the partners. In both scenarios, each person seeks to love an equal, to serve their partner self-sacrificially, to put the other’s interests ahead of their own.
In both cases, the couple plan to grow old together. If one of them has a health issue, the other will become their caregiver. If one of them dies, the loss and loneliness is profound. Of course, divorce sometimes happens, but this is never the plan when couples commit to each other.
Pedophilia is nothing like this. Pedophiles who abuse children are not driven by agape love or even romantic love. They are driven by lust. They are not seeking to serve another self-sacrificially. They are seeking to sacrifice another for the sake of their own pleasure. They have no compunction about ruining the life of a child. And when this child, who is by all rights their inferior, grows too old to fit their fantasy, they will discard him or her as easily as one would discard a piece of clothing that no longer fits. Also, there is no monogamy; most child sex offenders end up abusing dozens if not hundreds of children before they are finally caught.
Claiming that permitting gay marriage is a step closer to permitting a grown man to marry a child is simply wrong. Homosexual attraction is equivalent to heterosexual attraction and serves the same purpose: to have a lifelong companion. Sexual attraction to children is for the purpose of self-gratification, not love and commitment. The two are not the same. And using this argument is actually dehumanizing and belittling of gay people. These people deserve our love and respect, not our condemnation. If you believe that the Bible condemns homoerotic behavior or does not permit same-sex marriage, fair enough. But do not liken their attraction to pedophilia. It is nothing like that.