Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

‘That far’ always becomes here

conservativereview.com · 12d · first reportShare

Decades ago, Gracie and I sat beside a woman on an airplane who held a leadership role in an Episcopal women’s organization. Our conversation turned to the church’s acceptance of homosexuality, and I asked whether she thought the denomination would eventually perform same-sex marriages. “Oh, no,” she replied. “I don’t think we will ever go that far.” The next level of depravity never introduces itself as depravity. It arrives as compassion for a newly identified victim. I pointed out that approving homosexual relationships while withholding marriage had simply moved one moral boundary while leaving another in place: fornication, or even adultery. She looked stunned. “I hadn’t thought about that.” At the time, same-sex marriage was politically inconceivable to leaders in both parties. Whatever else changed, surely that boundary would hold. “That far” is now many exits behind us. We heard the same assurance about abortion. Bill Clinton repeatedly said it should be “ safe, legal, and rare