song for jonathan

Newsweek has a cover story in the current issue called “Our Mutual Joy” all about what it says in the Bible about homosexuality. Leviticus and the Apostle Paul’s dim view of marriage in general are all retread, but there was one Bible story I had forgotten:  

Gay men like to point to the story of passionate King David and his friend Jonathan, with whom he was “one spirit” and whom he “loved as he loved himself.” Conservatives say this is a story about a platonic friendship, but it is also a story about two men who stand up for each other in turbulent times, through violent war and the disapproval of a powerful parent. David rends his clothes at Jonathan’s death and, in grieving, writes a song:

I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
You were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
More wonderful than that of women.

Here, the Bible praises enduring love between men. What Jonathan and David did or did not do in privacy is perhaps best left to history and our own imaginations.

And if that’s not enough gay Newsweek for you, the magazine has a fab Q&A with Rufus Wainwright.

iowa gears up for court case

The Des Moines Register has a good primer for the Iowa Supreme Court same-sex marriage case that begins on Tuesday. Jane Schacter, a Stanford University law professor, explains in the article why the Hawkeye State is a good bet for marriage equality:

Iowa might have been an appealing target, Schacter said, because of the state court’s roster, public opinion polls, and the long process required to enact a constitutional amendment.

“All of these cases are being watched very, very closely,” Schacter said. “There’s not a rush to get a national resolution. There has been a lot of coordination on both sides, because it’s proceeding state-by-state.”