Gay Marriage, Do you support or oppose? Options

[fameONE]

Have there been any local movements or propositions for gay marriage? Currently in Texas, people are voting on Proposition #2 which would allow same sex marriages (with full benefits). Not surprisingly, there was a Klan rally in San Antonio today.

[Saeglopur]

"Who says what marriage is and by whom it is to be defined? The married? The marriable? Isn't that kind of like allowing a banker to decide who is going to own the money stored in his vaults?"

- Gay Marriage: The Arguments and The Motives

(I'm not much for debating.. but if anything, those points are quite helpful.)

[Spirited Away]

"Who says what marriage is and by whom it is to be defined? The married? The marriable? Isn't that kind of like allowing a banker to decide who is going to own the money stored in his vaults?"

- Gay Marriage: The Arguments and The Motives

If the law allows a banker to decide who can put their money in his bank, we can all expect the banker to do what is most profitable for himself, and that is to allow all who have money to store money in his vaults.
I'm a little confused at the analogy.

[*disco infiltrator*]

I think she's trying to say that the married or the people allowed to be married should not be the ones saying why or why not the others cannot get married, because it doesn't make a difference to them. It would benefit them to get all the other benefits of marriage and get ahead of those that cannot recieve those benefits.

And sikdragon, your statement was completely false.

[evanbunnell]

Gay Marriage is cool with me.

They should really rename "Marriage" though because marriage doesn't seem like the word for the communion anymore. "Marriage" is a religious act, as ComradeRed pointed out, and it seems as if more and more cross-religion marriages are happening. Atheists get married, and they're not religious (obviously.) Gays are fighting for marriage, but Fundamental Christians say marriage is a holy pact between man and woman, thus gay marriage would be outside of the religious realm.

No problem with gay marriage, cross religion marriage, dog-cat marriage.... but I do think it should be named differently. Alternatively, you remove the act of marriage from its religious roots and redefine it.

2:32am and here are my two pennies.

[agirlnamed_aly]

I support it.

That's all I really have to say. I get too frustrated attempting to argue my point anymore.

[Lightner]

Marriage is about love. Thats all that needs to be said. If they love each other then there is nothing wrong with it. Aids came from monkeys... long story lol ._. well i support that gay marriage should be accepted into society, just like normal marriage.

[bijou]

I most definitely support gay marriage. Being gay is not unnatural. People often use the nature vs argument which is quite amusing considering there is homosexuality in nature. I always get a laugh from that!

No one has to support gay marriage or gay rights but for the government and institutions to deny gays rights is morally wrong and should be illegal. People get married for many reasons; love, financial benefits but think about those benefits. If you're gay and your partner gets into an accident, you can't go the hospital and make decisions on their behalf, even if they're dying. You are not considered to be a viable person to make such decisions, that is reprehensible.

There is some consensus that AIDS came from a strain of the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus aka SIV found in the green monkey in Western Africa because certain strains of it resemble HIV.

[agirlnamed_aly]

I came back to decide that I'm ready to argue my point.

But before I continue, let's take a brief history lesson. As many of you might be aware, before the rise of the Catholic church and the popularized belief that romantic love should be strictly between a man and a woman, homosexuality was widely accepted. Male partners were very much the norm during the time of the Greeks and Romans, but once Christian religion decided that homosexuality was taboo, the idea became unaccepted. (This opinion is not meant to target people of Christian/Catholic religions because, yes, I am aware that there are other religions our there who are unacceptable of homosexuality.)

Once again, like the many others have already pointed out, there is a separation between church and state. Whether or not the Bible agrees or not has nothing to do with marriage between two men or two women. People argue that gay people are allowed "unions" that are legal by most state standards, but these unions are not recognized by the U.S. government (At least that I know of), nor are they given the same benefits.

Discussing the matter, I do agree with Evan who says that the word "marriage" has become correlated with religion.

Alternatively, you remove the act of marriage from its religious roots and redefine it.

Indeed.

Also, encouraging the act of gay marriage has nothing to do with constituting the idea of incestual marriage or marriage between or with a minor. Incest is illegal because incestuous sex results in physically and mentally altered or disabled children. Minors getting married is unheard of because the underaged population is considered impressionable and unable to make such critical, life-altering decisions.

Now, allowing marriage between two fully matured adults who know exactly what they're getting themsevles into - that's different.

The whole interracial marriage as compared with gay marriage has its own similiarities and differences. Interracial marriage was once unaccepted by society as well, and even now is hindered by the influences of religion and racial stereotypes. But interracial marriage is considered to be between a man and a woman - which to some people makes all the difference. (Now when you have a Black man and a White man marrying, and one is Catholic and the other is Islamic - you have something else entirely!) ;)

On the offhand I understand that there's a difference between being homophobic and just not agreeing with legalizing gay marriage. For those who are of the latter, I still respect your opinion even if I do not agree with them. I do not mean to offend anyone with my opinion, but if that's the case let it be so.

[Spirited Away]

As I've said before in this thread. Marriage is a cultural, and traditional establishment. It has nothing to do with religion unless one wishes it to be.

[agirlnamed_aly]

As I've said before in this thread. Marriage is a cultural, and traditional establishment. It has nothing to do with religion unless one wishes it to be.

That actually proves a point I had not thought of, but in response to it, there is also the fact that a majority of the population who are against gay marriage are conservative Christians, who constantly refer to teachings of the Bible to support their arguments.

But for the people who are against gay marriage, who in no way are influenced by religious beliefs, need to understand that it's not just wanting to be recognized by the common public that they're in love and want to be together - it's being allowed the same benefits as a married couple and not having their relationship treated as almost secondary in comparison to a heterosexual relationship.

[Spirited Away]

That actually proves a point I had not thought of, but in response to it, there is also the fact that a majority of the population who are against gay marriage are conservative Christians, who constantly refer to teachings of the Bible to support their arguments.

But for the people who are against gay marriage, who in no way are influenced by religious beliefs, need to understand that it's not just wanting to be recognized by the common public that they're in love and want to be together - it's being allowed the same benefits as a married couple and not having their relationship treated as almost secondary in comparison to a heterosexual relationship.

Haha, yes. To a Christian, marriage would have very much to do with religion. But lest they forget, before civilization, before religion, and certainly before Christianity, the idea of marriage and family existed. I said "idea" because the institution of marriage that we know today is not the same as those in the ancient world.

Those who have no religious commitments would see a homosexual marriage as a breach of thousands of years of tradition, and thus an offense. A lot of times, the come back for this view would be to call them"narrow-minded", in which case I would say that this 'narrow-mindedness' is very much shared by the ones who the made claim. In other words, it is just a narrow-minded to lable someone narrow-minded only because they believe in something else. Naturally, tradition have evolved or gave way to a more lenient culture and I expect them to give way to homosexual marriages in the future. As of now though, this group of people isn't budging without some substantial power of persuation.

[agirlnamed_aly]

Those who have no religious commitments would see a homosexual marriage as a breach of thousands of years of tradition, and thus an offense. A lot of times, the come back for this view would be to call them"narrow-minded", in which case I would say that this 'narrow-mindedness' is very much shared by the ones who the made claim.

True, true. Marriage has, for thousands of years, been defined as a union between a man and a woman. Yet when I support the idea of gay marriage it isn't to disrupt or revolutionize the traditional idea of marriage, but more so fight for a compromise that will give more power and priviledge to those being deprived of certain freedoms offered to that of heterosexual couples.

I know that for now, it does not seem likely that America will decide to change it's long-established customs, but hey - it took women over 40 years to fight for their right to vote - why not gay marriage?

I also completely agree with you when you say that no one is ever really "narrow-minded" -- or at least that is how I interpreted it. Everyone just chooses to believe in something different, and you're right - that doesn't necessarily make them ignorant or inconsiderate.

[Vozedale]

No where in the bible, as a woman in her 50's who had studied catholism for many years of her life and later became a christian, is there anywhere in the bible where Jesus states that homosexuality is a sin.

[agirlnamed_aly]

Leviticus, 18:22 and 20:13: "Thou shalt not lie with a man as thou would like with a woman."

Jesus never directly condemned homosexuality as evil, but I can assure you that in the Bible, it is insinuated that homosexuality shouldn't be accepted.

It is not so much that the Bible condemns sexuality (though in reading it, it can be assumed), but that the people who read the Bible interpret their own meanings behind the scriptures and use them to support their argument.

I'm Catholic, I'm religious, and I've read (most of) the Bible. I don't believe that religion is unaccepting of homosexuality, just the notions people derive from their own decipherings of the Bible's meanings.

[xsign_my_heartx]

I think gay marriage should be acceptable because you can't tell someone who to love and who they can't marry.

[sense.n.style]

i so disagree with it... it would be really disturbing to me personally n wat if human becomes extinct becuz of this?? n will gay ppl adopt kids?? doesnt kids deserve both mother n father, dead or alive or watever???? thats wat i think

oo n im a christian

[*disco infiltrator*]

How would it be disturbing? You don't have to attend the weddings. Homosexual marriage does not affect you in any way, shape, or form.

No, humanity would not cease to exist purely because homosexuals are marrying. 1) Not everyone will suddenly become a homosexual just because marriage is allowed for homosexuals. 2) Homosexuality has been around for a damn long time, it's just becoming more acceptable. Has humanity ceased to exist? *looks around* I think not. 3) Gay parents adopt kids now, which is at least helping the influx of children from those against abortion, now isn't it? 4) I don't really have a father. He lives in Nevada and I haven't even spoken to him in 7 months and haven't seen him in a year. I think I'm alright.

Oooh, and I'm an atheist. Good for you.

[lKVNiiKINKYl]

i so disagree with it... it would be really disturbing to me personally n wat if human becomes extinct becuz of this??

So if gay people got married, humanity would cease to exist and if gay people didn't get married, the human race would still survive?

n will gay ppl adopt kids??

If they want too...I mean there are lots of kids without homes...

doesnt kids deserve both mother n father, dead or alive or watever????

So as long as they have a mother and father even if they are dead, its fine? What is the problem with having two moms or two dads? To me, a parent is basically just a person who nurtures a child and integrates them into society.

[toria66622]

I think ppl should have to be with someone for at least 3 years b4 they get married and go to a marrage councelor to see if things are ok that way if there are any problems, then the couple shouldnt b able to get married... but thats another story.. I do support gay marrages...even tho im not one of those ppl...its not fair to let not let them get married to whom they wish

[*mipadi*]

I think this article about homosexuality is provocative and relevant to this discussion. Take a look: http://www.blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/...ht_id_never_see

[AnnahhbeL]

i support gay marriage even thouhg i'm not gay.
Ppl bhave the right to choose who they wanna be with and what they wanna be.

[*Zatanna*]

Having been a theater brat pretty much my entire life (up until my son was born), I have several gay friends. I would want nothing more for them than what I would want for anyone - happiness. If that includes marriage, they have every right, just as anyone else does.

[Comptine]

i so disagree with it... it would be really disturbing to me personally n wat if human becomes extinct becuz of this?? n will gay ppl adopt kids?? doesnt kids deserve both mother n father, dead or alive or watever???? thats wat i think

oo n im a christian 

I'm sorry but your comment is just too ignorant.

With over 6 billion humans and a major percentage of them being heterosexual... there is no way that humans can become extinct. unless, like all other animals that become extinct, some other species or force effectively wipes out all humans. Gay people are one of the largest group of people who adopt kids because that is one of the only ways for them to have children (other than artifical conception with is costly).

Kids should have a healthy and encouraging family... not just a mom and father. Nowadays, the family structure isn't about the mother, father, and children. Sometimes, kids live with their aunt, uncle...etc... and they grow up to be perfectly happy and content. Others have a single mom or dad. Others have both parents but their family is completely effed up.

christians have over a 20% divorce rate... so there's a percentage of religious people who don't treat marriage as sacred as religion portrays. if a gay couple is willing to fight tooth and nail for the privilege, they will take their relationship much more seriously.

[Sakuya]

I'm for gay marriage... don't have anything against it. They deserve to marry whoever they want, just like everyone else.