Should committed same-sex relationships be recognized by the government?

[Green Gaia]

you will keep waiting for a long time, simply because there are non well, non that are worthy or an actual debate at least

Yeah, I know.. I'm hoping to make others aware of the fact in hopes of showing that only reasons against it are religiously based and should therefore not be forced on everyone to follow in a secular nation.

 

[Green Gaia]

Simple answer is, I don't have a legal right to marry someone of the same sex as me. Other than that I can't honestly think of anything.

But you have the legal right to marry the person you love (isn't that what marriage is about?)- same sex couples do not have that legal right.

 

[Mike182]

But, no matter how hard I try, I cannot keep from bumping into the same wall. For the entire history of civilization, marriage has been between men and women. In every religion, every culture, every society marriage has been reserved for male and female, with very few and very rare exceptions. Same sex marriage would be radical reform, and a break with all of western history.

thats a big big big statement! you see, you now need to either show me documented evidence of your claim that every religion, culture, and society has reserved marriage in this way

or, the simpler way would be for me to give evidence against your claim
http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/marriage.htm
enjoy

 

[Green Gaia]

thats a big big big statement! you see, you now need to either show me documented evidence of your claim that every religion, culture, and society has reserved marriage in this way

or, the simpler way would be for me to give evidence against your claim
http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/marriage.htm
enjoy

Either way it doesn't matter - "that's the way it's always been" - isn't a good enough reason to deny people equal legal rights. If it were, we'd have to recall quite a few advancements.

 

[Fluffy]

For the entire history of civilization, marriage has been between men and women. In every religion, every culture, every society marriage has been reserved for male and female, with very few and very rare exceptions. Same sex marriage would be radical reform, and a break with all of western history.

That is very true. It is just unfortunate that only a few very rare exceptions got it right then .

 

[Flappycat]

Buddy, come off it. My mate and I'll be married without a state license, but we'll certainly be a bit more married than someone with your mentality could ever hope to be. Gay marriage isn't something that the state's going to move forward. The states coming to recognize it is a symptom of something that no ethical person would want to stop; homosexual men and women choosing stable, relatively normal lives, having shrugged off the counter-cultural trappings of old. The only way for you to stop gay marriage in the long run, sweetie, is to convince the homosexuals to go back to their bars and bath houses, which I doubt you're evil enough to try to do. As it is, you'll be a "victim" of your own decency and will be subjected to the horror of people you'll never meet being a little happier in ways that you'll never admit won't have the slightest effect on anything of importance to anyone else.

Moan wretchedly about the downfall of society all you like, but all we're doing is seeking a better life, something I would have thought Americans would be the first to understand. The state's refusal to recognize gay marriage isn't even a roadblock. Getting the state's recognition will be only one of many outcomes of something much larger and much more good than the state's rubber stamp. Spiteful amendments can't even touch it.

The driving force behind this is not something you want to stamp out. You're not a truly cruel or spiteful person, and, though you may not realize it, you will look back upon this eventually and see it as a very good thing. As convinced as you may be that your mind can't change, I don't sell your character quite as short.

 

[godfree1]

Look, I can't understand what it must be like to be in a situation in which you must live a life without the possibility of being able to marry the person that you love.

I guess that's relatively easy to say for someone who can live a life being able to marry the person that he loves. No, I'm sure you can't understand what it must be like, but your condition may actually be moot in the near future.

I feel for you, I really do.

Uh, not quite as much as I'd hoped you might.

I also realize that a lot of the arguments presented are more about excluding gays than about defending marriage.

I think a solid defense of marriage needs to begin and end in America's divorce (and family) courthouses today. Where's our real concern about actual marriages, let alone our 50% divorce rate? None of them are same-sex yet!

I don't believe that I am homophobic.

I don't really want to find out first-hand. I grow tired of having to constantly justify my equal-rights stances to heterosexual Christians, particularly regarding this issue--and most heterosexual Christians, I dare say, are consummate homophobes.

I want all people to live in joy and love, and I respect the relationship that gays have with one another even though it is not what I would do myself.

I don't care whether people have relationships with their favorite vegetables; to each his own.

But, no matter how hard I try, I cannot keep from bumping into the same wall.

Then break it down, finally.

For the entire history of civilization, marriage has been between men and women.

Don't forget the children in that "entire history of civilization"! Still, so what? Buy a new broom and sweep it all clean.

In every religion, every culture, every society marriage has been reserved for male and female, with very few and very rare exceptions.

Then all we need do is turn the few and rare into more and more, so that one fine day, you'll be as used to seeing two men getting hitched as you are a black man and a white woman today. The times, they are a changin' ... thank goodness.

Same sex marriage would be radical reform, and a break with all of western history.

There's no better time for a social revolution than now.

I am sorry, but I am not ready to make that change.

No one's asking you to, unless all of a sudden you're batting for my team.

Not when we are talking about one of the redrock institution of all of civilization.

Give me a break. A favorite line from some of the women I work with is, "Who da baby daddy?" Yeah, just like that. What were you saying about an "institution of all of civilization"? Any questions or comments about Red Rock I defer to John Tesh. (Ugh.)

I am not even sure that I can give you any real good reasons.

I'm sure that you can't, otherwise you would have here and now. I personally think our loathing of same-sex marriage is nothing more than a curiously American social cowardice.

It's just that what is being asked for is too much.

Equality is "too much" for whom?

 

[Green Gaia]

Buddy, I know we're being hard on you, but I want to thank you for sharing your opinions and feelings with us because it is only through sharing that will we all come to understand each other. You and I don't agree on this issue but I respect you for being willing to state your feelings when you know you're going to take flack for them. Thank you.

 

[CaptainXeroid]

...and most heterosexual Christians, I dare say, are consummate homophobes...

I'm not going to minimize your frustration on this issue, but it does not do your position any good to stoop to the level of those whose bigotry you purport to criticize.

The rest of your points are well taken and Frubal worthy.

 

[godfree1]

I'm not going to minimize your frustration on this issue, but it does not do your position any good to stoop to the level of those whose bigotry you purport to criticize.

I concur, and I will consider this in the future. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

The rest of your points are well taken and Frubal worthy.

That is very kind of you. Thank you again.