Legalize Gay Marriage (u.s.a)

[DVDBear]

I wish your party still stood for that, Sera. That's a pre- Reagan era Republican. I have no problem with those, and hope they take the party back from the current bunch real soon!

[sera300]

Ohh me too DVD, I can say I did not cast ANY vote to get this one is office!

[nottooblushing]

Here is my opinion. In the religion I choose to practice we believe that homosexuality is a sin. (I am bi and it took many many years for me to make peace with this) If my priest announced next Sunday that he would begin performing gay marriages, I would be upset, because that is simply not allowed in my faith.
Now, I believe that my right to practice my religion is equal to anyone else's right. If your religion allows gay marriage, then your clergymen should be permitted by law to bless your union.
The government does not belong with it's fingers in marriage. Marriage was a strictly religious concept until the late 1800's in the US. The law defining marriage were originalkly created to prevent interracial marriage.
In some European countries a legal marriage and a religious marriage are 2 different things. I believe that is how it should be in hte US. You can get married in your place of worship, by your clergyman, and they can place any limits, standards, or rules on that union as they would like. But the government should do civil unions. Any consenting adults can enter into a legally binding union through a legal process having nothing at all to do with "marriage". I live with 6 people, we would like to share the mortgage, be able to get healthcare for all of us (yes it's a commune, not just roommates) and other such things. We are a family, and we feel that we are being denied the ability to define ourselves as a family. The Mormon Fundamentalists that believe in polygamy, should be allowed to live that way, it is their religion. The only place where I feel the government needs to step in is when you have 15 and 16 year old girls being forced to marry men twice or three times their age. But we already have a law for that, it's called statutory rape, no new laws required.
But it all depends on what you feel the role of the government is. I feel it should be nothing but a means of serving and protecting it's citizens. It should provide healthcare, civil security, and food for the poor. The only things that should be illegal are things that allow people to infringe on the rights of those around them. Murder, rape, theft, drunk driving, everything else is the government trying to become the moral police. And until everyone in the country has the same set of morals, that is always going to disenfranchise SOMEBODY.

(I apologize for the length, I got up on this soapbox over here. And since we are all so concerned about spell check, I didn't use it, sorry, get over it!!)

[DVDBear]

Nottooblushing - You pretty much nailed it. I agree 100%. (Except for the "sin" part, but then . . . . it's not my religion)

[sera300]

Hey, just heard on the news a few minutes ago NYS passed the same sex marriage bill...has to go before the republican committee but it's a positive step!!!!!!!

http://www.wnbc.com/news/13533689/de...=headlineclick

[nottooblushing]

With all due respect to the New York's Catholic Bishops (and I have a lot) butt the hell out, no one is asking you to perform a gay marriage. If you don't want the government participating in Mass, don't participate in politics.

[sera300]

Originally Posted by nottooblushing

With all due respect to the New York's Catholic Bishops (and I have a lot) butt the hell out, no one is asking you to perform a gay marriage. If you don't want the government participating in Mass, don't participate in politics.

Hopefully they stay out of it and do not play a part in the ultimate decision. I was glad to see some progress on civil unions and hope it's a positive step!

[DVDBear]

Originally Posted by nottooblushing

With all due respect to the New York's Catholic Bishops (and I have a lot) butt the hell out, no one is asking you to perform a gay marriage. If you don't want the government participating in Mass, don't participate in politics.

Amen . . . . again.

[vita_felice]

I'm soooo sick of people saying the same thing over and over and over about gay marriage STOP ASKING already please??? I mean I agree you should be allowed to marry who ever you want to but we have to come to our senses gay marriage probably won't happen in the usa ever or for a very long time.

[sera300]

Originally Posted by vita_felice

I'm soooo sick of people saying the same thing over and over and over about gay marriage STOP ASKING already please??? I mean I agree you should be allowed to marry who ever you want to but we have to come to our senses gay marriage probably won't happen in the usa ever or for a very long time.

Never happening in the US? Look at some states. The more it's allowed to rest as an issue, it falls to the wayside, becomes overlooked; thus, the outcome is it falls off the political agendas. No one should "stop asking".