Good question.  How does it hurt you? 

I think too many people see homosexual relationships as vulgar and disgusting...and that is why they are so against these types of unions.  Yes, of course there are vulgar and disgusting homosexuals out there...just as there are vulgar and digusting heterosexuals.

My God is a loving, accepting being...loving and accepting no matter what your sexual preference is. I say if a relationship is formed out of love and respect, then it is deserving of being taken to the next step of marriage.  

 Maybe this bothers me because I have close relatives who are gay...and I care for them and want the best for them...including them finding someone to love and be with for the rest of their lives.

Maybe this bothers me because I have close relatives who are gay.  I care for them, and want the best for them.  I want to see them find that special someone whom they will spend the rest of their lives with.

Yes, God is as Loving as He is Just. It's true God loves and accepts the person no matter the their sexual preference or inclination, but at the same time does not accept wrongful actions otherwise known as sin. He gave each one of us the Natural or Moral law written on our heart. We're hardwired with a conscience or the natural ability to discern right from wrong. He gave us a set of moral rules to live by calling all forms of sexual behavior outside of marriage a sin.

Every free and deliberate use of the genital powers outside of traditional marriage is a serious act contrary to the law of nature and God and this is what is not acceptable to God.

Indeed I suspect many of us are like you in the regards of relatives. And I do not want any one stomping on them for the same reason. But then I dont want the government stomping on my religion, or any religion because they dont like it. Government has already shown a propensity to penalize religion because they will not change their tenets to conform to current beliefs. This is a situation where they will again given the chance, and the reason I do not support Gay Marriage. Civil Unions, yes, and fully. But not Marriage as that is a religious institution and should not be under government mandate.

And I guess this is all that a marriage is about right?!

 

Our lives is about nothing but sex, sex, sex, sex, sex,.....what esle is there to look forward to. God had nothing else in mind when he created us.....all those teachings to his disciples was for nought, right?  Totally made no sense! 

 

Once our mindset are a cetain way, there's nothing else that we live by, even our moral codes are confused!

 

I'm failing to see what the big upset is.  Marriage is going to be 'un-sacred' because gays are allowed to get married?  Religion will no longer be what it is or mean what it does, because gays get married?  Marriage is a religious institution?  I thought it was a blessing from God for people who love each other and cared about each other to get hooked up and live their lives in loving peaceful co-existence or is it not? 

Well said Rose!

You did not quote the whole point. It is not about the sacredness of marriage, nor did I ever even insinuate that. Indeed, some religions do bless and sanctify marriage, and I am all for that. It is about government intrusion. And before everyone says "It will never happen" it already has. California is penalizing Catholic Hospitals for NOT performing abortions. Something that is clearly against Its Creed, yet the government does not differentiate.

That is why I am against it.

But more to the point, I will turn it around. Why are you so adamant about forcing the will of some on all religions? Why should Catholics (or Baptist or Methodists or Muslims) not sanctifying gay unions be a threat to you or them? Why is it that they must impose their will on others in areas that they clearly do not agree with them on?

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Marriage is an ancient and universal institution between a man and a woman that pre-exists law; marriage is part of the natural law intended for the begetting of children and therefore is the real deal and norm for family life and society.

What is at stake here is making "marriage" between 2 men or 2 women as normal and equivalent to between one man and one woman.

How would granting marriage rights to 2 men or 2 women threaten traditional marriage?

That would be declaring something that is pseudo or fake as real. Think of it in terms of displaying a zirconium next to a real diamond and declaring them of equal worth. The real diamond would lose its value and so it would be with marriage if the homosexual 'marraige' were declared the real thing.

Just as we have seen that cohabitation and exponential divorce rates have devalued the sacred commitment of marriage, this new counterfeit will too. Cohabitation and homosexual relationships are lots of things but foundational to society isn't one of them.

Marriage is NOT a religious institution, not in the slightest.  There are some religions who have developed marriage ceremonies in line with their beliefs but marriage itself is very much a social institution.

This is you allowing your religious convictions to have bearing on a civil ceremony.  Marriages ceremonies are rich, diverse and, as you rightly point out, have been around for a heck of a long time.  But times change and the definition of society, family etc has changed from those ancient times.

You don't like the idea of a homosexual couple getting married, well that is your perogative.  But it doesn't make their ceremony any less real than yours.

One other issue to consider: if homosexual marriage is eventually considered a "civil" right, then churches can and will face censure for teaching against homosexuality, or even for refusing to perform marriages for homosexual couples. Don't believe me? Try to find out what happens if a "recognized" church refuses to marry an interracial couple now! While I think the stance against interracial marriage is stupid, narrow minded, and bigoted, I also realize that allowing freedom of speech and freedom of religion means we MUST allow ideas that we consider abhorrent to be expressed.

I've stayed out of this to this point, because, frankly, I don't think most HETEROSEXUAL couples recognize the sanctity of marriage anymore, and so the point is, at best, moot. But there is potential for these decisions to lead to MUCH greater consequences, and it is not at all fearmongering to point that out.

Yes, and no. While marriage IS a religious institution for many faiths, usually the civil recognition is what is all important. So, it is both, depending on how you look at it.

To those who think it is not a social institution, where do you go to get divorced? Unless you're Catholic, you usually go to civil authorities, rather than to your pastor.

As a religious institution, though, it bears virtually no resemblance to the Biblical standard. Nowadays, if someone suggests a period of betrothal, or the exchange of livestock, it won't go over too well in most quarters.

Marraige has always been a religious institution. Go back to its origins. It is religious in nature. It has been co-opted by government in a lot of respects, and as long as there was no conflict, no one complained. However we are entering into a period of conflict between religion and government on the issue, and that is why we must separate the 2. In order to maintain the separation of church and state. The government cannot make a national religion, but by the same token, it is not allowed to meddle in the affairs of religions either. And as my example shows, that is already happening. You may not like it, but the facts are not to like, only to accept, or work to change.

It bothers the hell out of me!!!!!

Not because I'm a homophobe or don't believe homosexuals have the right to get married but because I have to hear so-called Christians spew their hate under the guise of 'hating the sin not the sinner' bullshit.

 

Doc, I'm not trying to argue with you, but in this instance, you're not actually correct.  I have looked at a number of historys of marriage and these all say that while the ceremony has been coopted by a lot of religions, the actual idea has been around a long, long time and was a social institution, not a religious one.

Interesting facts:

- The ring, for instance, was a pagan symbol of eternity, used to 'bind' the woman to the man. 

- In some instances, the brother-in-law of a widow had to marry her to keep her in the family.

- The Britons used marriage as a way of strengthening political ties to more powerful families.

and that is a lie from the pit of hell...if you believe the bible is the word of God.

If not, you can believe whatever you want.

While God is a loving God he is NOT accepting of sin. He's also a God who will right all wrongs made against him. His desire is to love us and for us to love him. He wants what is best for us. When we go against his desire for us, we are walking away from him. We will pay the consequences.

This AIDS epidemic we're seeing today is an example of this. I beieve we are paying a hefty price but still not to the uttermost. That is yet to come. AIDS is a warning to us. At least it should be. It should wake us up. I think it did at first, but we've been lulled back to sleep. God always gives us plenty of warnings not wishing any of us to perish for eternity.



and I take offense at this. I know in my heart, I have no hatred at all for homosexuals. Not an ounce of hate in me. It would be like saying I hate murderers because I think they shouldn't murder others. I think we should have a law against murder. Why would I hate someone I don't even know?

I think it's just another excuse to attack the Christians. It's to take the heat off the issue. It's a great tactic of the devil used right in the garden. I guess because it still works. Geesh! Call them hate mongers because they believe in the historical definition of marriage and will not fall for the big lie that is being perpetrated....most of it by emotion as can be seen right here on this blog.

No, it's nothing to do with hate at all. It's all about standing up for truth. And the truth is.... a man was NEVER made to be for another man.