and that if gays want legal rights, they should just get civil unions or something, and leave Marriage alone.
This begs the question -- does this mean that Marriage as a religious ceremony is distinct from Marriage as a legal proceeding?
If marriage is religious, and some religions DO define marriage in such a way amenable to gay marriage (I myself have attended multiple handfastings for two gay men), then in a land where freedom of religion is held as sacrosanct by the First Amendment, should we not consider forbidding gay marriage as a violation of the First Amendment?
Or do we need to separate the religious aspect entirely from the religious aspect, say by having the Law *ONLY* handle Civil Union, and the Religion *ONLY* handle the Marriage?
This is how it is handled in the UK -- the ceremony in the Registar's office is forbidden from having religious overtones.
What are your views on making this distinction between the religious and legalistic aspects of it?
2007-01-03
07:17:55
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16 answers
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asked by
Anonymous