Why would legalizing same sex marriage be bad?

Question

Please explain to me how it would "threaten" traditional marriage and lead to the destruction of society as we know it... I'm married, and I really don't see how other people getting married is going to affect me and my family. I just don't see the downside here.

I appreciate everyone who's given honest answers.
1. Gay marriage does not equal more gay people. Gay people already exist, and always have, so allowing them to get married doesn't threaten the reproductive future of humanity. There'll still be loads of straight people out there havin' babies, and straight people who have the right not to. 2. They'll get spouse benefits--yeah, that's the point! Right now they can spend their entire lives together and receive no recognition of the relationship.
3. Marriage is defined by the church--churches can still marry whomever they wish. What we're talking about is the legal definition, which has nothing to do with the church (unless you'd like to, say, amend the Constitution to curtail the 1st Amend.). 4. People could just "pretend" to be married? Hello, you've never known straight college students who did that for financial aid?
5. Gay couples would be able to adopt--many of them ALREADY DO, and their kids are fine. So is society.

Answer 1

[Here is an answer I gave to this elsewhere in the Y!A zone. I hope you will review the link as well.]

Even though we might disagree on this, I will respectfully submit my reason as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Even though I fully disagree with homosexuality, if two people want to be recognized as committed to each other that's not as big of deal to me. Just don't call it "marriage"...that's where I have the problem.

Since you asked, the term marriage was defined by God (and if not by God as you might feel, at least it was defined by those who wrote the Bible). Either way, it was defined as between a Man and a Woman in Genesis 2:24 "24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (NIV)

There are a bunch of reasons I can share for why it endangers marriage. I found an article on an anti-gay marriage site that sums it all up but these are not only anti-gay views. In many cases they are the views of pro-gay, anti-gay marriage folks.

http://www.nogaymarriage.com/tenarguments.asp

Respectfully submitted...Mister Bob the Tomato

Answer 2

You're right, it wouldn't be bad. Those who say that same sex marriage would threaten the traditional marriage and family are insecure and motivated by hate. That is like saying that celebrations of Kwanzaa or other holidays will threaten the traditional celebrations of Christmas and Hanukkah. The traditions aren't going anywhere, and nothing is going to get in the way of them, so why not let people be happy and do what they want to do when it doesn't hurt anybody else?
I don't think these politicians realize that no one else cares.
I'd rather see a same-sex couple together for 20 years get married than an opposite-sex couple be married for a few hours and get it annulled because they were stupid (e.g., Britney Spears).
It's also really funny that people think allowing gay marriage will lead people to want to marry their relatives and that it will also cause the population to die out.

Answer 3

I would say it's yucky, but personal yuck-factor doesn't threaten traditional marriage.
I would say things like "what's next...marrying (insert family, animal, inanimate object here), but that would be silly. Gay does not equal bestiality, pedophilia or incest.
I would say that gay people can't have kids, therefore society will dwindle down to nothing, but that doesn't make any sense. Nobody is saying everyone has to be gay and marry another gay person. They can adopt anyway. So no threat there.
I would say it's because of religious reasons, which would hold some merit. Marriages do mainly take place in a church, and religions are usually opposed to gay marriage, but that doesn't explain a "threat" to traditional marriage.

So I would conclude that gay marriage does NOT threaten traditional marriage. But to satisfy the religious-types, I would suggest civil unions for all and let individual churches figure out the marriage part.

Thank you for your time.

Answer 4

It wouldn't threaten anyone else's marriage.

Unfortunately there r so many ppl out there in this so called 'great' American society that actually believe tolerance is evil and threatens their way of life.

What these ppl don't realize is that all of us r tax-paying citizens and we all have a right to EQUAL rights whether they like it or not.

If the ppl opposed to gay marriage would do some soul-searching about the real reason they are against gay marriage, the answer would be 'because THEY don't agree/belief in it = they have no right to dictate their beliefs on anyone else.

Answer 5

it means threatening the structure of marriage...not specifically yours but the whole conceptual understanding of marritial factors and the knowledge based around it...
there has been very little focus around same sex marriages and its affects on the family, for example, sociologists heavily focus on the family as an institution of socialisation. many sociologist portray and accept that the ideal family is that of hertrosexual parents hence the notion of same sex marriages proposes a whole new light on the idea of the 'ideal family'. in relation to it's effect upon children, many see this as a threat to a childs identity.
for example, if a gay couple were to marry and adopt, the child may feel isolated, especially if he is male and his parents are both female...
it is also easy to appreciate that the child may feel outcasted when in other social circumstances, such as schooling environment
many radical christians see same sex marriage as wrong, the fact that it is becoming more socially acceptable means that many christian beliefs may crumble..
the bible says: 'thou shalt not sleep with man as thou do with woman'
or along those lines...
same sex marriage won't directly affect you but think about it in regards to how u percieve them and how society would change if more and more people married a person of the same sex...
population would decrease!

Answer 6

It doesn't. It's a political strategy to make the US forget that we're all broke from gas prices, our friends and family are dying or being maimed over in Iraq, that one-by-one all those republicans are getting charged with corruption, basically they've screwed our country up and they only way to mask that is these ridiculous social issues that hype up the bible-thumpers. If anything would "Save Traditional Marriage" it would be to outlaw divorces. Divorce is what is destroying traditional families.

Don't fall for the smoke and mirrors and vote them out this November!!

Answer 7

I feel the same way. They would be hurting no one. As far as it being a sin as some people say it is, that will be in God's hands. If some of these anti gay marriage people are so against it because marriage is such a sacred act between man and woman, why don't they make divorce illegal?

Answer 8

Have you ever thought about this: Two friends who are straight and are just roomates (for ex.-college) could say they were married just to get benefits on taxes and other things like that. How would you tell if they were really married. And thats just one answer, I wont even go into how I disagree with gay marriage based on my religous stand. My Opinion: IT IS WRONG (and utterly repulsive)!

Answer 9

what some people fall to realize is that gay people do have children a love too. As a matter of fact WE raise alot of children who come from straight people who or probably on line talking about gay people.Go figure.But though I am a happy lesbian I dont believe in same sex marriage.

Answer 10

It wouldn't threaten traditional marriage. That's just a scare tactic used by the religious right. If rightwingers don't believe in gay marriage, then they don't have to marry a gay person. They shouldn't mandate that others follow their religious beliefs.