Should adulterers, spouse/child abusers, and divorcees be banned from marriage?

Question

There is far more evidence in the Bible that adulterers and divorced people shouldn't get married than there is for banning gay marriage. Why aren't religious people trying to ban the others?

No, I mean should be pass LEGISLATION to ban it...

Magic Keys: There are many people who have been CONVICTED of child/spouse abuse and can legally get married. MANY people who get divorced due to adultery end up getting married again. Shouldn't this be banned to protect the sanctity of marriage and traditional family values?

Answer 1

I don't get the connection between what it says in the bible and marriage. Marriage is a civil affair. Many people who follow no religion get married and have happy loving lives.
How many religious people do you know who vowed to forsake all others 'till death due us part ? "Death" not divorse.
Religious people can't ban marriage. By what right ?

Answer 2

For one thing, It is a lot harder to detect someone who is an abuser, than someone who is gay. How would you be able to tell if someone is "going" to be an adulterer? It's like saying, i know this guy is going to cheat on his wife, so he is not allowed to marry. How would you know thesee people would do any of thes things, until they are already married? After all, you have to be married to be an adulterer. It's like that movie, Minority report with Tom Cruise, where they try to predict crime before it even happens. It's not logical.
Divorces, on the other hand, you may have a point. But..... This would mean, no divorces for gays either. Are you willing to submit the idea that if gays are allowed to get married, that not 1 couple will want a divorce?

Edit: For all those that have been convicted already, as you say... Why are you only worried about them getting married?
Worry about why they are free and not in jail.
Look dude, if it bothers you that much, here is what you do.....
You and your partner can get married legally in Canada. Go there and get married and then come back to the U.S.
The U.S. has a law stating that they honor canadian marriges. There you go buddy.

Answer 3

I agree they are being inconsistent here as well. I think it also depends on the church and the Christian, there are some churchs that do not condemn gay people and believe they should be able to get married. Unitarian Universalists come to mind but there are others. It comes down to a difference between conservative and liberal christians.

Looking at one passage from Paul's writings we see he condems these activities pretty equally and states these peole will not go to heaven.

1Corithians 6:9-10: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."


"Conservatives typically use the NIV or KJV versions of the Bible. They generally interpret passages literally, and believe that Paul was inspired by God to write epistles which were inerrant. These translations condemn "homosexual offenders" and "abusers of themselves with mankind." Essentially all Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians believe that this verse condemns all homosexual activity, whether by males or females. They view it as valid today as it was in the first century CE. Verse 6:11 states clearly that once gays and lesbians become saved, then they will no longer wish to engage in homosexual activities. They will presumably become heterosexuals

Liberals generally do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. They believe that Paul was writing from his own knowledge and experience. During the 1st century CE, even an educated person like Paul would know very little about human sexuality, compared to present-day sexuality researchers." Source below.

What this issue boils down to for me is religious freedom. The US was supposed to be a place where one group did not have the right to impose their religious views on others. So if your religious views aren't that homosexual marriage should be sin the state should not prevent you from marriage unless there is evidence doing so will cause others some kind of real harm. I don't see that although they are trying to argue it will destroy all marriage. Next people will want to marry multiple people or even snakes and then heavens know what else!!! ; } I think this is a bit silly. Oh, and some religious conservatives are trying to ban the others. As a woman who wants the right to control her reproductive and life choices I'm not to thrilled about that either.

Answer 4

well, christians can get away with trying to prevent gay marriage because there's still a lot of hatred towards gays that can be exploited. being divorced or being an abuser doesn't have that same stigma. sure we think its wrong, but many people, if they were to choose, would choose to meet an abuser rather than a gay person in the street.

many christians will try to impose their values on society if their given just an inch. remember prohibition? they used scare tactics in that situation too. it was a nightmare with all the gang killings and being dying from dangerously made (cheap for the producer) alcohol. so it turned out that it was safer to just regulate alcohol than prohibit it.
that's what happens when we let fear and the bible make our laws.

Answer 5

Its all about control. Nothing in the bible should be used to regulate marriage. If your a gay christian, then you should not get married. If you follow your religion. If your gay, and not a christian, you should be allowed to get married. The bible is a poor source of law.

Answer 6

Actually there are some churches/denominations that look down upon those who are divorced or remarry (even going as far as excommunicating them from the church).

Answer 7

i say yes and i think such people who are abusive should be locked up for life. as for gay marriages let them have it its there life not ours to judge it with.