How would the legalization of gay marriage undermine heterosexual marriages?

Question

One of the arguments that is levied against the legalization of gay marriage is that it would somehow undermine the current heterosexual institution of marriage. How? How would gays getting married have an impact on the institution or your personal marriage?

Given that the current divorce rate is at 50%, it's not as if heterosexuals show a great deal of respect to the institution or fidelity to their supposed life-long committments. What would be the additional negative consequence to heterosexuals of allowing gay people to marry?

Answers like "A gay Marriage is not a real Marriage. It takes away from the value of the real ones in my opinion." are the ones I don't understand. How is the value of your marriage devalued by what anyone else does?

Answer 1

Sister, a marriage is between a man and a woman, for the purposes of forming a family. It is both a legal and religious union.

I won't try to argue that two men (or two women) can't love each other and want to form a family, because only God can know what is in another's heart.

I cannot, however, support the idea that same-sex "marriages" are blessed by God. He created us, male and female, to fit together as husband and wife. He didn't say "Now anything goes".

Same-sex "marriages" undermine the institution of heterosexual marriage in the same way that the perception of ministers is (in part) undermined by the fact that anyone can become a minister on-line, or by filling in an ad in the back of a magazine.

It cheapens the accomplishment when one person pretends to be something that someone else has worked hard to achieve. And a marriage that is acceptable to the legal system, as well as being founded on religious beliefs, is an achievement.

So it cheapens the word "marriage" when used on a relationship ("significant other" is my choice), that cannot, by the definition of my Faith, be blessed by God (or currently, the legal system).

Answer 2

Does heterosexual marriage undermine the sanctity of gay relationships? No If not, then how can the reverse be true? You are correct sir...what any other couple does in the privacy of their bedroom does not effect what I do in my relationship. Nor does it effect anyone else's marriage or relationship (unless they have too much time on their hands or they have a telescope thats not for star gazing).

Answer 3

I always thought that the argument against gay marriage was more of a moral issue than anything else. It won't undermine heterosexual marriage, I mean how could it? I have seen gay partners who stay together longer than most heterosexual married couples.

Answer 4

It wouldn't undermine it. If marriage were a solely religious institution, I could understand gay marriage being banned, but marriage isn't just religious, it is legal. Denying homosexuals the right to marry based on the bible is basically ripping apart separation of church and state and saying that it's okay to make everyone's laws based on a religion that not everyone follows. It's ridiculous and obviously discrimination.

Answer 5

If gays were able to be legaly married tomorrow....it would have NO impact on heterosexual marriage at all!

I would still be married to my husband no matter what happens to the law regarding homosexuals and marriage.

people say we have to protect marriage from homosexuals....it will "devalue" our marriages if gays can marry too. If people want to "protect" marriage.....start with the famous people who are into "serial marriage"; marrying for instant gratification and leaving when things get tough. Put an end to divorce also. Its too easy to get married and harder to get out of one. It needs to be the other way around.

Gays are HUMAN also.....they deserve the same exact rights that many other people take for granted.

Answer 6

If you really deeply and with all your heart and sole love your partner, all the crap about gay marriages that they blow at ALL of us means nothing and has no impact on any heterosexual anything.You all go for it , and be happy cause in a 100 years that peace of paper will mean nothing,that's the governments way of side stepping the real issues like the war in Iraq! etc .We should hope that are" traditional marriages" be as loving and kind as are gay friends relationships...

Answer 7

A gay Marriage is not a real Marriage. It takes away from the value of the real ones in my opinion.

Answer 8

It wouldn't affect my marriage at all in a negative way. I'm still going to wake up and adore my husband and follow my vows.

The people who don't want it legalized on moral grounds need to think if they want the entire Bible legislated. People pick and choose their Bible verses according to what fits their own taste. And most have no idea about what the Bible really says. It's pure ignorance and most people would want to stay ignorant because it makes them feel safer and more secure. It validates their bigotry.

Answer 9

People just need to grow up and remember that our laws or supposed to be separate from the church's views but Bushy isn't doing such a great job of remembering that...It wouldn't under mind it if anything all the people having affairs and getting divorced is what is doing it!

Answer 10

In the eyes of the business world (INSURANCE COMPANIES) it would have to be health insurance for their dependants. These people don't want to pay claims submitted for heterosexual spouses and their children.So if gay marriages were legallized they would be looking at covering a whole different bracket of spouses/dependants, and they don't want to do that because that would mean coverage for AIDS/HIV medications and treatments which they know would bankrupt their companies. I'm not saying all gay people have aids/hiv but the greater part of our society believes it to be so.Personally I could care less who marries who,as long as they don't bother me.