Homosexual Marriage?????

Question

Hi, I am doing a survey. I need to know do you all agree with homosexual marriage? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I support governmental recognition of all marriages performed by recognized religious group, adn that is the secret about the gay marriage question.

The gay marriage fight is really a battle between two groups of religious denominations - Christian and other in both cases. That battle is being missed by the media, and I believe that the battle threatens democracy in America.

One of the reasons for the Revolution, in which ancestors of mine fought -- was to establish freedom of religion in the new nation. Now, we are throwing that away, because contrary to what those on the Right would like you to think, this is not a battle between "people of faith" and "atheists" or some such -- this is a battle between two groups of people of faith, using the government to establish one sides views -- the EXACT THING that the anti-establishmentarian clause of the Constitution is there to prevent.

Of course no one should "make" those whose faiths oppose gay marriage perform such marriages, and no one ever would. So ministers from the Southern Baptists and Assemblies of God and Ultra-Orthodox Jews and Fundamentalist Muslims should never be asked to perform gay marriages, and certainly not forced to.

On the other hand, why should faith groups that support gay marriage -- such as the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian/Universalist Society, the North American Spiritualist Church, Reform Judaism, and the Correllian Tradition of Wicca -- all recognized Churches and 501c3s be barred from practicing their religious faiths, which say it is ok to marry same sex couples?

The first group of faith groups is realistically using the government to prevent the second group of faith groups from practicing what they believe. The founders tried to prevent this, for the stability of the country. It doesn't matter that everyone "thinks" they are right and others are wrong -- it matters that we are plural as a society and the government should recognize everyone's ceremonies the same -- which means that gay marriages committed by churches and faith groups that believe in gay marriages, should be honored by the government regardless of what groups that don't like it say.

Everyone's beliefs can be honored, thus preserving the values that my 12 times removed Great Grandfather died for -- but not if we allow one side to legislate away the rights of the other side.

Since I do not believe the government should be used to control religious belief -- I think that the government should recognize gay marriage, when performed by members of clergy -- and should create a civil union equivalent for those interested only in secular marriage.

Otherwise we should stop saying we don't have an establishment of religion.

Regards,

Reynolds Jones
http://www.rebuff.org
[e-mail]

Answer 2

Frankly, I don't care much about the subject, one way or the other...

I suppose what bothers me the most about it is that a number of plausible compromises on this matter, such as 'civil unions', have been offered by the overwhelmingly straight majority who, for whatever reasons, want to keep the word 'marriage' within the realm of a union between a man and a woman...

However, these patently workable compromises have been rejected by a short-sighted gay minority lobby...

I find this lack of compromise appalling, as the only way progress can be made in the future is to seek compromise within the present; especially with issues this polarizing.

Answer 3

Yes. I agree with EQUAL ACCESS TO MARRIAGE which, by the way, is a civil issue and not a religious issue.

Currently, heterosexual's enjoy 1,138 benefits after marriage. Equal access to these marital benefits and rights is what we are seeking. We feel, as American citizens, we should be granted equal access to those benefits through marriage. Civil Unions will not provide this access. We ask for nothing more and certainly nothing less. This civil issue HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION ... regardless of how much you will hear it stated as such from misinformed and often bigoted individuals.

It wasn't until the 1960's that interracial couples were granted EQUAL ACCESS TO MARRIAGE in this country -- by a ruling made by the US Supreme Court. Many people today would call that decision a decision made by "activist judges". Prior to that only a small handful of states allowed interracial marriage (much as it is now with Gay marriage; however, Massachusetts is the ONLY state to allow same-sex marriage with only two other states allowing Civil Unions).

Often you hear of "special" rights used to describe our fight to gain equal access to marriage. The key word is "EQUAL" ..... the same rights as married heterosexual's now enjoy. Not "special", but equal.

Married and straight? Do you think of the benefits you enjoy as "special" benefits?

Answer 4

If you're talking about marriage between gay people - please use the right term - there should be no barriers. This maintains the age-old separation of church and state.

When bigoted and discriminatory 'christians' bring this up as a religious issue, it drives home the point even further that this is a legal [i.e. state] matter that should have no religious basis, since the rights that go with marriage are given and upheld by the state.

Answer 5

I am a married bisexual and I am also a firm believer that the state should not have the right or the business to even know who is married and who is not. Where do they get off telling us how to live our lives. I think that all marriages ordained by the state are a travesty. Marriage is a private religious ceremony and the state has no business mixing in religious affairs.

Answer 6

It doesn't matter if people agree with gay marriage or not.

Gay people are getting married. Gay people have been getting married for a long time.

If every straight person on the planet disagreed with gay marriage it wouldn't make a bit of difference.

The current debate isn't about agreeing or disagreeing with gay marriage. It is about the government treating it as equal to a straight marriage.

I am certainly FOR the government treating everybody equally.

Answer 7

Absolutely agree. The problem in this country is that we've gotten too wrapped up in religion "aka Christianity".

In many European countries, you must go to the courthouse first to have a civil ceremony (that is what makes you married - it's a legal contract between two people in the eyes of the state; nothing more, nothing less) and then you go to the church/synagogue/mosque/etc. (if you want) to have a religious blessing.

I think this country would be much better off if we removed the ability of religious leaders to perform legal cermonies and left that to our government institutions. Leave your religion out of my affairs!

Answer 8

The Constitution promises every American the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". If that doesn't answer the Gay marriage question nothing will.

Of course people should be allowed to marry anyone they want to.

Answer 9

First I am gay. Second I attend church and believe in God. Now to your question. Leave it up to the church to decide if they want to support Holy Matrimony. Leave it up to the individuals if they want to marry or commit to a civil union. This is called freedom of choice and what America is based upon. I personally support it. That is my choice. I personally hope to someday meet a man and marry him, love him and commit my life to him.

If a church allows I hope it to be done in a church and Bless by God. Then it would be Holy matrimony. That should be left to the church.

If a church doesn't bless it than it is marriage/civil union and should be blessed by the state and America.

Answer 10

If that's what a mature couple wants, then there is nothing wrong with it. It does not hurt anybody, and may even be a natural way of helping the Earth. Think about it- if everyone throughout history was heterosexual and reproduced, can you imagine what today's global population would be?