Should it be legal for gays and lesbians to have civil unions? (Please spare me the christianism)?

Answer 1

Yes. Male, female, gay, straight, whatever... people who chose to be together should have that right, as long as they are adults.

Answer 2

When a couple gets married they have some benefits: Inheritance is a lot easier, custody of the children is a given, if one member has health insurance then they can get the other member covered cheaper...

Why can't we allow them to get these benefits and enter a relationship that shows their love and commitment to each other? The only people who are out anything are possibly the Insurance companies (who are probably real worried about this since HIV rates are higher in the gay community, or they were).

The “moral majority” (actually the moral minority) doesn’t want gays to participate in the Sacrament of Marriage, but a Civil Union isn’t a marriage and doesn’t have to be recognized by the church. The real reason the moral minority doesn’t want a gay union to be legal is because they hate gays. All based on the obscure bible verse “Don’t throw your seed on the ground.” You can interrupt any bible verse to mean almost anything.

I’m straight, and a gay relationship has no appeal to me. But I don’t see the reason for all this hatred. It probably comes from people’s possible secret wish to experiment; they envy the free gay society. Another reason is because they fear anyone who is different; the root of all of all prejudice.

Answer 3

Perhaps a better question is: Why should it be illegal?

Scientists have determined that there is likely a genetic basis for sexual preference. So one may not have any more choice in being gay than in having blue eyes or being left-handed.

It's interesting you asked about civil unions instead of "gay marriage." Heterosexual couples who are married in a civil ceremony -- say, by a judge or a justice of the peace -- are in a civil union, not necessarily recognized by any religion. In fact, some religions won't recognize a marriage that was formed in another religion, although (at least in the U.S.) the couple is considered legally married.

States that recognize civil unions would give the partners many of the same "rights" that married couples have -- for example, the right to visit in emergency rooms, the right to be included as family on employer-based health insurance policies, the right to "divorce," the right to jointly adopt children, and so on.

In Vermont -- which has recognized same-sex civil unions since 2000 -- the procedures are essentially the same as for heterosexual marriages. The main difference is that couples entering civil uniions must be of the same sex. The union may be certified by judges, justices of the peace, or clergy.

California and Connecticut began to recognize civil unions in 2005. A number of countries also have legalized civil unions.

Some people are opposed to civil unions, saying they are nothing more than "gay marriages," which is essentially true -- but sometimes semantics play an important role in political debates. And keep in mind: Even though gay marriages and civil unions draw much protest from the religious right, it is largely a political debate, and it is largely based on prejudice against people who are outside what is considered "normal" society.

There was a time when African Americans were considered to be outside "normal" society. And it was once illegal for whites and blacks to marry in the United States?

People who oppose civil unions say they are protecting marriage. People who opposed interracial marriages were protecting the white race from dilution by blacks, who were mistakenly and unjustly believed to be inferior. It wasn't until 1967 that the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in, striking down Virginia's "Racial Integrity Act of 1924," which prohibited marriage between blacks and whites. Finally, in 2000, Alabama became the last state to repeal its law against mixed-race marriages (even though it hadn't been enforced for years).

In its 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court said:

"Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discriminations. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

The Fourteenth Amendment, by the way, doesn't include the words "race" or "marriage." It's about citizenship rights for all Americans. It says that states can't abridge or violate those rights.

Read the High Court's statement above again and substitute the words "sexual preference" for the word "race." Eventually, that will be the future.

Answer 4

Alright, I live in Canada where Civil Unions between homosexual couples is already legal. There have been alot of couples married. Now, they're all pissy because the first couple wants a divorce.. but there is no provision for divorce.. they complained about not being able to get married, and then 2 months after they were.. they wanted a divorce.. and they can't.. hahahha...

Answer 5

Civil unions are an option for a legal status. However, legal partnerships are possible now and offer many of the same benefits. Maybe we don't need a change in existing laws...just better use of the ones we already have.

Answer 6

Any two people can enter into a legally binding contract. They can share property, provide for transition of property in the event of death (inheritance) etc. Depending on how creative they want to be, they can even simulate spousal privilege. All they have to do is each become an ordained minister (this is a lot easier than you might think) and all communication between the minister and the congregant becomes privileged.

Soooooooo........ if you are depending on some state legislature or some court to make you happy, you are a loser. Get off your butt and make the legal arrangements you want to make your life what you want it to be.

Answer 7

Nobody's stopping the gays and lesbians from having civil unions. They can do that now and have been for quite some time. Your question should be "Should civil unions of gays be outlawed?" And then your answer should be, "By all means, yes, yes, and double yes."

Answer 8

I believe so. Who is one man in a diplomatic country to tell another that his/her way of living is wrong and not allow it? That is the same thing that they did with interracial relationships and the same thing that they did to black people. They did not respect us as an entire person. I think that it is no ones business if two adults decide that they want to be married. That is discrimination! America says "Oh, you cannot turn someone down because of their sexual orientation." But they can then turn around and say you should not be married because marriage is a sanction between man and woman. Says who? If it is God who said such then leave it in his hands. America and Americans try to Saints on Sunday and Pimps Monday through Friday.

Answer 9

It shouldn't be a matter of the law or legality, it should be a matter of love. If two people love each other, they should be together. Why should the government have any say in it? And if two straight people get benefits from being married or united, two gay people should as well. No question about it.

Answer 10

Yes, people who live together for years should be afforded the same "perks" as people who are "legally" married. There is nothing so devistating than devoting one's life to a committed relationship, supporting one another, loving one another when their families want nothing to do with them. But when one dies their family comes out of the woodwork to grab all of the assets he/she has left behind and leaves the partner who has been there throughout the years and tears with nothing. That to me is descpicable.

Answer 11

well... 1st thing I wanna say is that I cant really answer that question if you dont want a christian point of view. I might be a christian women, but I do think that if Gays and Lesbains want to be miserable like the rest of us, then so be it... After all they have to deal with God someday NOT me!

p.s I'm sure you know what the bible says....wink wink