what are your thoughts on gay marriage?

Question

do you have any arguments or comments? I'm doing a project for social issues and anything will help. Thankyou.

Answer 1

I think it is wrong and immoral, I beleive that there is a mental issue there

Answer 2

Yes! Let anyone gay or lesbian make a formal commitment if they love each other! Why do we (heterosexuals) think we can corner the market on what's right and not right with relationships! There are married couples out there somewhere, right now, doing immoral things while wearing their wedding bands! We don't honor marriage commitments otherwise we wouldn't have nearly a 50% divorce rate! Let gay and lesbians adopt children without all the nay-sayers and criticism too! When I was little my grandfather would be beat me--If someone told me I either could stay with him or a gay/lesbian couple who would care for me I surely would not have hesitated to leave my grandpa in the dust!

I will not let my daughter grow up to treat people differently even if she doesn't share the same views!

Committed couples -no matter who they are- should have all the benefits afforded to them. I have tons more to say on this subject, but I'll give it a rest :)

Answer 3

I think two people that love each other should be able to publicly declare their love, and commit to spend their lives together. I don't care if it's 2 men, 2 women, one of each, whatever.

I fail to see how extending this right to all people no matter that their sexual orientation can possibly harm anyone. Even if you think it's a "sin," so what? How is a public statement of love and commitment (backed by all the legal rights and obligations that go along with it) going to affect anyone but the couple involved? How are fundamentalist christians going to be harmed by gay marriage? Massachusetts legalized gay marriage some time ago -- and look: their state has not fallen apart, their economy has not been harmed, "god" didn't throw any thunderbolts at the state, it's all going along quite nicely. We should stop illegally denying this right to people solely because of their sexual orientation. Oh, and not that it matters -- but I'm straight, and married to a woman (for 15 years). :)

JohnC and others -- god doesn't run our country. Good thing, too, since what "god" wants is different in every religion. We're talking about the legal definition of marriage, which is none of god's business. If your particular church doesn't want to sanction gay marriages, that's fine -- don't. But just because you interpret god's will one way, why do you feel you have to force everyone else to follow your beliefs? And as above, how does it possibly harm YOU if two gay people get married?

Answer 4

I think that it is acceptable.
I am a straight catholic woman engaged to a straight catholic man.
However, I believe love comes in different shapes, sizes, races, religion, and even sex.
My main argument about this, is why do people worry so much about other people and their lifestyles? If they want to marry someone of the same sex, they should be allowed. We're not living in 1592 anymore, it's 2006. People weren't always open to the internet but look at how it has helped us. People weren't always open to cell phones but look at how it has saved lives with 911 calls from rape victims or helped someone get in contact during emergencies. People are so stuck in the past ways that they aren't open to new things.
I think anyone in love with anyone else deserves a shot at marriage... If America is such a free country, how come they cannot marry eachother. I've heard people say, "God nade Adam & Eve not Adam & Steve" but God also created love. I've heard people say "Gays are Sinners." Well, newsflash; we're all sinners. We're sinners from the moment we are born until we're baptized. We're considered sinners if we have sex before marriage, if we use the lords name in vain, if we disobey our parent, if we cheat on a spouse, etc.. we've all sinned so everyone that says that needs to stop being so hypocritical.
Like I said, love lives in strange places, and if two people of the same sex want to get married and love one another just like a man and a woman would, then they deserve the happiness of a marriage and the privacy to their relationship without being judged. You can be a homosexual and be religious. All homosexual people are not satanic. In fact, many homosexual people actually come from religious backgrounds.
I rest my case.

Answer 5

I think that you are lucky to find someone to love, no matter who they are, and want to share your life exclusively with them, your partnership should be recognized legally.

So call it a domestic union, rather than marriage. Same thing.

I think the government has no business (or state) regulating marriage. They have no more right to regulate marriage than they do religion (since marriage is mainly a religious ideal). If we let this happen, then the next thing they will want to regulate will be race. No interracial marriages will be allowed. then what's next? Should we all practice the same religion? Will we have laws tellinn us where we can live, what we can drive, how many kids we will be allowed to have, where we can work?

Domestic partnerships, or unions, should have the same rights afforded to married couples. They should have rights to speak on their parnter's behalf, in their lack of capacity to consent.

What about a person who is terminally ill (or has a near fatal accident with no meaningful recovery) and their partner of 17 years wishes to stand up for their right to die with dignity? Especially if their family disowned them for lack of acceptance or respect. Shouldn't their partner have that right by law?
What about insurance benefits? What about estates/wills? What about childcare/custody? What about taxes? What about child support/alimony?

So what of a few self-righteous people say that "the bible says" it's not ok? That's THEIR religious beliefs that should not be imposed on anybody, especially the government or state.
A domestic partnership should be reognized legally, as a marriage is, for the above reasons.

I don't care what people say the bible says. The bible was written by people. They contradict themselves with their own argument. If God made us all, then he made no mistakes. He made us who we are, and those who are brave enough to admit it and come out, should not be treated with any less dignity and worth than the self-righteous so-called christian people (who don't love their neighbors, and cannot forgive them).

Answer 6

I see no reason why gays shouldn't be able to get married. When a couple wants to have a committed relationship they should be able to get legally married and have all the benefits. Discrimination is the only reason gays are not allowed to marry. Its not fair. I believe gays come into this world wired that way and it is cruel and wrong to treat them as outcasts. I'm tired of religions telling everyone what is right and what is sinful. I hope this issue will be remedied soon.

Answer 7

Speaking as a Christian as well as an open minded person this question always puts me in a bit of a quandry. And I've found that if I explain my feelings as well as the reasons for what I feel then those who I know are gay tend to respect my beliefs.

Here goes...

Morally and spiritually, I feel it is a wrong lifestyle to begin with. Adding marriage to the equation doesn't make it any better.

That's how I feel due to the religious training I was brought up in and was instilled in me over several, several years and to which I still believe in.

HOWEVER!

I have A LOT of friends who are gay and have explained to them that I do not believe in hating people and that all of us have to answer to God in the end. He's the judge...not me. SO I don't judge them, I just love them and feel better for having such wonderful people in my life. They understand this and respect this because I show respect for them and do not practice hate-mongering. While I may not attend their committment ceremonies, I'm still happy to go out to dinner with them as friends later on.

Answer 8

I think marriage is a tradition. I think that another term should be used for gay "marriage" such as a "union" or something like that.

This way we can keep the terms husband and wife and for unions there could be other terms like partner or just stick with spouse.

Answer 9

Im not against it but if you really love someone why do you need a piece of paper to prove it. That piece of paper doesnt prove that the relationship will be healthy and long lasting, It is not a guarantee that the two will be faithful. So I think the people that fight for it just want it because they want to have the rights that hetrosexual people have.

Answer 10

Whether you're gay, straight or bi-sexual, we all share the same feelings. The US is all about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of choice, etc etc etc. So why shouldn't gays and lesbians be given the same options on marriage as everone else?

Answer 11

I think people should live their lives however they see fit, providing they are not hurting anyone (read: pedophiles,)
If two consenting adults want to marry, form a legal union, it's all good. Marriage is a lifelong partnership, not always for procreation.