Should we enforce churches to do gay marriage?

Question

While I agree gays and lesbians should be allowed the same rights as straight people, Isn't marriage a typically religious thing? And because of this, shouldn't religions be allowed to choose who they marry? I think there should be civil union that give homosexuals the exact same rights as married straight couples, but I think forcing churches to marry gays and lesbians is a bit much.

Basically, shouldn't a church be allowed to follow it's own doctrine if it wants?

Answer 1

Due to the "separation of church and state", government cannot pass any law that enforces/favors any specific religion, nor can it pass a law that PROHIBITS THE PRACTICE of any specific religion. Since in most cases homosexuality would be considered a "sin", to force churches to marry homosexual couples would go against the "Separation".

A civil union that allows the same rights seems like a simple enough solution; but what about Christian homosexuals who would like an actual marriage ceremony performed?

In my opinion, gay marriage should be allowed in all states, but it should be up to individual churches (and I mean the churches themselves, not branches of Christianity--Catholics shouldn't have to convert to Lutheranism (or some similar situation) to get married) whether or not to perform gay marriages.

My apologies if that last paragraph was a bit too wordy. I didn't quite know how to articulately say what I wanted to say.

Answer 2

It becomes a labelling issue. If the state (that is, a non-religious officiant like a justice of the peace, or mayor for example) is allowed to "marry" two people who are not the same sex, then why shouldn't that same label be given to two people who are the same sex? In other words, the government has injected itself into the "marriage" business. If they want to call "civil union" the joining of two people in a legal, state sanctioned relationship, then leave "marriage" to religious institutions, and call everything licensed by the government "civil union." This is already done in some countries-to be legally married, you must see the appropriate government official, though you can, if you choose, opt to have a religious ceremony as well, with the appropriate officiant and have the relationship sanctified by your faith.

No church should be forced to marry gays and lesbians, but they also shouldn't be made to feel like second class citizens when they're prohibited from getting married or given a different label. Leave marriage to churches and civil union to the government.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, no, marriage is NOT a religious thing. If it were, the government would not be able to give it any special recognition, due to the implications of the reasoning behind the separation of church and state.

But I ALSO agree that a church should not be required to perform gay marriages if they are against them. What needs to happen for fairness to all is to take marriage TOTALLY out of the government, and only allow civil unions. Then the religious people can HAVE their marriage, and I am not discriminated against because I cannot get the benefits of the government, when I am in a relationship that is EXACTLY the same.

I do agree with you, REQUIRING churches to perform gay marriages is wrong and against the constitution as acknowleging specific religions, and that is why I believe that it will never happen here in the US.

Answer 4

Believe it or not you can't force a church to marry you if you are straight. Gays and Lesbians do not want anything more than the right to have their unions recognized by the state. None of them want to force any church to marry them. That is nonsense brought up to scare people into voting against same sex marriage.

Answer 5

Well I am a lesbian and I would love to marry my gf.. However I do not think it should be forced upon churches to perform marriages. The majority of the LGBT community I know do not even want a church ceremony. I will not get married in a church since I am not christian but wiccan and my gf is atheist..

So to answer the question .. No churches should not be forced to perform marriages, but the states should recongnize the marriage

Answer 6

Church's are private entities and the government can't "force" them to do anything. If there is a state law permitting gay marriage, then a church may conduct gay marriages if it so chooses. A state with laws upholding gay marriage are required to hold gay marriages, just like hetero marriages, at the local courthouse. Marriage is not a religious practice, but it IS a legal practice.

Answer 7

In my opinion, I don't think that marriage is typically a religious thing. There are couples who do currently choose to get married by a government employee (judge, etc) and these couples are just as married as those who get married by a member of their clergy.

With the whole marriage issue, I don't think anyone is forcing a church to marry us. If they choose to do so, that's fine but if they choose not to, that's fine as well.

Answer 8

Forcing gay marriages on Churches is just as bad as Churches preventing gays from marriage.

Example: In Canada, the Anglican church does not sanction gay marriages, however gay marriage IS legal in Canada and there are some Anglican priests who will perform same sex weddings in spite of the Church's policy.

Answer 9

your right

of course over time when people get used to the ideal of gay marriage I am sure most churches will start to marry gays if they don't do it now.

I don't remember reading laws forcing interraical marriage when it became legal. In fact at first I am sure many of churches where still head by racist people and would refuse to marry a black and white couple.

but know I doubt you will find many churches that would refuse to marry two people because they are different races.

so the important thing is to make gay marriage legal and the rest will fall in place over time.

Answer 10

I think gay people should marry- now who marries them is up to that place or organization.

a church can choose who to marry and whose wedding to host.

no one wants to force anyone to do anything. gay people can be married in a buddist temple, gay churchs/mixed gay and straight churchs, or at city hall