State monopoly on marriage?

Question

Why aren't more people calling for separating marriage and the state? Most states currently only allow a male and a female to wed. Why don't we separate states from our private relationships. This way people can marry who and/or what they want. There's a huge stink right now about gay marriage. Why are they appealing to authority where there is none? What right does the state have to declare what their relationships are? This recent gay marriage movement ignores and alienates plural marriage, communal marriage and marriage to non humans.

I say remove any marriage laws, thus allowing anyone to marry anyone or anything they want, and call that marriage/union/relationship, whatever they want.

Divorce... shouldn't a relationship be an at will agreement between two people sans government?

To understand what I am saying you need to think freely. The Individual is SOVEREIGN, Gov't should only interfere in cases of coercion and violence.

I wouldn't personally support a 50 yo and an 8 yo marrying, but if they want to jump over a broom and call it marriage and be happy, fine whatever. If you asked about sexual relations then I would definitely say NO, that is coercion of a minor and that 50 yo should be punished.

Relations including marriage may or may not include sexual relations, try hard to separate the two... I.E. your friends, do you need to have sex with your friends? Probably not...

I'm sitting here and I'm reading and seeing no one gets it really.

Imagine if "marriage" had nothing to do with gov't. No liscenses, no checks, no nothing, just you and someone else.

If you goto the court room and say I want to get married they should say, go ahead, get out of this court room, cause that has nothing to do with us... When you want a divorce from said marriage, you are divorced, theres no appealing to the authority of anyone but yourself to end what ever relationship you desire.

You don't goto town hall to ask to scratch your nose. You don't goto court when you meet a new friend...

Why does the government need to recognize any personal relationship?

Tax benefits: Marriage for tax benefits is a horrible base...
Some people's idealogy opposes formal marriage all together. Why shouldn't they get the same benefits with their partner as married couples do? Why should any couple get tax benefits for that matter?

Answer 1

You've asked a very complex and interesting question.
I've often wondered why it is the religious people who so often want a government definition of marriage, when until this century, it was always the church's role to define, or at least to perform marriages. I know gay people who have been married by their church or synagogue, but that union is not recognized by the state.
I think state sanctioned marriage was invented as a way to tax people (you have to pay for the license), but it's been complicated by the benefits programs offered by employers and tax breaks provided by the IRS. So the more unions they can exclude, the less medical , retirement, etc employers have to pay, and the less tax credits have to be given by the IRS.
I don't imagine there will be a purge of the marriage laws any time soon, and the extension of recognition to minors, and "non human" is a bit of a logical leap, but I think a definition along the lines of "adult partner with whom one legally shares household and financial responsibilities" is not too far fetched.

Edit:
I think I'm agreeing with you, in theory. You're saying there should be no government recognition of marriage, I'm just saying that if there is such recognition (or regulation) , that the government shouldn;t be in a position to define what that is (so long as no laws are broken).

Answer 2

i don't see why it matter to so many people when over half of the marriages in this country end in divorce right now. i don't think i would say remove all marriage laws because that throws the doors open for weird **** to happen and gets rid of the rights that homosexuals want to be included in. That's the whole point. If two gay people have been in a relationship for over a decade they don't get any benefits from the government (i.e. taxes, etc). Two heterosexual people can get married and get the benefits within a few days if they want. It's about what is fair not about what is "immoral" in the eyes of religion. There is supposedly a separation of religion and state in this country yet the only reason that gays can't marry in this country is because of RELIGION. Not everyone agrees with me, but not everyone agrees with the religious left either. Civil Union is a good compromise. Why can't we just give them that? That's what they want. To be included. To not feel like they are second class citizens.

Answer 3

I say no. Marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman. It has been that way for thousands of years. Just because you think your opinion is more important that all that is meaningless.

Have you ever looked at what happens in countries that allow marriage as anything other than 1 man and 1 woman?

You see heterosexual couples cohabitating and having kids. The split up rate is high. Marriage is a commitment and people treat the relationship differently.

Answer 4

I agree with you absolutely. Marriage is a contract, not a religious ceremony. The only rule that should apply to marriage is that you have to be the age of consent to enter into the marriage, just like you would any other contract.

The government has no business interfering in the voluntary and mutual decisions of adults.

As for divorce, the judicial system handles disputes over property when a contract terminates. That doesn't have to change.

Answer 5

There is a separation of state and marriage...in many states.

It's called common law. However, this is not GOOD enough for the "gay" community. And to them...it is all about the state. They want the states blessing and protection.

In my opinion...just another way to flaunt their sexuality. It's not about....marriage. It's about the public display and recognition of their sexuality...period.

Personally. I could care less about gays, I have friends who are gay. The difference between my friends and the ones I see on the 6 o'clock news, ranting about discrimination..... publicity.

Answer 6

The reason is the same reason why we need state permission for anything from owning an auto to practising law to cutting hair...money!

Government may give some lip service to safety or some such, but it's all about the benjamins.

Answer 7

Why do the minority get to pervert the language....Give them civil UNIONS...not marriage...my relationship should not be called an equal as that of 2 same sex...MARRIAGE has ALWAYS been between a man and a woman...now they are trying to force their beliefs down our throats...no
they want committed relationships..fine....call it something different.....lets not change the language to meet their demands...
GAY used to mean happy...but they distorted that...
I will fight to oppose the changing of marriage

Answer 8

The marriage relationship predates the state. Any relationship that cannot result in the reproduction of the species is not natural, and, therefore should not ever be permissible.

Answer 9

So you support a 50 year-old male marrying his 8 year-old daughter?

Answer 10

Well, it's not right to allow gays to marry. Marriage should be between and man and a woman. That is all there is to it.