CHRISTIANS: Exactly which marriage rights do you want to prevent same-sex couples from getting? (See details)?

Question

1. Inheritance rights?
2. Medical decision rights?
3. Tax filing as a couple rights?
4. Immigration rights?
5. Insurance rights?
6. Property ownership rights?
7. Non-testifying against a spouse rights?
8. Social Security widows benefits?
9. Adoption rights?
10. Hospital visitation rights?
11. Right to decide on funeral arrangements?
12. Prison visitation rights?
13. Family medical leave?

Or which of the others listed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States ?

revulayshun: If rights aren't the issue, then why is the Christian church working so vehemently to prevent me from having them? I don't see a lot of Christians out there trying to ensure that gay folks can have those rights, and I see literally millions working to keep me from having those rights.

Answer 1

Rights aren't the issue. The issue is "what is marriage".
Marriage is the union of one man and one woman. There is no such thing as a same sex marriage, unless you re-define marriage. That is what we are against- re-defining marriage.

Answer 2

Most of the items you mention are given under civil unions. I would draw the line at those that are Federal such as immigration, Social Security and tax filing. At that point this just becomes a travesty.

I would give the churches the right to refuse to marry. Because immediately there will be penalties as were imposed on the Boy Scouts.

Answer 3

The right to change the definition of the word marriage which through all time has meant the union between one man and one women. You may call it anything you please but that. For the fact that a section of society does not like the meaning does not give grounds to change it. For the billions who came before this debate, it is an insult.

Other than that, I don't give a flip.

Answer 4

I can't speek for christians because I'm a believer in Jesus Christ. But I think the main beef should be a legal thing and not a religeous one.
Mariage in the scriptures is allways between a man and his chosen wife. Mariage then can't be between two men or two women. It just can't, unless you want to change the meaning of the word. Believers can't do that.

If society wants to allow two same sex people top be joined in some kind of legal union and receieve all those things you want them to have, that is up to society. But the union won't be recognized by God or the Church; those who have accepted Jesus Christ as the Savior proficied to the Jews.

Answer 5

None of them. I'm a Christian, and I've been a longtime supporter of gay rights, and that includes the right for same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as any married heterosexual couple.

Answer 6

Forgive my long answer.

Christians against gay marriage will tell you the following:

1. Marriage is supposed to be a sacred institution between a man and a woman.

My answer to that is, it is not the gender of the people involved but the INTENT they bring to the union. Simply because a man and a woman are involved does not make the union sacred. People marry for money, green cards, to just have sex, because they got the girl knocked up, because they want to get out of their parents home etc.

I have two lesbian neighbors together longer than my husband and I. They have TRULY been there for each other through sickness (one battled breast cancer) and health, richer and poorer etc. And raised two kids together. I think they DESERVE to have legal recognition of SOME kind for their union and their family.

2. Marriage is TRADITIONALLY between a man and woman.

Well at one point, marriage was traditionally between a man and several women and concubines. At one point marriage was arranged by parents. At one point a dowery had to be paid. At one time, it was ILLEGAL for a black person to marry a white person etc. Traditions are only as good as their usefulness and relevance to society's ethics.

3. Marriage is to produce children

Then post menopausal women, women who cannot conceive, men with vasectomies or low sperm count should NOT get married.

4. Children NEED a mother and a father to be normal

Having a father is a guarantee of NOTHING unless the father is a GOOD father. In fact, having a BAD father is worse than having none at all. Besides, who is to say there are no unique benefits a child with same sex parents enjoy that children with opposite sex parents do not? It works BOTH ways with the pros and cons. Perhaps it is a GOOD thing to have parents who out of necessity MUST plan and prepare to have children because it cannot happen by biological accident, like it does to many heterosexual couples, many of whom never wanted kids or are not ready to have them.

In fact, new research from the Netherlands which has had legal gay unions, adoption etc for over 10 year now, shows that children raised by lesbian couples are as well-adjusted as those raised in heterosexual-parent families. The analysis of 200 couples with boys and girls ages 4–8 -- half the parents were heterosexual, half lesbians recording the amount of time they spent child rearing, working around the house, and working outside their home showed that lesbian biological mothers were more satisfied with their partners as a coparent than heterosexual mothers were. It was also shown that lesbian mothers were more committed to the task of parenting than straight fathers.

There was more equal division of family tasks, with both of the lesbian partners spending more time on household work and child care, and less time at work outside the home, than the heterosexual fathers.

And last but not least,

5. Society will collapse if gays and lesbians are allowed to get married. It will lead to people marrying animals etc.

So far, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, France, UK, Canada seem to be getting along pretty well. In fact, no one has been able to show me ANY conclusive evidence that my lesbian neighbors getting married will adversely damage MY family, faith, values, children etc.

So it is PURELY a religious arguement and NOTHING more. And no one religion should be forced to deny other people their AMERICAN right to family, self-acualization and freedom.

And most would say they just do not want the "symbol" of marriage or the "definition" of marriage to be redefined. Yet they are also against civil unions that seek to grant gay couples all of those rights you listed. It's just bigotry in action. That's all.

Answer 7

I wish this wasn't such an issue... Gay individuals in committed relationships deserve to be able to be married... I mean how "sacred" is the institution of marriage with the celebrity examples being set for us? if hetero's can't get it right, perhaps we could see a better example set from those in the gay community... just a thought

Answer 8

i think it's the right to have sex.

christians don't ever have sex out of wedlock. ever.

they think this is true of all people. so, if they deny gays the right to marriage, then they are preventing them from having gay sex and, thus, saving them from eternal hellfire at the center of flat earth.

the other argument is that marriage is sacred. that's why any heterosexual who is 18 can go to vegas and marry anyone they just met.

they don't want the gays to ruin the sanctity of that.

Answer 9

They can have all thoes worldly things! The God ordained
institution of marriage as described in the bible is what
christians are upset about.


God loves you....God bless

Answer 10

Gay people are seeking public validation for their lifestyle.

They can address most of those 'issues' as single people under domestic partnership allowances, Power of Attorney and/or a Will. Marriage (validation) is not necessary.