Can someone explain why allowing gays to marry would destroy the sanctity of marriage?

Question

I am a married, straight person. Why and how should I be affected by gay people marrying?

Answer 1

This is a good question. I have no idea what people are talking about when they say sanctity of marriage. I mean with a better than 1 in 2 divorce rate among hetero couples it appears that no one really thinks anything of marriage.

My wife and I think that if two people can find happiness in this life with another person why should they not be able to be married to one another. This life is far to short for all of the fighting and stuff that goes on everyday.

Answer 2

First of all, thanks to Dellow for his lengthy and well-thought out (if somewhat acidic) answer. You said everything I was going to say.

What it comes down to is politics. The idea of legal marriage is one of the few places where the church ideals overlap government policy, through nothing more than long habit. Now, with thechurch so determined to have more control over every aspect of our lives, marriage gives thema foot in the door, so to speak.

The thing is, they've spun a very convincing lie about "traditional" marriage and "traditional" families. The idea of a legal wedding didn't come about until the medieval era, when it was a contract to keep valuable lands in the hands of the noble families. That was why you couldn't marry someone of your own gender--there would be no legal heir produced. For the peasants and serfs, on the other hand, marriage remained what it had always been--two people paired up and moved in together. Often there was a ceremony by the local priest to mark this occasion; sometimes there wasn't. Either way, there was no legal involvement at all. The local lord didn't -care- who the peasants married. And while rare, a homosexual couple wasn't necessarily run out of town. After all, they had extra resources, and might be persuaded to take in an orphan youngster, rather than further burdening another family.

But marriage these days isn't about keeping the family holdings in the family. It got a lot more complicated, with taxes and power-of-attorney, and all kinds of rights, privileges,and duties that are automatically assumed by spouses through the legal contract of marriage. as for the family property, we have legal wills to keep or distribute that as we see fit, further occluding marriage's original purpose.

But, if we recognize marriage as what it is--a legal contract--guess what? The church, which has had its fingers in that pie since the beginning, loses a great deal of power and influence. So what do they do? They cloud the issue. They focus on an aspect that should have nothing to do with the legality of a modern marriage--a person's sexual orientation. They play on generations of hate and fear to persuade us to support politicians who support the churches. That's all it is. Just a power play.

Answer 3

This is not about the average person and what they believe is right or wrong. This is a political war and yes there are politics in the church. If the church allows gay marriage then what else have they said in the past was wrong but is now ok? It opens up a can of worms that nobody wants to play in. I guarantee you that if you took a poll and asked most people if they thought gay marriage should be allowed that a high percentage would be yes. The church and state are two different matters, but this is one that is intermingled between the two. I think it will be another 20 years before it is legal in all states.

What's with the thumbs down? Was anything I stated not the truth? Or was it my opinion that was disagreed with?

Answer 4

"Sanctity" is a religious concept, and doesn't belong in a discussion about what is a civil matter. Marriage is a legal contract, nothing more. If people choose to have a religious ceremony, they're entitled to, however, no one can perform a legal marriage unless they're empowered to do so by civil authority.

Having established that marriage is a legal matter, rather than a religious one, if one understands that all U.S. citizens are guaranteed equal protection under the law, there is no justification for denying gays the right to marry.

Article IV, Section 2:
"The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States."

Amendment XIV:
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Amendment IX:
"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."


If we allow Constitutional rights to be denied to any citizen, we erode the very system that's supposed to protect our own rights.
.

Answer 5

One need only to look at the "average" time span of a same sex cohabitating couple to answer that question. It is under 2 years. So in other words, most same sex relationships are short term, non permanent and therefore unsupportive in the long term.
Society has enough difficulties with traditional marriages and divorce and the subsequent social ills that come from it, ie single parenthood, kids raised in poverty, non supervision of children and the attending gangs, delinquency issues, etc.

Adding to those problems issues surrounding the temporary nature of same sex couples and you only compound the problems.

My 2 cents.

Answer 6

I don't know, but why not check with Canada as they've legalised gay marriage there. Strangely enough, hetero couples are still getting married and society hasn't broken down yet.

And Dellow, very funny list. I copied it and sent it to a married gay couple that I know.

Answer 7

Good question.

The way I figure it, the "sanctity" of marriage was destroyed a long time ago by the over 50% divorce rate, people doing it to just "give it a try," cheating on their partners left and right, and running at the first sign of trouble.

Answer 8

because some people think other peoples personal lives are their business and have a direct effect on them

there is no sanctity to marriage... 56% end in divorce

Answer 9

Depends on the laws of the land made by the people for the people in a democracy. But if you are in a religious regime then you might be breaking the law and be burnt at the stake.

Answer 10

Sanctity of marriage. Marriage as prescribe not only in the Holy Bible but all religions is with one man and one woman. It is a gift from God.

One man and one woman is marriage, anything else is an abomination in the eyes of the living God...and is not marriage.

What one does in their own home is their own business but calling it a marriage when it is not one man and one woman, is not a marriage.

Marriage at one time was considered sacred...most don't see it that way but God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

May all live in peace.