Same sex marriage and the constitution...

[sunken]

I got a call last night from a group who wanted me to sign a petition for an amendment to the constitution of our state that says that a marriage is defined as a man and a woman. I told them that I would not sign it. It's really got nothing to do with how I feel about the issue. It's that I am a firm believer that you should not exclude people in such important instruments of our government. In our national constitution, it clearly states "All men are created equal..." You can't later put, "Well except for these people..."

[Mike_115]

Before the civil war the state had nothing to do with marriage. It was taken care of by churches, and common law marriages. After the civil war the government stepped in and said if a black person and a white person want to get married they need a license. Soon they licensed everyone, and it became a state / national issue. Before it was completely voluntary, and individual. This is one more example of the state getting involved and causing problems. Left alone people could live together and call it whatever they want. End of problem.

[bizwiz]

I have nothing against same sex marriages. I believe we all deserve to be happy and if that makes them happy then so be it.

[vickilynn]

I don't have a problem either, but I believe it is up to the churches whether or not to perform same-sex marriages. It is up to the government to make sure the same legal rights are given to "married" couples, whether hetero or same-sex.

[hideip]

I dont care if 2 men or 2 women live together, I mean its life and everyone should be able to love another human being. But then again I think its correct for Churches to not allow same sex marriages as it goes against the beliefs of many religions.

[Taopoet]

I find it interesting that churches have more of a problem with same-sex marriage than they do with the adulterous marriage of people who've been married to other people before. Matthew 19:9 tells us that a person who divorces than remarries is an adulterer. Yet Christians in enormous numbers are lawfully RE-married in Christian churches. Interestingly, Matthew 19:4-6 is the passage Christians tend to refer to when they speak of Biblical insistence that marriage is strictly a heterosexual institution.

How can Christians allow divorce and remarriage but condemn homosexual marriage when the clear statements against both are within inches of each other in their holy scripture? I don't know the answer to that. (Well, maybe I do.)

Meanwhile, back at the Constitution, nowhere in that lauded document does it say that all men are created equal. That's from the Declaration of Independence.

I'm a fan of Amendment IX: (Paraphrased) Rights granted in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

The Declaration of Independence empowers us as a people to the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; the Constitution shall not be construed to deny nor disparage these rights, which include living freely and pursuing our bliss. If your bliss includes creating a family unit of two men or two women and you're living under the auspices of the American Constitution, bless your heart, you have that right!

But it's up to the States to decide whether to grant you the license to marry and become legal next of kin ...

[Mary Catherine]

I've been in a Bible study for about 3 years, but we haven't discussed this issue and I don't feel qualified to give a religious response to this question... I can only say that I think all people should have rights to equal healthcare options and benefits and that means homosexual unions as well as marriages. I'm in favor of civil unions and I think it needs to be up to individual churches to determine whether or not to "marry" homosexual couples. I personally do not feel that family as we know it is threatened in any way by homosexuality. I believe that there is strength and beauty in diversity and I celebrate that.

[hidden]

If you are going to use the Bible to cite religious beliefs to marriage and all then you should also cite how the Bible clearly states that homosexuality is wrong. And at points in the Bible divorce was accepted. Moses made it alright though I do believe that Jesus later took back what Moses had said.

[PoliticsGuru]

Mary Catherine Wrote:I've been in a Bible study for about 3 years, but we haven't discussed this issue and I don't feel qualified to give a religious response to this question... I can only say that I think all people should have rights to equal healthcare options and benefits and that means homosexual unions as well as marriages. I'm in favor of civil unions and I think it needs to be up to individual churches to determine whether or not to "marry" homosexual couples. I personally do not feel that family as we know it is threatened in any way by homosexuality. I believe that there is strength and beauty in diversity and I celebrate that.

You make a mockery of the Bible. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Men and women should be together according to the Bible. So don't reference it if you don't believe everything it says because it says in the Bible to not alter anything God has said and to hold it all true.

[JonUK]

(06-17-2008 06:42 AM)hidden Wrote:  If you are going to use the Bible to cite religious beliefs to marriage and all then you should also cite how the Bible clearly states that homosexuality is wrong.

The Bible does not "clearly state" anything, everything is open to interpretation, even the assumption that homosexuality is wrong. The only part of the bible that even metions ANYTHING to do with homosexuality is

Leviticus 18:22
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

ONCE! once in the whole fucking book! And Leviticus, poor chap must have been confused, also said that Slavery is fine, you can sell your daughter in slavery no prob. Also stated is that Working on the Sabbeth, touching the skin of a dead pig, wearing clothing that is a blend of two textiles, eating shellfish and planting a mixture of seeds in a field are all sins.
And as none of these mortal sins are discussed anywhere else in this ancient, outdated text, I think we can assume that Leviticus was either

* whoopwhoopwhoopwhoopwhoop *

or had had a really bad day, maybe a sabbath, possibly he found out his daughter was getting nailed by a football player who wears poly/cotton blends, likes prawns and once made a pass at him and so decided to sort his life out once and for all using the well known self help method of "writing part of the Bible".

Or, y'know, you could stop living your life by a fictional book written 1900 years ago and make some decisions as a rational human being. Your choice.

Quote:God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

Ha ha! what a great line, bet you wished you came up with it yourself! ha ha! must write that down! ha ha hah ha ha! genius, pure genius! hah ha ha! you must be the life and soul of your church group! hahaha! what a riot! lol rofl etc.

Just kidding. You suck.