Thread: Gay Marriage - Why should I give a shit?

I mean really. What is this all about? Why should I care about this any more than I should be concerned about the price of donuts?

You shouldn't and neither should anyone else. It is a non-issue. A human being should be allowed to marry any other human being they choose (within age boundries) if they are both consenting.

The price of donuts is much more critical.

I'm all for letting Adam and Steve be a official couple.
This is changing the definition of marriage.

I'll be labelled a bigot, an idiot and probably have to make a new forum name to post in other forums after this but I don't want schools to teach kids that sex or marriage is anything but between a man and a woman.

I don't judge you or anyone else, just want to know. Maybe it's because I don't judge that I'm clueless on this issue. Thanks for the input. But why?

OTOH, schools have enough to teach so I think and instruction other that the 3 R's should be for acknowledging the real world realities. Teaching vs Presenting.

It's none of my business who anyone else loves. It doesn't take anything away from my conventional marriage.
If you really hate gays and love marriage so much then why not ban hetero divorce?
And don't forget, straight couples are the only ones giving birth to gays in the first place. Let's just ban gay babies!

Originally Posted by hikethemidstation

I'm all for letting Adam and Steve be a official couple.
This is changing the definition of marriage.

I'll be labelled a bigot, an idiot and probably have to make a new forum name to post in other forums after this but I don't want schools to teach kids that sex or marriage is anything but between a man and a woman.

If you think you're a bigot, well, you probably are.

Sent from my PantechP8000 using TGR Forums

Originally Posted by hikethemidstation

I don't want schools to teach kids that sex or marriage is anything but between a man and a woman.

Our schools need to be teaching science, art, math, literature, health. The parents should be the ones teaching marriage.


sent from the future using my mind powers

Originally Posted by wooley12

I mean really. What is this all about? Why should I care about this any more than I should be concerned about the price of donuts?

Because your government is forcing Christians to endorse something they consider a sin.

Marriage should not be a government controlled institution.

Marriage is traditionally a religious rite.

Religions have traditionally defined marriage as a union of a man and a woman.

Governments have granted rights to married couples (just as governments grant certain rights and benefits to partnerships, corporations, non-profits, etc).

Governments began controlling marriage after it granted these rights (restricting marriage between 1 man and 1 woman)

Now Government is trying to change the definition of marriage, which is a religious definition to begin with.

If the government wants to grant rights to gay couples, it should. But it should not try to re-define a religious union. Marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman. A civil-union or whatever the government wants to call a gay-union (where the government grants similar rights to a gay couple as the rights that it grants to a married straight couple) is okay with me.

Now you might be saying "okay, so you are okay with gay marriages as long as they don't call it a 'gay marriage'?"

Basically.. yes. Why? Because if it is called a gay marriage.. or just a marriage.. then the government can force Religious groups to perform these unions. Churches have been granted the authority to perform marriages, their own religions union between 1 man and 1 woman. If the government changes the definition of marriage, then the government can force churches to perform unions which those churches view as sinful. However, if the government allows civil-unions with similar rights to marriages, then only the government can perform those unions, gay couples can have the same benefits as married couples, and churches won't be forced to perform 'sinful' unions. This would allow us to separate church and state institutions.

of course this is just my opinion

Originally Posted by skijosh

Marriage should not be a government controlled institution.

Marriage is traditionally a religious rite.

Religions have traditionally defined marriage as a union of a man and a woman.

Governments have granted rights to married couples (just as governments grant certain rights and benefits to partnerships, corporations, non-profits, etc).

Governments began controlling marriage after it granted these rights (restricting marriage between 1 man and 1 woman)

Now Government is trying to change the definition of marriage, which is a religious definition to begin with.

If the government wants to grant rights to gay couples, it should. But it should not try to re-define a religious union. Marriage is between 1 man and 1 woman. A civil-union or whatever the government wants to call a gay-union (where the government grants similar rights to a gay couple as the rights that it grants to a married straight couple) is okay with me.

Now you might be saying "okay, so you are okay with gay marriages as long as they don't call it a 'gay marriage'?"

Basically.. yes. Why? Because if it is called a gay marriage.. or just a marriage.. then the government can force Religious groups to perform these unions. Churches have been granted the authority to perform marriages, their own religions union between 1 man and 1 woman. If the government changes the definition of marriage, then the government can force churches to perform unions which those churches view as sinful. However, if the government allows civil-unions with similar rights to marriages, then only the government can perform those unions, gay couples can have the same benefits as married couples, and churches won't be forced to perform 'sinful' unions. This would allow us to separate church and state institutions.

of course this is just my opinion

Exactly - Nice Work

except for those religions that traditionally defined it as between a man and many women or a woman and many men.

Churches have always decided who they Marry in their church based on their own criteria so your assertion that the govermnet is forcing you to marry gay people is just fals. Some of the criteria they use are: if you are of the same denomination, If you are an active member of the church and attend regularly, that you attend mandatory church marriage class before wedding, must be a baptized christian, etc, etc, etc.

I seriously doubt the gays want to be married in your silly little church anyway.

religion.....it's like magic

Originally Posted by masterofgreenbeans

Churches have always decided who they Marry in their church based on their own criteria so your assertion that the govermnet is forcing you to marry gay people is just fals. Some of the criteria they use are: if you are of the same denomination, If you are an active member of the church and attend regularly, that you attend mandatory church marriage class before wedding, must be a baptized christian, etc, etc, etc.

I seriously doubt the gays want to be married in your silly little church anyway.

religion.....it's like magic

I specifically said "forcing Christians to endorse" not "forcing churches to marry".

Originally Posted by wooley12

I mean really. What is this all about? Why should I care about this any more than I should be concerned about the price of donuts?

From an electoral standpoint, anti-gay marriage ballot initiatives etc. were a winning election strategy that contributed to choosing a president in 2004. Now, according to some polls, a majority of Americans support it or are indifferent so the fact that a majority are like you and might be unconcerned is significant in itself.

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

Because your government is forcing Christians to endorse something they consider a sin.

Bullshit. Just because the government allows something doesn't mean that all citizens endorse it. Fundamentalist Mormons consider abstaining from plural marriage to be a sin, yet polygamy is illegal. Do you suggest we legalize polygamy because a group considers it a sacrament? This is why we don't, or rather, shouldn't let religion dictate government policy.

0/10, try again.

Bumping hoping some non government conspiracy answers to appear. Gotta be money involved somehow. Wait! Political contributions for sure but anyone else cashing in or losing money on the gay marriage thing. Insurance companies? Money always pushes lies that fools believe.

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

Because your government is forcing Christians to endorse something they consider a sin.

Like masturbation, birth control and eating shellfish?

Sure there's money wooley - the batshit crazy denominations can milk their sheeple with the spectre of the evil gayz for more donation money. Hate sells for those shitbags.

If it's ok for a guy to marry a guy or a girl to marry a girl, why is it not ok for a guy to marry two girls or even two guys? Or maybe a a guy and a girl?

I really don't have a problem with any of this, just curious why the libdopes here are all for one, but not the other.

Hey man, consenting adults = anything goes as far as I'm concerned.

Why should you care? You should care because it is bigotry. If a church doesn't want to marry people, fine. Catholics won't marry people unless you agree to raise kids catholic. That is there choice. Just don't tell other people what to do outside your faith. If you are an evangelical fucknut, fine, but if another faith choices to marry gays that is their choice. The government should recognize those faiths that choose to marry gays, or gays of no faith. That does not impose any restrictions on any faiths, so dickheads like DBT can shut the fuck up.

The government should recognize it. It doesn't mean the churches have to.

Sent from my TI-89

Originally Posted by hikethemidstation

I'm all for letting Adam and Steve be a official couple.
This is changing the definition of marriage.

I'll be labelled a bigot, an idiot and probably have to make a new forum name to post in other forums after this but I don't want schools to teach kids that sex or marriage is anything but between a man and a woman.

School didnt teach me what sex or marriage are.

The only reason I care is because it expands the Social Security entitlement group and while it's fair someone gets survivor benefits I'm not sure we can afford it.

Originally Posted by Summit

The government should recognize it. It doesn't mean the churches have to.

Sent from my TI-89

I don't think you know much about constitutional law. As soon as the government says that Gay Marriage is legal, then it actually becomes unconstitutional for the government to continue providing tax-free status to Churches that refuse to marry gay couples. In some of the states where Gay Marriage has been legalized some churches have already been sued and have lost their non-profit tax status. That means these churches are no longer treated like religious institutions. Marriage is a religious institution. Keep it that way.