02-26-2004, 04:32 AM
<<Cross post with minor editing from 7lances.com>>
Quote: "'The most fundamental institution of civilization' has been threatened of late by 'aggressive' local officials, says Bush". In other words, straight marriages in the states are threatened because the supreme court of Massachusetts ruled it's unconstitutional to stop gays from marrying.
Now, let's get this straight -- straight marriages are under attack because gays should be allowed to marry. Ahem. Why is any straight marriage threatened by what ANY other couple, whether gay or straight, does or does not do?
If your marriage is threatened because of a gay marriage, your marriage is not based on the right concepts. If your marriage is based on anything but love, trust, understanding and other principles, then you should not be married. If your marriage is "under attack" because a gay couple is allowed to marry, then your marriage is based on only two things. The first is bigotry. Gays should not be allowed to marry because they are gay. Your stance is that simple, and no pretty words about defending a "fundamental institution" can cover your discrimination.
The second basis is worse than even bigotry. Because the second factor you have based your relationship upon an arbitrary definition. And that's pretty pathetic. You have based your relationship on a on a collection of words in the english dictionary. And by the way -- it IS an arbitrary definition. Regardless of how long marriage has been considered to be between "one man, one woman," such a definition is not fixed by anything but our refusal to accept change.
I am not married, but I am in a relationship with a girl I love. And my relationship is not defined by anyone but myself and my girlfriend. I am not going out with her because traditionally, that's what boys and girls my age do. I'm dating her because there is no one I know who I would rather spend time with. That includes our public dates, our private conversations, and the more intimate time we spend together.
Those who claim to be defending the sacred institution of marriage should consider one more fact: straight people ain't doin' so well at it. When more marriages fail than succeed among straight couples, it's interesting that the only people vocally and publically fighting for marriage are those we won't allow to take part in it.
The church's refusal to accept gay marriages really strikes me as... interesting, to put it nicely. The church doesn't seem to mind civil marriages to be refered to by the same name as their own religious marriages, but they are absolutely against allowing gays to marry... even if they are a devout, loving, caring catholic couple. So the church would rather be tied by language to an atheist couple, or a couple from any other religion, than to a catholic couple who happen to be gay. Wow. In other words, the church considers sexual orientation to be more important than faith. Interesting, as I said.
Of course, when discussing a church that still won't allow women to be priests...
gekko
Quote: "'The most fundamental institution of civilization' has been threatened of late by 'aggressive' local officials, says Bush". In other words, straight marriages in the states are threatened because the supreme court of Massachusetts ruled it's unconstitutional to stop gays from marrying.
Now, let's get this straight -- straight marriages are under attack because gays should be allowed to marry. Ahem. Why is any straight marriage threatened by what ANY other couple, whether gay or straight, does or does not do?
If your marriage is threatened because of a gay marriage, your marriage is not based on the right concepts. If your marriage is based on anything but love, trust, understanding and other principles, then you should not be married. If your marriage is "under attack" because a gay couple is allowed to marry, then your marriage is based on only two things. The first is bigotry. Gays should not be allowed to marry because they are gay. Your stance is that simple, and no pretty words about defending a "fundamental institution" can cover your discrimination.
The second basis is worse than even bigotry. Because the second factor you have based your relationship upon an arbitrary definition. And that's pretty pathetic. You have based your relationship on a on a collection of words in the english dictionary. And by the way -- it IS an arbitrary definition. Regardless of how long marriage has been considered to be between "one man, one woman," such a definition is not fixed by anything but our refusal to accept change.
I am not married, but I am in a relationship with a girl I love. And my relationship is not defined by anyone but myself and my girlfriend. I am not going out with her because traditionally, that's what boys and girls my age do. I'm dating her because there is no one I know who I would rather spend time with. That includes our public dates, our private conversations, and the more intimate time we spend together.
Those who claim to be defending the sacred institution of marriage should consider one more fact: straight people ain't doin' so well at it. When more marriages fail than succeed among straight couples, it's interesting that the only people vocally and publically fighting for marriage are those we won't allow to take part in it.
The church's refusal to accept gay marriages really strikes me as... interesting, to put it nicely. The church doesn't seem to mind civil marriages to be refered to by the same name as their own religious marriages, but they are absolutely against allowing gays to marry... even if they are a devout, loving, caring catholic couple. So the church would rather be tied by language to an atheist couple, or a couple from any other religion, than to a catholic couple who happen to be gay. Wow. In other words, the church considers sexual orientation to be more important than faith. Interesting, as I said.
Of course, when discussing a church that still won't allow women to be priests...
gekko
"Life is sacred and you are not its steward. You have stewardship over it but you don't own it. You're making a choice to go through this, it's not just happening to you. You're inviting it, and in some ways delighting in it. It's not accidental or coincidental. You're choosing it. You have to realize you've made choices."
-Michael Ventura, "Letters@3AM"
-Michael Ventura, "Letters@3AM"