Gay marriage. Your View?

I'll share my opinion and why i feel as i do about it, want to criticize it? Then support your stance on the subject as well as your reasoning. Thanks in advance for your contributions.

I'm against banning gay marriage for the following reasons:


REASONS:
1) If lawmakers seriously wanted to "protect the sanctity of the institution", then they would strongly consider outlawing devorce, which is the greatest threat.

2) For those who contest that: "It is a choice." .... I'm "straight", and even if every gun on the face of this planet were aimed at my head i highly doubt i could find it within me to choose to be sexually aroused by another man. If people are adamant that it is a choice, they are afterall coming to that conclusion by comparing all known facts to what they know about themselves. This is the only true basis for comparison we all have when measuring humans, the true basis for all our comparison is ourselves. So, when people say it is a choice to be gay, then for their statement to be absolutely truthful, that means that they at one time in their lives did look at a person of the same gender and at least think ... "I wonder what that would be like". So that leads me to believe it is somewhat a genetic disposition ,as it were, and i am somewhat spiritual, so i tend to believe that they are who they are and the Almighty must have had a say somewhere in the processs.

3) I'm an optimist. I try to look for the good in everything first. So, when i see two men walking down the street holding hands, i usually think these two thoughts: A) "Well, there is less compitition i have to contend with.", and B) Somewhere that has to free up a couple more straight women for me to choose from.


So, this is a few of the reasons I don't very well favor our constitution being amended to define what love is, and subsiquently marriage as well.

To be honest, I think that pushing homosexuality underground merely encourages promiscuity and extreme behaviour. If things like gay marriage were more accepted, it would apply conservative measures to gay relationships and thus ultimately strengthen the institution of marriage at the expense of promiscuity (and therefore STDs etc).

Really, if homosexuality is such a threat to the entire univserse as it's portrayed, I'm pretty sure Ancient Greece would have destroyed itself instead of becoming the most socially advanced civilisation of its time.

I think until gay men can truly learn to keep their penises in their pants and really remain faithfully monogamous to those the vow their love, than no, I think they shouldn't have the right. And I'm speaking as a gay man who rarely ever saw true gay monogamy; and we're talking all walks of gay life here - lawyers, doctors, artists, dentists, rich, poor, you name it. Marriage is a sacrament, not a convenient live-in situation. It's about love, trust, honesty, faithfulness and loyalty, and most of all fidelity - a rare trait in gay men.

I am a lesbian and have been with my partner for over 15 years. (Since I am following zerotolerance, I must say that I have been completely faithful for every one of those 15 years!) We have a ten year old son as well. Our little family has had its up and downs, but we have always come through it intact.

My spouse and I would love to be legally married. Keeping us from being married isn't keeping us from being gay. Preventing us from marrying doesn't prevent us from being parents, being in love, or being a family. What does keeping us from being married really accomplish?

Is a hetero couple "safer" somehow because I am not married to my life partner?

I think that if you don't approve of gay marriage, then you shouldn't get one, but let those who are ready to make a commitment do so.

to keep it simple:



Wha'evah floats yer goat.

Originally posted by zerotolerance
I think until gay men can truly learn to keep their penises in their pants and really remain faithfully monogamous to those the vow their love, than no, I think they shouldn't have the right. And I'm speaking as a gay man who rarely ever saw true gay monogamy; and we're talking all walks of gay life here - lawyers, doctors, artists, dentists, rich, poor, you name it. Marriage is a sacrament, not a convenient live-in situation. It's about love, trust, honesty, faithfulness and loyalty, and most of all fidelity - a rare trait in gay men.

Only in gay men?

Straight people aren't any more faithful than homosexuals. That's a real non-argument you've got there.

Originally posted by zerotolerance
I think until gay men can truly learn to keep their penises in their pants and really remain faithfully monogamous to those the vow their love, than no, I think they shouldn't have the right. And I'm speaking as a gay man who rarely ever saw true gay monogamy; and we're talking all walks of gay life here - lawyers, doctors, artists, dentists, rich, poor, you name it. Marriage is a sacrament, not a convenient live-in situation. It's about love, trust, honesty, faithfulness and loyalty, and most of all fidelity - a rare trait in gay men.

But that does not mean that those who can shouldn't be allowed to. I'm mostly Christian, but I follow Buddhist teachings quite extensively (Buddhism is a philosphy, not a religion after all) and as such I believe that promiscuity is a barrier to enlightenment (ie, oneness with God), it holds you down in the physical realm with the animals. Consequently, I have never cheated on a partner. However, I have been cheated on many times. But just because I've been sinned against, I choose not to sin against others by unfairly judging them to be collectively unworthy of something which will ultimately be beneficial to them. I deserve to be be allowed to live my lfie how I choose to do so, as do others.

That said, I'm British and we're allowed to, so it's a bit of a moot point for me!"

[edit on 7-6-2006 by stulancs]

I personally don't understand what the big deal is about letting homosexuals get married. I remember there was an episode of The Daily Show where John Stewart said "Are they going to force us to enter gay marriages? no? Then who cares!"

Then of course there is Carlos Mencia who said "I think gay people should be allowed to marry, so they can suffer like the rest of us!"

Gotta love comedians.

Anyways, I don't think that letting homosexuals get married would affect straight people on any way, so why do people against gay marriage care so much? I think it's because they need an issue to keep their minds off of their own problems and short comings.

Originally posted by snowflake_obsidian
I don't think that letting homosexuals get married would affect straight people in any way...

I think that's a non-issue.
It's about respecting the marriage....being faithful,
again a rare trait in gay men.
So why marry? Unless, it's for financial and legal reasons...which is the wrong reason to marry.

If you thought the divorce rates were high among straights, then let gays marry....then you'll see the rates sky rocket off the chart......Trust me, trying to find long term, monogamous, gay male relationships (and I mean no sex AT ALL outside the relationship) is like going out into the woods and looking for Bigfoot. The odds of finding it are almost zilch. Yes, the rareties do occur, but boy are they rare.

[edit on 8-6-2006 by zerotolerance]

Nah its all about respecting people in general.... who is it to claim the perfect ideal life anyway>?

Explain to me what POWERFUL BEING came down to you personal an told you loving a same sex partner was bad mmmmmmKAy!.....

Spank a rock...... being gay is a right just as breathing,, eating,, sleeping,, an Loving Stamps....

---------------------- FOr crying out loud its FREEDOM Not FREEDUMB!.....

Go cry about other more important things that are actually bothering you Please....
Otherwise Continue this dribble argument......

thank you come again

Originally posted by Tranceopticalinclined
Explain to me what POWERFUL BEING came down to you personal an told you loving a same sex partner was bad mmmmmmKAy!.....

LOL!
What planet is everyone from around here?
People wake up and smell the coffee...

Over here my coffee smells Free.......

Planet = Earth

Im as awake as thy can be... Aware even... an i see it as a matter of personal opinon... Leading to the FACT, yours an an Millions of others, (EVEN MINE) Do Not Matter.... lol Honestly your fighting against the right for someone ELSE ( NOT YOURSELF) but someone else to do something?

that says to me that you havent a true focus on what you need to be channeling your time into.....

collect stamps? Hike? Paddle a boat? I like to Learn things... but why worry about fred an tommy getting hitched? an having a piece of paper saying they are married, so that the government can say its legal, they can then get health an other proper benifits...

Why do so many people feel its their right to take others rights away?


BTW Im a happily married Man to a Wonderious Women as well i have 2 Something new everyday children....


[edit on 8-6-2006 by Tranceopticalinclined]

Originally posted by Esoteric Teacher
I'm against banning gay marriage for the following reasons:

We hold these truths to be self-evident:

That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

The Declaration of Independence

Marriage is a legal secular union. It should be available to all citizens of the US. Denying gays the right to marry is discrimination.

Originally posted by zerotolerance
It's about respecting the marriage....being faithful,
again a rare trait in gay men.

Let's just assume you're right and it is rare. What about those who are faithful? Shouldn't they be allowed to marry? You seem to think there's a big difference between gay relationships and straight ones, but I don't buy it.

So why marry? Unless, it's for financial and legal reasons...which is the wrong reason to marry.

There are straight couples who marry for those reasons, regardless if they're morally right or wrong according to you... Marriage is available to straight people for whatever reason. There's no place in secular law that says you have to marry for love.

Being lesbian also I hope I can get married some day, but it's not my priorities, it's just a paper. If you are honestly in love with your partner you will not seperate regardless if you are married or not.

many straight couples are quite unfaithful as well. So maybe no one should be allowed to get married.

If being married didn't come with legal and financial benefits then I wouldn't see a reason to ger legally married at all. A commited relationship between two people is really no different. So of course people are going to get married for the legal and financial benefits. Many straight couples do as well.

What is marriage? If it is a religious rite or religious ceremony then that religion has the right to decide for itself as it is a creation of that religion. However being in what is said to be a democracy, everyone should have the same rights, thus the right of a civil/common wealth (or whatever they are calling it these days) joining.

Personally (not being religious) I have no need of marriage nor does my gf. We see it as merely a tradition for the sake of a tradition. We have pledged ourselves to one another and do not require the approval of a third party to validate our feelings or commitment.

Originally posted by Jonna
What is marriage?

I think marriage is to be defined by the couple. Marriage is only a religious rite if the couples choose it to be. Mine was not. No religious representation was made at all. It is a legal union. Most people ADD a religious component to it, but they must have the legal component or they're not married.

So marriage, while possibly having a religious component, is a legal union.

Personally (not being religious) I have no need of marriage nor does my gf.

My husband and I are also not religious, but we wanted to be married for other reasons. I think it should be available to everyone.

[edit on 8-6-2006 by Benevolent Heretic]

marriage is not always a religous based union. What about the folks that get married by a justice of the peace?

Oddly, nobody has mentioned this (or I missed it). One of the benefits of being married is the ability to pass your assets to your spouse, tax free. So, these same sex couples who are together for ten, twenty, whatever years, and they own a home together etc, are screwed when one of them dies.

Originally posted by Tranceopticalinclined
that says to me that you havent a true focus on what you need to be channeling your time into.....

collect stamps? Hike? Paddle a boat? I like to Learn things... but why worry about fred an tommy getting hitched? an having a piece of paper saying they are married, so that the government can say its legal, they can then get health an other proper benifits...

Why do so many people feel its their right to take others rights away?


BTW Im a happily married Man to a Wonderious Women as well i have 2 Something new everyday children....


[edit on 8-6-2006 by Tranceopticalinclined]

I have lots of hobbies. In fact, right now I'm building an old Aurora model Viking Ship. I'm also an avid 1960's-1970's toy collector. I have a huge, very cool toy collection. And you are right. I have buried myself in my hobbies. I've just been hanging here cause I'm at work and we're having a lull (I have absolutely not a thing to do right now). I see a topic that interests me and I talk and give my opinion. Don't like it? Tough.

The whole gay marriage issue is a total joke. Why? Because it's extremely, extremely, extremely extremely rare for 2 gay men to stay monogamous. It hardly ever happens. I would suffice to say that if you thought hetero divorce rates are high, gay divorce rates will blow them out of the water......if they pass the bill. Live the gay lifestyle and you'll see it and figure it out or like many, deny the truth.

Do you truly believe God wanted the sacrament of marriage for men to marry men?
Hmmm, I wonder how he expected them to get pregnant and give birth to their kids?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
There's no place in secular law that says you have to marry for love.

:shk:
I'm glad I'm not your spouse...

[edit on 8-6-2006 by zerotolerance]