| | I was trying to stay away from any sort of discussion about Prop 8 because any sort of argument about it inevitably involves two things that people are most irrational/illogical about: religion and politics. However, I came across a statement on a forum that I couldn't let stand, and I typed out a reply. Since I haven't posted on this thing in forever, I thought I'd toss in my two cents here as well.
Original Post:
Homosexuality is a sin, and marriage is a holy thing, it shouldnt of never been allowed in the first place. a Preist that host gay marriages is making a mockery of everything hes supposed to stand for, and im not talking out of my ass homosexuality IS A SIN read the bible
My Response:
And this is exactly the kind of narrow-minded, self-centered point of view that allowed Prop 8 to pass.
"I believe in Christianity, therefore everyone must also believe in Christianity. If I believe everything people tell me about what the Bible says is true, then everyone should believe everything I am told about the Bible is true. The only kind of marriage I recognize is the kind that involves a man and a woman and is presided over by a priest, therefore everyone else should not recognize any other kind of alleged non-Christian 'marriage'."
Marriage is a concept that is beyond any single religion or faith. The idea that the Christian faith should somehow define what the US should recognize as a valid marriage is about as far from the idea of freedom of religion as you can get. The Constitution specifically prohibits the establishment of a national or official US religion, and specifically allows for each citizen to follow whatever set of beliefs he or she wishes too. What part of that in any way suggests that the government, state or federal, has the power to deny two persons the right to marry as a result of the way ONE religion (or ANY religion) defines the term "marriage"? As far as I know, marriage is a concept present in many societies, many of which have nothing to do with Christianity or the Bible.
People get married in the US under different faiths (or even no faith at all) all the time, and yet the government has no issue recognizing those marriages. Marriage between a neo-nazi and a pagan? No problemo. Marriage between a Jew and a Muslim? Go right ahead. Marriage between two secular, non-religious people? Just sign on the dotted line. Marriage involving oaths based upon a fictional religion/faith/philosophy, i.e. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings? Live on in geeky matrimony. But marriage between two people of the same gender? Noooooooo, that's not marriage as it was intended to be defined. The rest of those? Yeah, that's what marriage was always supposed to be about.
Whatever faith or non-faith you choose to adopt, the FACT remains that marriage has become a non-religious, secular institution that serves a non-religious, secular purpose in the US. People get married for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with religion or faith, such as tax benefits, marital property rights, immigration status, etc. The notion that gay marriage should not be recognized because of any religion, let alone one, ignores the facts and reality surrounding marriage in the present in the US. |
| | Posted 11/6/2008 12:58 AM - 14 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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