Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Oct 11
th, 2017 at 11:36pm:
but gay marriage simply is not real marriage.
Why is it not real marriage? Because it doesn't lead to the birth of children?
If you're going to play the 'traditional marriage' card, then let's look at what traditional marriage actually is. First, you only get one shot at it (unless your wife/husband dies); second, you can only have sex to get knocked up; and third, you have to have children.
That was what marriage has been defined as and was practised that way for centuries. If we're willing to allow adulterers to marry, to let second, third, or the tenth marriage be valid - picking and choosing what marriage is, then why can't we pick and choose that two same-sex couples can't get married?
What we have is modern marriage, not traditional marriage. Modern marriage is a legal institution recognising a union between two consenting adults. The principal of 'equality under the law' necessitates that same-sex marriage should be legal.
In fact, marriage is the one example where religion and the state have intersected. I agree that marriage is rooted in religion, but as I said above, there's a very strict criteria.
Second, by not letting same-sex couples marry, and having same-sex civil unions, we're essentially having a situation of 'separate but equal' (which was in place for over 60 years in America, known as the Jim Crow laws). We wouldn't (nor should we) except a separate but equal doctrine for racial segregation (even if the facilities were exactly equal in quality), no less than we should accept a separate but equal doctrine for the commitment between two consenting adults.
Marriage is defined as between a man and a woman... now if you wish to have something else, you need to call it something other than 'marriage'...... 'bonding', 'committed' (the mind boggles at committal).. but let's cut to the chase.. marriage is between a man and a woman and gays are not man and woman.