Wow, this is still an issue so I would like to write about it.
Put shortly, some time over our winter break, Utah became the 18th state to legalize gay marriage. What a shocker. I assumed some 10 to 20 years from now we would have a sort of Gettysburg-esque march on Salt Lake City during the second Civil War before Utah ever became even the 50th state to legalize gay marriage. Nevertheless, it happened, and society, as well as all of the government buildings, is up in flames right now. Just kidding. People continued to live their lives as before, except for homosexual couples at least. But there still seems to be some popular resistance from my more conservative colleagues, so I'd like to put the issue in a different light for them.
Marriage is legally-binding contract. It only takes a sacred form within religious contexts. The United States government is not a theocracy. There is a specific clause within the U.S. constitution prohibiting establishment of a state religion and mandating religious practices. Basically, within the context of the law, marriage is a secular establishment. Legislation cannot and will not force any church to bless same-sex marriages, but simply allow a state's secular court, and by extension religious groups who do bless same-sex marriages, to legally recognize these marriages and grant to them the benefits that married couples enjoy, namely: health care, joint tax filing, parenting rights, pension, inheritance, FUNERAL LEAVE FOR DEATH IN THE FAMILY, etc. -all the boring non-lovey-dovey stuff we all seem to forget about. Voting against marriage equality benefits neither you, nor your religious organization, in any way whatsoever (unless you really take pleasure in other people's spite). It does, however, deny access to all of the lovely aforementioned benefits to thousands of deserving couples. The law could care less how you or a religious body chooses to define marriage, just like it doesn't care that Mormons believe in the Book of Mormon or that Jews don't believe in Jesus. If you are Mormon, I hope this example really resonates with you because if the majority non-Mormon population of the country had it their way, bookstores might be legally inclined to sell your religious texts in the "fiction" aisle, or some other horseshit law like that. The real issue isn't how marriage should be defined, but whether a ruling class should be allowed to set a religious standard on a secular issue.
Now for some common arguments from the opposed:
"Homosexual relations are unnatural!"
Actually, several species of other animals, including mammals, have been observed having homosexual relations, and almost all credible scientific communities in the world recognize that it is a natural phenomenon. Monogamy is also observed in other species. Marriage, however, is unique to humans, so you can argue that it is unnatural.
"But they can't make babies!"
If procreation was an issue, then why is it just that a sterile man or woman may be married but a homosexual couple cannot (try to take all religious perspectives out of you answer to this question)? Or, if you're a woman, would it be right by you if your husband left you after menopause for a younger woman?
"The government is waging war on God!!!"
Uhhhhh, no. We have yet to have a non-Christian president, most of the country would refuse to vote for a non-Christian president and most opposition to marriage equality is from conservative Christian groups. I think the faithful are very clearly not the persecuted ones in this case.
Also, as the government cannot force your church to bless same-sex marriage, a negative vote would only prevent other churches from legally recognizing what they believe is ok. You would be oppressing them.
"But the Church says..."
Alot of my friends happen to be Mormon, so I will use this example. The LDS church forbids consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol. But would you go so far as to legally ban these things from being sold within the state? Of course not! There are still state liquor stores, and if you wanted to open a shop and choose not to sell any of these things, no one should be allowed to force you to.
You want to have your beliefs respected, so please respect those of others. To those of my friends who are on the other side of this debate, please understand that the goal is not to make you change your views. I only ask that you make the right choice when it counts for others. Vote for marriage equality.
"Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." Luke 6:31
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