This is where we need the distinct separation between the "marriage ceremony" and the legal agreement between two people to spend their lives together. The only thing that the state or federal government should recognize is that contract, in writing and signed by both parties.
The marriage ceremony is an affirmation before whatever deity you believe in, it holds no (or shouldn't) legal standing, without the contract there should be no recognized agreement between parties, therefore no benefits of the contracted agreement (insurance, power of attorney, combining of finances, etc.) What would this mean: A man and a woman could contract to live together in a traditional way A homosexual couple could do likewise. Two people who are good friends could contract to live together, all with the benefits of a traditional couple. If a church doesn't want to perform a marriage ceremony because the couple is gay, then it would be their right to do so, because the ceremony would be a church matter and not a state matter. Larry Lyons wrote: > So you do not think that the equal protection before the law clause in the > constitution should be removed. > > You cannot have equal protection if it applies only to a select group. > > >>> What about the case of religions here in the US that _want_ to be allowed to >>> marry gays in their church? >>> >>> Should they be prevented because your church says so? >>> >> I'll quote myself here: >> >> "But don't tell me that my pastor (or myself potentially in the future) >> are required by law to honor the request of a same-sex couple to marry >> them." >> >> I used the words "required by law to honor the request" on purpose. >> If someone's religion (or religious interpretation if you want to >> split hairs) does not prevent them from doing it, then the law should >> not deny them the ability to perform such a ceremony. My problem is >> with the law and with those couples that would sue a minister because >> he or she refused to perform the ceremony. >> >> Something interesting to note is a comparison chart I found that looks >> at how different religions look at homosexuality, and they actually >> break it down, differentiating between homosexual orientation (the >> "I'm genetically gay") and homosexual acts. >> http://www.religionfacts.com/homosexuality/comparison_chart.htm >> >> Interesting reading, I'm sure there's more out there. >> >> Hatton >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:278862 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
