Yes, it is rather sneaky, our own personal prejudices. I have them too, but I try hard to make them go away.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Johnson
To: CF-Community
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: Re:CNN Breaking News
No. Completely not. (Well, probably not)
But we weren't below talking about family. We were talking about marriage. And whether the two are the same. As Erika pointed out, they may not be.
I am not saying my thoughts are right. I am trying to figure them out. I was a little surprised by them, to tell the truth.
Underlying prejudices are tricky that way.
Am I just opposed to change, liking "the way its always been"?
Do I really care that same sex couples want to marry?
How does it change my life?
Am I worried that the taxes they save will affect my rent payments. (I don't think so.)
Am I worried that if woman can start marrying each other, my chances go down?
Is the care and upbringing of the child all I really care about?
I think so.
So, what about these two makes me think that they can't do a good job? Do I know a bunch of bad kids that make me think "If only they hadn't been raised by lesbians, they would be all right"? That particular thought has never before crossed my mind.
Do I worry that since it is said that sexual orientation is hereditary, that the more gays breed the more gays will be born? Hmm. I'll have to back burner that one. I don't think so.
Do I think that "catering" to gays will wreck our society? No. There have been gays in every society I have read about. The smarter societies made use of these differences.
Certainly have some deep thinking to do.
Yikes.
Jerry Johnson
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/18/03 04:05PM >>>
Jerry,
I have some friends, a lesbian couple, whom just birthed a baby. Is their family less legitimate than mine?
----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Johnson
To: CF-Community
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 11:21 AM
Subject: Re:CNN Breaking News
I agree.
If the purpose of marriage is to create a legal tie between committed couples, same-sex marriage makes as much sense as traditional marriage.
If, though, the purpose is to protect and grow a family, then same-sex marriage makes less sense, but polygamy makes total sense.
The trouble is defining which of these two purposes of marriage is correct.
Jerry Johnson
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/18/03 02:18PM >>>
I think the original purpose of marriage as between one man and one woman was to obey the commandment "thou shalt be fruitful and multiply" and in the process better ensure from which tree the fruit grew :-) i.e. make sure you were sweating to bring up your own kids, not someone else's. Also related I think to the concept back then of woman as chattel (is the familiar of that "chatty"?).
I think it (marriage) has become another level of commitment - a legally-binding contract with hassles and expenses involved in its termination. Since unmarried people have children today without a lot of social stigma, methinks the idea of marriage as "love binding" has supplanted the earlier child-related focus.
In this context, same-sex makes sense - but polygamy still doesn't...
Just my .02
-Ben
>But aren't the mormons allowed more than one wife?
>What about the harems? Or is that sraying off topic ...
>
>It's not uncommon ...
><shrugs>
>To each their own in the end, doesn't really affect me. I've always
>taken care of myself and I've yet to take advantage of any marital tax
>breaks or advantages or anything of the sort since I still pretty much
>keep everything under my maiden name.
>
>Let there be chaos!
>
>Sorry it's ruined your day day Matt. Have a plate of muffins ...
>
>Cheers,
>Erika
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Matthew Small [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 2:03 PM
>To: CF-Community
>Subject: Re: CNN Breaking News
>
>
>On this point, if two people want to have a committed, loving
>relationship, why can't three? Why not ten? Where does the number two
>come from? Tradition? Society? You're insinuating that polygamy is
>wrong.
>
>It sounds like now we're pushing past your comfortable area. I happen
>to think marriage is between a man and a woman. You (I'm inferring from
>the message) think it's between any two people. Somebody else might
>recognize it between six people. Where does it end?
>
>- Matt Small
>
>
>
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