=> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Derek Kalweit => => > Marriage is not mentioned in the US Constitution. As such => it is a matter left for the several States, as you clearly => pointed out with California having a very liberal definition => compared to other States. => => No, marriage is discussed in the sacraments of Roman => Catholicism. The constitution itself talks of separation of => church and state. => => "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of => religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." => => Endorsing matrimony is respecting an establishment of religion. =>
Time to head back to school, Derek. The word "respecting" in the First Amendment means "with regard to," not "favoring" or "condoning." Marriage is a matter of the STATES, not the Federal government. Any benefits the Federal government may offer a "married" person applies to all "married" persons regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof. Consequently, there is no bias in offering those benefits and, as such, they are not unconstitutional. Believe it or not, there are people who are NOT Roman Catholics and are happily married ... even Unitarians :) Geez. Get real! B+ HALinNY _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
