The reason I would like to hear this without any references to religion is because I want some intelligent arguments. I'm not stating that religious people are unintelligent, however, there are MANY people who run to the bible for answers when they do not know how to find them elsewhere. The validity of the bible cannot be proved by believers, nor can it be disproved by non-believers.\n\nBesides, if we live in a country where religious choice is one of our freedoms, then this issue should be handled without religion in mind.\n\nFeel free to degrade gay marriage by relating gay marriage with marriage to animals if you like, although it's not a very intelligent argument, either. It's common knowledge that human beings are much more advanced as far as brain power goes. Animals can not consent to marriage like a human being can.
202266
This is a very good question and I don't believe that it can be asked too many times. The more we all think about prejudice and hatred, the quicker it will go away. I also like that you put in the stipulation that there be no reference to religion. In a country that was founded on the principles of freedom and equality, the use of religion as a way to shoot down a political issue just flabergasts me. This is 100% a legal issue and not a religious one. Gays and lesbians know that they cannot force a church to accept them if it doesn't want to. However, they should be able to force the government to accept them. Why else do they all pay those taxes if not for a little acceptance and protection now and again?\n\nThe issue of gay marriage as is brought up most frequently can really be boiled down to the question of does the government offer legal protection to all of its citizens regardless of race, religion, creed, or anything else. The fact that gay marriage has not been put into effect is evidence that, no, the American government does not offer this protection to all of its citizens. This is a travesty. \n\nI will admit that for religious people in America, the word "marriage" does have some very high emotional weight attached to it and this is a big part of the problem. The word "marriage" should be stricken from all legal and official documents and state proceedings to avoid any confusion about the issue. If marriage were really only reserved as a ceremony to be done in a church or other place of worship particular to the participants wishes, and (let's call it this for now) legal partnerships were to be reserverd for the legal and governmental arenas, then this whole issue could be resolved with a little less spit and venom. \n\nThere is no rational reason that anyone can give for discriminating against another human being. Please do this test; the next time you find yourself saying anything negative about a group of people (gay or otherwise) please replace the word Jewish or black into the blank and see if you are still comfortable saying it. If not, then it may be time to reasses your value system and beliefs into one that is more tolerant and loving towards all humanity. \n\nLove and Peace!
610889
I have no earthly idea why people keep insisting on defining marriage!  Why is this such a big deal?  There are so many things that are truly imporant that we can put our energy into solving rather than someones desire to marry someone of the same sex.  You certainly wont stop them from having a relationship.  What are you doing that the government will decide to ban next?  Frankly, whatever goes on in my underpants is none of the governments business.  All of those who are in support of BIG GOVERNMENT telling you how to conduct your private lives had better watch out, you may get more than what you bargained for.  Obviously, since this question keeps coming up over and over, there are more people out there that have little else to do but worry about this nonsense.  If this has to do with Christianity, divorce, partner swapping, adultery, sexual abuse, spousal abuse, etc. have already made a mockery of marriage so who cares if homosexuals want a part of it.  I think there is something in that big Bible that you all are thumping that says that we have all have free will....Please stop trying to legislate morality and personal decision that have absolutly nothing to do with you.  If you dont want to marry someone of the same sex, DONT.  And no, I am not gay, I am just not so hypocritical that I feel I need to impose my lifestyle on others.
73417
You can marry the person you love and want to spend the rest of your life with, while they can't. Laws against same-sex marriage impose an arbitrary, and essentially religious view of marriage on people who do not believe in it, for no reason other than to maintain the status quo. It is ridiculous to say that you have the same rights because you can't marry someone of the same sex either; you obviously don't want to.
586558
I think the government should stay out of Religion and Marriage since it is usually a religious act.  On the other hand, every religion in the world has a set of morals (minus the demonic types or extremists) which involve not killing others and be nice to people, which I think the governments of the world should take notice of. Does that make since?  \nSo, yes, religion is a personal belief and should not affect the government in such a way as it currently is.  I also feel that a candidate's religion should not be public so that people will vote for him or her based on their intentions for the US rather than "oh he's a good Christian man"
583400
Well, of course I can't claim to know everything, but if supporting overpopulation in the third world by banning contraception and turning a blind eye to HIV, which is harming many women in the poorest countries is 'humane' or 'modern' then go for it. \n\nI wonder how you and the atheist started chatting about religion in the first place (atheists tend not to proselytise but I can't claim to know much about whether Catholics do), but if you put your opinions out there, you certainly can't expect everyone to agree with you. Maybe you consider anyone who disagrees to be 'attacking' you, but since this is only one side of the story, who knows.\n\nIncidentally, why is it so important to be 'right' rather than being a good person. A person's religion does not determine how humane they are.
607256
It's "Christians" trying to hammer their beliefs into everyone.  In this case, you're right, it's a state issue and not a religious issue since it involves property and adoption rights, etc.\n\nThe same folks whine that gay and lesbian people do not form lasting relationships [which is not true] and then turn around and try and ban marriage.  What hypocrites!\n\nThey should try compassion, love, tolerance and JUSTICE for a change.  WWJD?
648464
don't forget when they try to bring "science" into it too...\n\n(done in my best yosemite sam voice) "being gay is sick and wrong. marriage is established so that a MAN and a WOMAN can procreate...make children. now how can a man and man do that? oh yeah, they can't."\n\nwell with that logic we would have to deny marriage to every woman who's gone through menopause or every man that is a eunuch, or every couple that doesn't want children.\n\nnow imagine THAT marriage application.\n\nso can we please stop prying in ADULT'S sexual lives with other consenting ADULTS and just watch the game?\n\ncheers!
658357
It's true that most gay people aren't religious.  It's probably becaue religion is used to put down homosexuality...which is wrong.  People misuse their religions all of the time as an excuse to hate.\n\nI'm gay and I am not into any type of organized religion.  However, I possess strong faith and belief in what I feel is right.
342490
I honestly believe it is anyone with conservaive beliefs, whether it is political religous or what-have-you.  People who are conservative are scared of change that they believe to be correct.  If a person disagrees with another's lifestyle it does not mean that they should be discriminated for it and not allowed the same rights as others (like many have said, it goes against the Constitution, and every Americans freedom of choice).\n\nWhat most "religous fanatics" forget is that all through Biblical history it was expected for a man to have multiple wives.  Not like there was any shortage on humans or anything so I don't agree with the idea that it was for procreation purposes or to spread thier religon because then they wouldn't bother with converting people either.\n\nAs far as gay marriage goes, it should not even be a political arguement, it's purely based on religous beliefs.  If I decided I wanted to marry a woman I wouldn't walk into a, say, Catholic church and expect the priest to perform the ceremony because it's not what he believes to be right.  There are religous communities that will honor the idea of gay marraige and can't do it for political reasons.  That is the problem.\n\nSociety itself has already sullied the "sanctity" of marriage.  Everyday a marriage falls apart and everyday there are people who, in a drunken haze, get married by Elvis and have it anulled the next day.  I am not saying that things like this might not happen when gays are allowed to be married... I'm making a point that us as humans and as a society have already shown that marriage is not what it use to be and outlawing a group from having the choice to or not makes no sence.
657055
I think your viewpoints are very healthy.  What I believe is very similar to you.  I think we should question everything and use our God given free will to logically find the truth.  Never fall for what someone else tells you to believe simply because they claim to have the one true word of God.\n\nGay people-  I'm Gay.  I have control over my actions, but not my emotions.  I've never been romantically attracted to any females, and can't understand how I could be.  If there is a God, He/She/it made me this way, just like God made me male, white, brown hair, brown eyes, etc.\n\nMuslims- I think of Muslims the same way I think of Christians.  Most are alright, but when they become extremists no good can come from it.\n\nAtheists- Well, there is no proof of God, but there is no lack of proof either.  You can believe what you want to.  I believe in something, but many would not call it God.\n\nPremarital sex- Well, I can't get "married" so, I'm fine with it, however, I think that there should be some sort of commitment going along with sex.  I don't think Promiscuity is a good idea, but those practicing it have their own free will.\n\nAbortion- I'm divided on this issue.  In one respect it's taking a life, but a life in terrible conditions is no life at all.  I'm not really sure.\n\nPeople not of your religion- I'm fine with it.  I have friends of all sorts of persuasions, Wiccan, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian.  Never met a Muslim though... I'd like to.\n\nPeople dating out of their religion- I'm fine with it.  As long as the two are in love, and get along on a basic personal level, religious issues shouldn't become a major part of choosing a partner.
364204
Find an argument for gay marriage that I cannot use for bigamy, incest, etc.\n\nO.K. Me and my Mother are two consenting adults who want to marry each other. Why can't we? By your standards we should be able to also.\n**************************************************\nAll I'm stating is that once you change the definition of marriage, there is no stopping it. Gay people CAN get married, so long as it's with someone of the opposite sex. \n\nIf you're argument is that the definition of marriage is two consenting adults who love each other, then anyone can argue that they can marry their relative. Why can I not marry two women? If we are all in agreement and we all love each other, why can't we all get married?\n\nWhat is your argument for changing the definition of marriage? Every argument leads to other types of marriage such as incest bigamy etc.\n\n***********************************\nI also can't believe how Separation of Church and State has been so distorted. Separation of C&S was designed to keep the government out of the church not the Church out of the Gov't. There is nothing that says people cannot make laws that coniside with their religous views.\n\n************************************\n*******************\n"I certainly hope this person is kidding, because if they aren't, we should all be very afraid. There is a vast difference between two consenting adults engaged in a loving relationship and incest or bigamy. They are very different things and frankly there is no logic in this answer what so ever. "\n\nExplain why it is different? Is it because you think incest is wrong, unnatural, immoral? I think gay marriage is wrong, unnatural, and immoral. Why is your standard better than mine? If you want marriage to be b/w two consenting adults who are the same sex, what difference is it that someone wants to marry multiple wives or their relative? Again, I'll say it again. Any argument that can be used for gay marriage can be used for big./incest. Why homosexual and not incest? Once you open that door there is no shutting it.
534293
I'm not sure where it is "in God's word" that states homosexuality is a choice.  I laugh when people want to stand on the Bible as their grounds for spouting nonsense or uneducated "answers" which we are supposed to then accept as factual.  Some of the answers to your question thus far seem to fit into the "nonsense and uneducated" category.  I was born gay, and I've had to re-evaluate my own beliefs about God.  I had a sister to die suddenly, and I've had to re-visit and re-structure my relationship with God.  I lost a job because I'm gay (don't know how they found that out), and I then had to re-examine my trust in God.
102650
I agree with you on the bible.People do not seem to relize that God did not write the bible that man did.Their are so many things about it that just confuse the hell out of me. I think he wanted to see if we would choose him on our own based on all the different ideas of him floating around this world. We are just rats in a maze.Wouldnt it really be something if we were some science experiment for a more intelligent being
609935
I agree with you.  I consider myself a Christian, and I say this with as much respect as possible: it doesn't really matter what God's opinion is on the subject because the Constitution guarantees everyone's right to religious freedom.  That includes Jews, Muslims, Baptists, Atheists, and yes, GAY PEOPLE.  I live my life according to God's law, but that does not give me the right to tell someone else how to live.
253208
Pwerhaps it's the lure of the pretty little chapel and all, maybe we need atheist wedding chapels in all cities these days. \n\nI don't mind where I wed my gay partner when we decide to go through with it, as it's only been an option since last December here in Britain ...we are not rushing into it all of a sudden just because civil marriage is suddenly available to us, now it's an option we can think about it.
375696
In America today, and every election in our history, a man cannot win a presidential election without being religious.  Democrat or Republican, they all at least "say" they are religious.  People say theocracy to scare people into thinking social conservatism is trying to legislate the Bible into the constitution and institute a form of government similar to the dictatorships in the middle east.  This, however, is not true.  Pro-life is more than just Bible talk.  If people don't understand this, they don't understand their opposition, they are ignorant of the argument, and not qualified to argue their own position.  Same goes with gay marriage.  Gay marriage is a social concern, not a religious concern.  Same goes with any other social legislation.  Liberal scare tactics at its best, make up inaccurate words that make people think consequences of things will be different than what they actually are.  Theocracy, conservatism (sounds scary, doesn't it?), conspiracy theories and the like.  Its all garbage, and they know it.  Its to be ignored, nothing more
289222
Religion is ultimately irrelevant when it comes to love.  The instinctive love of a spouse or children trumps the man made concepts of religion most days.