Why in the world do some people believe a religious argument against gay marriage is a good excuse to ban it?
969287
Fortunately, the First Amendment does not say that ignorant White-trash Christians get to make the rules and run the country, and you could not be more correct in your view of them. Conservative Christians want to rewrite the US Constitution and undermine our secular democratic republic (the real America) so they can replace it with a Theocratic government based on the rape-torture-kill morality of their Old Testament-style God. \n\nThey want to be the makers and enforcers of the law of the land, and they will torture and kill all who do not obey. They have always been this way. John Adams noted that only the law stood between them and their desire to, “"whip and crop, and pillory and roast” us.\n\nThe Founding Fathers purposefully created a secular democratic republic to be the government of the United States and the foundation of American society, They intentionally excluded religion, specifically Christianity, form having any part of, or influence on, American government and public life.\n\nThey made certain that not a single reference to God, Jesus, or Christianity would appear anywhere  in the Constitution (which is THE ONLY document defining and establishing the government of the United States).\n\nThis certainly was made clear in 1797 when the young US Congress unanimously passed (beginning while George Washington was president and signed into law by John Adams) \nThe following statement into law:\n\n“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion”\n\nhttp://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/barbary/bar1796t.htm\n\n\nIt is, in fact, well established that although the Founding Fathers (they were, after all, politicians and had to play to their audience just as today’s politicians do) publicly said the correct things about Christianity (as ABRAHAM LINCOLN put it, they were, ‘.. as religious as [they] need[ed] to be to get votes”), in their private writings to each other where they were free to express their true feelings, they mostly held Christianity and all organized religion as contemptible superstition.\n\nIn their own words:\n\nJAMES MADISON: \n\n•Christianity neither is, nor ever was apart of the common law. Feb. 10, 1814 \n\n•The establishment of the chaplainship to Cong[res]s is a palpable violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles: The tenets of the chaplains elected [by the majority] shut the door of worship agst the members whose creeds & consciences forbid a participation in that of the majority.\n\n\nJOHN ADAMS:\n\n •“How has it happened that millions of myths, fables, legends and tales have been blended with Jewish and Christian fables and myths and have made them the most bloody religion that has ever existed? Filled with the sordid and detestable purposes of superstition and fraud?” (Letters to F.A. Van Der Kamp 1809-1816) \n\nTHOMAS JEFFERSON: \n\n•“I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded upon fables and mythologies.” \n\n•“In every country and in every age the priest [any and every clergyman] has been hostile to liberty; he is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.” \n\nABRAHAM LINCOLN:\n\n•“My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvationand the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.” (to Judge JS. Wakefield, after Willie Lincoln's death) \n\nMARY TODD LINCOLN: \n\n•“Mr. Lincoln was not a Christian.” \n\n\nJOHN TYLER: \n\n•“The United States have adventured upon a great and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent -- that of total separation of Church and State. (letter dated July
802578
A lot of people get touchy when they are trying to show you their truth and you make a valid or logical point that doesn't fall in line with their beliefs. They are too stubborn or too afraid to admit there may be other possibilities because they have been conditioned to believe that you are damned to hell if you question any part of their particular religious doctrine. Therefore, if you don't take their word for it even if they can't show or prove they are right, the only way they can fight you is to shut you up or get rid of you so you would have less chances to influence anyone else to question what they deem to be the ultimate truth.
184172
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.
414580
No i dont think gay marriage should be banned why would people want to keep someone from marrying the person they love. they dont keep a man and women from marrying each other when they love each other. So why should they keep two people from doing something that they want to do.
105495
Religious people are not "afraid" of homosexuality, they fear the creator, the one who has power over all things and the one who deals out punishment in the hereafter. Those who choose not to engage in things they or their religion deems as sinful acts only fear the one who will judge them for their good and bad deeds when this life is over. Fear of the things that people choose to do with their own lives has nothing to do with it.
1004727
Stop being a bigot. What if said "homos" don't believe in Christianity? Then your stupid, dogma "Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" is irrelevant. Why should you care about what other people do in their personal lives? There is no way to argue against gay marriage without coming off sounding like an ignoramus or a bigot, which you surely do sound like here. \n\nYes, we need to be able to reproduce, but there is no way that a few gay people will help end the human race. The population is high enough as it is. So that argument is fallible.
1075012
Yes, the religous folk do seem very contradictory at times. Personally, I believe that a lot "religious people" (Think Dana Carvey as the Church Lady) miss the point of their beliefs. And that is acceptance. The way gay marriage is being protrayed in the media is almost laughable if it weren't true. Them not being allowed to get married is just another form of discrimination and this time in history will be marked for this civil right. I don't believe people will start marrying sheep or some other idiotic claim these people make. It's just fear of the unknown and the fear makes these people want to get rid of it. \n\nAs for sex, it's a natural thing. Whether you believe me or not, religion is a way of controlling behavior, look back to the Middle Ages if you don't believe me, and sex is one of those urges though totally natural, suppressed. Just like nudity (see Genesis) or other "sins." As for why these people speak of it constantly, well, let's just call it "sexual frustration" and thus they must get the frustration out of their system. It's a lot like if you had a fight with a friend and have to vent to someone so you feel better.
1090507
In my opinion, you have hit the nail on the head.  In my opinion, the acceptance of the current Judeo-Christian definition of marriage violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.  It may be struck down by the supreme court on those grounds.  I think it is also important to remember that just because the majority is in favor of something does not make it right.  That is a part of the genius of our political system.  We have a judicial branch that is not directly accountable to the people.  This, in theory, enables them to make the right decision even when that decision is not popular.  I am a Christian, but I have to admit I have some serious problems with the constitutional amendment banning Gay marriage.
1160041
With the separation of church and state, can the government even legislate what marriage is??  "Marriage" is a religious ceremony to unite 2 people.\n\nIf the government wants to have marriage be a lawful union, then they have to come up with an unbias reason (not based in religious belief) that gays should not marry.  Because it is stated to be wrong in the bible will not fly in a court of law.  Anytime that someone tries to pass a law about marriage being between a man and a woman, it gets struck down as unconstitutional because lawmakers can't come up with a good enough reason other than it's in the bible.  Thank God that someone can still look at the law without pulling the bible into the mix.\n\nI seriously think that no one ever expects the law to pass, and it is only done to make "friends" with the "moral majority".  If the Christian Right is happy, the funds keep going into the reelection accounts.  They can say "well, we tried".
1050120
You have a very good point, and I completely agree with you on this topic. If we try and force out beliefs down their throats we are no better than "the Bible thumper's". Religion is a group of people believing in the same thing, and faith is your own personal belief in something. That's how I see it, and I try not to debunk any ones beliefs, but I will admit there are times where I am really tempted to try. Yet it is still wrong to say that some ones religion is right and some one elses is not.\n\nBlessed Be.
232217
I beleive people are trying to find some sort of excuse for everything they do in life, and it is always easy to find some excuse or to blame somebody else. For me, it is really annoying when people put religion in everything they do, regardless of the religion.
836713
Most Christians oppose gay marriage for unrealistic reasons.\nActually, I'm straight, been married to the same man for 37 years and I know a few gay/lesbian couples and I can assure America and this democracy that none of those unions have hurt my marriage in the least.\nIf only Christians would support the human race as a whole instead of picking those they "think" fit their mold, we really could have peace.  \nLook at the horrific wars fought in the "name of God" that only bring death and destruction.  Gays and Lesbians are just another notch in their pompous belts.\nWe all have freedom of religion in America.  We also are supposed to be protected by the separation of Church and State, but it just isn't happening.\nChristians have destroyed our rights.  The government gets blamed because they follow the polls like sheep to slaughter.
1149022
Sir/Madam, your question is not logical. You are asking a moral question and not allowing moral arguments to be used. It is like asking me to measure the length of a book but I am not allowed to use a ruler. My next question  would be" What standard of length do you want me to use, feet, yards, centimeter, or angstrum units?In the same way, I have to ask you WHAT CONSTITUTES A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT? I can tell you quickly that gay marriage is not something a state wants to do because it will undermine REAL MARRIAGE just as adultery or prostitution or fornication would. The human race has been down this road before many times and each time it is tried, society eventually crumbles. Even the Soviet Union had very strong marrige laws even though they were atheists because they knew that if they did not they could never stand against us. I hope this helps you.
1156393
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.
1130655
So, it seems that the answer is "NO", there are no rational reasons against same-sex marriage.\nThere are even people stupid enough to think that marriage is a religious institution. *rolls eyes* Let me let you pin-heads in on a little secret; marriage is a LEGAL institution, NOT a religious one. Don't believe me? Try getting married in a church or other religious place without the legal documentation. You can't. You can however, get married at a city or town hall without ANY mention of god or any other magic sky-pixie. \nWhy? Because marriage is a LEGAL institution. \nAnd that makes this a CIVIL right. \nSorry all you back-woods hicks, you lose. Bush is playing you inbred morons like a cheap fiddle. \nI feel nothing but pity for you.
741758
This is very true. The problem is people using religion to justify their actions. It is very easy to say that I did what I did because God wanted that way; include a few bible verses that are compatible with your actions, and you are good to go. How can anybody that believes in God try to argue?\n\nBy the way, you see this all over the bible. God said attack and kill all. God said keep the virgins. God said to kill a bunch of kids. Some of the most terrible things in history were based on religious grounds. \n\nWe do not want to go back to those days, because then everyone will have a reason to go against everyone.
538212
Why not?  People complain it is against God.  so those who feel that way should decline wedding invitations from gays.  MAN makes these rules and uses God as an excuse.  There are religions where a man can have many wives; do you  hear anyone complaining?  Anyway marriage does not have to be a religious ceremony.  People get married every day by a Justice of the Peace, a Mayor, even a ship's captain.  atheists get married.  what's the big deal?   so all the people who think this is a sin, would leave the "sinners" alone,  after all isn't it their God's job to judge them?  and to "punish".  They do believe their God gave them "free will" don't they?