I know this was directed at MadMax but I was thinking about this issue. I was thinking it might be better to do away with government sacntioned unions altogether whether they are called 'marriage' or 'civil unions' and leave it all up to the individuals to draw up their own contracts defining what their unions are and what the benefits and obligations of that union. The problem with that though is because marriage is used in regard for determining all sorts of things like whether the company will provide health insurance to the spouse that having people write up their own contracts wouldn't work since companies wouldn't have a standard they could follow. It seems to me their needs to be some standard that defines 'marriage' or something like marriage that society can use as the basis for defining that relationship. Whether its called 'marriage', 'civil union', or 'shacking up' I don't think it matters and as far as religions are concerned shouldn't be the purview of government to define who in the eyes of God is married.
the problem with this debate is that it is a religious one. the christian right wants to impose its morality on others, that's just not right. quit worrying about how others lead their lives.
Marriage is simply a legal contract, in our country at least, and if 2 gay men want to get married, let em. DD
Well you got me on that one, I wasn't referring to the gay marriage issue, just the idea that we have to pass amendments to decide moral issues. I don't think the words you used would enter the heart of a Christian.
State laws usually govern civil unions, custody, property etc. The church usually views marriage from a different perspective. It is the mixing of these jurisdictions that is creating some of the debate. As long as a church can decide freely who they sanction in a church ceremony I don't see any problem with what the government does as long as it is not discrimitory toward religion.
i don't care. call it whatever. the union/marriage/whatever between my wife and myself has very little to do with the license i have from pulaski county, arkansas.
This is one of the reasons I hate religion being involved in politics. The government needs to reword marriage licenses to where it only appears as any other business contract. Make it to where two people of any sex can join into a monetary union where everything is shared as community property. Then religous instituitions can perform the "holy marriage" ceremony. I would also say that this would remove the need for marriage by justice of the peace for couples to be legally married. No ceremony at all. You both sign the contract and have it notarized. In the eyes of the state you are legally a union. Leave the decision of if you are married up to God.
Well duh. Coon-huntin' licenses are not generally viewed as binding contracts between two consenting adults. Well, maybe in Arkansas...
If married in Arkansas, oral sex with your mother or your blue-ribbon hog really isn't considered sex either.
yeah, my wife is from Little Rock. i can't stand the razorbacks!!! any UT/Arkansas matchup is hell for me. she pointed out the other day, though, that she's lived in texas for about as long as she lived in arkansas. and she's become a big astros fan. soooo...i think i'm ok.
Probably not. The Leviticus lobby will say that it's still marriage, but just a different name. They would still threaten to vote out anyone who supports this distinction. No congressman without a strong gay or liberal constituency would dare bring it to the table.
My basic Problem is just that Government cannot be in the Marriage business as far as I'm concern all those automatic things one gets for being Married are discriminatory against Single people single person should be able to assign someone else on their insurance too just like a married person Rocket River
you can assign whoever you want. who told you that you can't? married couples get assumptions about exactly WHO gets responsibility/privileges/whatever...because it's just assumed it's the spouse. but everyone can name whoever that want. you're not being persecuted, i promise.
Not for health insurance. Married people can have their spouses covered on company policies. Single people can't choose someone to be covered by their companies health insurance policy.
