I know that some people feel that this is a separate but equal way of looking at things, but while I can’t see compromising my religious beliefs on the issue, I also can’t see allowing my religious beliefs to remove someone else’s rights. Legal rights in unions would still protect the religious sanctity of marriages.”

“Separate but equal” never is. Gay unions are not legal in “most states;” fewer than 40% of states recognize some kind of same-sex union. And in states that do have civil unions, they are either constrained and lack all of the rights and privileges of marriage, or they are frequently misunderstood so. (Even in California, where civil unions EXPLICITLY, by statute, have all the rights and privileges of marriage, union’ed couples have been denied their rights.) The Court in California found that calling same-sex marriage anything other than marriage would denigrate the state of the couple’s union and still create a “second-class” class – people who were “union’ed” would be treated differently than those who were married – and that’s unconstitutional.

And before you trot out the one about acting on one’s impulses, would it not be the height of cruelty to tell me (and others like me) that we should suppress our innate natures to conform? I refuse to believe that a God of lovingkindness (which you claim your God to be) would be so heartless and cruel. Either He made me this way, with the intent that I should engage in a committed relationship – or else His followers are misinterpreting His words and are the ones being cruel (which I find much easier to believe).

And you make it sound like humans are nothing more than breeding animals, like rabbits. Humans don’t just need to reproduce (and there are PLENTY of straight people in the world to ensure our species continues!), we also need LOVE, regardless of religious view. Many marriages were arranged for thousands of years, even before it became ‘religious’; people get married for lots of reasons without God/religion having anything to do with it. Gays only want what others take for granted: to express their love to the world in a binding, legal ceremony and spend the rest of their life taking care of the person they love. How is that going to ruin our society? We have a 50% divorce rate for crying out loud! How sacred is marriage when it has become an OPTION?

And on the topic of religion…if you’re atheist or non-Christian, then will they not be allowed to marry as well? This is a dangerous road to travel. It follows the Chinese act of killing newborn daughters because sons are more valuable. Women have often been treated as cattle, traded (or ‘married’) for profit, at the mercy of her ‘husband’ and with little (if any) legal rights. Hell, we just got the right to vote a few years ago, if you think about it.

Being homosexual should not mean they are less valued as human beings, they are not second-class citizens. They have the same needs, dreams and desires as anyone on this planet. To be loved, to be respected, to be treated with dignity. Is that really so hard to do?

Why is it so important for folks to care about how other people live? It’s no one else’s business who someone chooses to love. Isn’t love better than hate?

… just askin’…

“Marriage in the United States has always been a civil matter. Civil authorities may permit religious leaders to solemnize marriages but not to determine who may enter or leave a civil marriage. Religious leaders may determine independently whether to recognize a civil marriage or divorce but that recognition or lack thereof has no effect on the relationship under state law.”

“[A]ffording same-sex couples the opportunity to obtain the designation of marriage will not impinge upon the religious freedom of any religious organization, official, or any other person; no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs.”

see, 2 can play this game of utter disrespect.

I fvcked myself.