What is the main reason why people will not vote for Gay Marriage?

In response to the answers above me...

"It's against your religion"? Oh, in other words, you want to selfishly force your religious beliefs down people's throats, you want to bind people, by law, to your religion, a religion they might not even believe in? So much for freedom, so much for religious freedom! Been FORCED to abide by a certain religion's values and beliefs goes directly against the country's idea of been a supposedly free country. Oh, and I don't know if it really goes against your religion. I'm assuming you're Christian; didn't Jesus preach equality and fairness? Denying gays equal rights (to marry someone they're attracted to, AND get the legal benefits which come along with marriage) is not equality, that's for sure. Why are so many Christians moving away from Jesus' own preachings? I think this quote holds some truth:

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are nothing like your Christ" - Gandhi.

"gays are...unethical... gross..." - so, you want to deny gay's equal rights because you're a bigot? Not only did you come off as extremely hateful and ignorant, but also selfish. And it's too glaringly obvious that you have been conditioned, perhaps from a young age, to be taught that homosexuality was somehow wrong or disgusting; ridiculous. People used to think that interracial marriage was wrong, back around the 1950's, so they prevented it; and history repeats itself, as it's now the gays people are actively fighting against from gaining equal rights. Sad. I remember a case where, if I recall right, a black man and woman were prevented from marriage because it was thought that "racial groups were placed on different continents because God wanted them separate", and therefore they were refused marriage; sound familiar? Can you link that to modern events, by any chance?

EDIT: "it's not natural..." Wrong again, scientists suspect a very large role determining sexual orientation is genes and chemicals in the brain. Therefore, it is NATURE at work. We evolved this way. It's as natural as heterosexuality. Just because something is minority does not mean it is non-natural.

EDIT #2 Why does no-one have the right to redefine marriage? Laws are constantly been redefined, re-written. I think it's worth redefining marriage for the sake of equality. See argument above, where interracial marriage wasn't allowed till marriage was redefined. If you disagree with changing marriage, would you like to go back to our roots, where a black and white man/woman couldn't even marry? I would like to hope not!

And you have failed to give a good, supporting argument for why you think marriage shouldn't be redefined. I know I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, but something reeks of been a argument based on emotion, not logic, common sense and the goal of achieving equality.

EDIT #3: This is obviously a human rights issue. A minority group not getting equal rights (and legal benefits which come along with marriage) is definitely a human rights issue. So WHY, may I ask, is religion getting the biggest influence on the issue? Since when has human rights become a religious issue? I definitely don't trust religion to be in control of human rights. It's far too powerful a thing; want some examples, look back at history, look at the countless atrocities and human rights infringements committed at the hands of people believing they were doing "God's will". Even today, it continues, with people been denied equal rights.

EDIT #4: Okay, y'all do realise that even in places where gays are allowed "civil unions", that they STILL don't receive those legal benefits which come along with marriage?

And why do so many people feel that Christianity has a monopoly on marriage? Marriage existed BEFORE reliable recorded history, BEFORE Christianity. So why should Christianity have full control of it?

And I can understand people been worried about gays getting married in church when their beliefs go against it. Well, marriage doesn't necessarily have to take place in a church. A lot of atheists don't get married in a church. I'm sure we can find a compromise.

EDIT #5: Marriage is a man-made concept. So don't go telling me that man+man union, on a piece of written paper, = unnatural.

EDIT #6: "God made man and woman for a reason..." Hey, we're not talking about preventing gay sex here. The topic is gay MARRIAGE. Not everyone agrees with "abstinence before marriage".

EDIT #7: For those thinking homosexuality is a "sickness" which can be "cured". I think it's time to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk; if you're so convinced, why don't YOU find a cure for homosexuality? Yes, people have experimented with therapy, but last time I heard success was very rare. There is NO evidence that it is even effective.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_exod.htm

Not to mention, experts in the field don't consider homosexuality a mental illness/disorder. Okay, sure, you might be thinking "a definition on paper means nothing". You probably have a point, too. But what about people who are happy with been gay? And people who have tried reparative therapy, but it failed so they were stuck with been gay? You want to force them to be unable to marry, to get equal rights? Pretty unfair if you ask me.

For those thinking homosexuality is a "choice", you can keep talking but I've yet to see convincing proof. You're trying to say that those extremely religious gays who commit suicide CHOSE to be gay? Or the kid who gets bullied daily CHOSE to be gay? Right. I'm okay with differing opinions, but when your opinion is illogical and seemingly based on emotion, or possibly bigotry, don't expect me to take you seriously. While studies have suggested there seems to be some sort of environmental factor, as far as I can see we only have very limited control on these "environmental factors". If you think otherwise, I'll be waiting for the proof, or at the very least, a logical argument.

Or if you want gays to abstain, again, inequality. Yes, gays can't reproduce. But if you haven't noticed, this is the 21st Century, we are all (presumably) living in well developed countries, we are no longer struggling for survival, our population is steadily growing and overpopulation is/has become a real threat. No big deal. Since only approximately, what, 10% of people are gay? it won't matter too much in the end. And how about heterosexuals who choose NOT to have kids? You want to make it a legal requirement to have kids?

EDIT #8: "if it was made legal ... I bet the divorce rate would jump. They don't have kids to hold them together." Um, you forgot about adoption. Secondly, do you have statistics to back up the claim of heterosexual couples remaining together longer than homosexual couples? If not, your opinion is just that - an opinion with no credibility, open heavily to bias and is based on your limited personal experiences. And what's it matter to *you* if the divorce rate jumps up? If you're not gay/bi it won't affect you, right?

EDIT #9: "people think it's morally wrong and it's gonna ruin the generation and "turn" a lot of kids gay!

it's sad how stupid and ignorant people are!"

It's sad how stupid and ignorant people are? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, the fact that you probably don't even realise how much of a hypocrite you just were makes this all the more funny! I seriously cracked up. Oh, and by the way, since homosexuality is caused primarily by genetics and chemicals in the brain, what you said is wrong. People don't just suddenly become gay because gay marriage is allowed. Ridiculous. It's like saying "interracial marriage shouldn't be allowed because then all white people will suddenly turn black!"

I have two reason why I don't approve of it. First because the bible says marriage is between a man and a women. I have no problem what so ever in gays having the exact same rights as the rest of us, but do not call it marriage. They can call it a union, a partnership, whatever they want, just not marriage. Second, if it does become legal for gays to marry it opens up the door for brother and sister to marry, or 2 wives and 1 husband, or anything else that right now is against the law. This is why I feel the way I do.

I've learned to stay away from these questions because answering them is a no win for me. I did not vote against gay marriage, although I will if it is put on a ballot in my state. Why would I do such a thing? The power of your argument (and it is powerful) is that it appeals to my moral convictions. As you rightly point out, arbitrarily denying someone a practice that I engage in is immoral. I cannot quarrel with that. But what of my other moral commitments? I believe, rightly or wrongly, that same gender sexual expression is profoundly immoral. Am I to jettison that belief, sacrificing it at the altar of social pressure? Am I to endorse a practice I consider deeply offensive to my God? And that's what voting yes would be. You have no reason at all to trust me, but I mean this in all sincerity. If it were possible to vote yes without betraying my deepest convictions I would do so in a heartbeat. If I were unsure of my position, I would vote yes. But I am not and I cannot.

To be honest i think your right when u said about churches. People frown upon gay marrages because they take part in a church (or at least some do). This goes against the christian religion because a church is a symbol of the religion not just a big 'pretty' building.

However, if you look at the amount of hetrosexual couples who get married but don't follow the christian faith and get married in a church, then you'll come to notice that this view is very hypocritical. Hetrosexual couples get married in churches yet don't believe in the faith, so why can't homosexual couples? It's very silly and for narrow minded, naive people. I think everyone should be able to do their own thing, after all, if you begin to put restrictions on the way we behave then freedom will soon come to a halt and we won't be able to enjoy ourselfs :)

Merry Christmas!

If gay people want to mary in church but don't want to be associated with any religions then refusal is not forcing religion on peoples lives, it is not allowing religion to be used as a venue for a show for people who do not accept the rules of that religion.

Gay marriage is not necessary. In same sex couples there is no need for one to be the breadwinner so there is no need for the legal protection of the home maker in the event of a divorce.

Re: Sins - Gays and Religion.

The bible touches on same sex in about 6 places. The rest is about heterosexuals and general human behaviour.

I could agree with this no church marriage due to sin if only the church was to apply this policy across the board.

Yet as we all know, no man is with out sin. Which raises the question. If no man is with out sin, and the church wont marry sinners, how does the church marry anyone?

Maybe the church needs to re read the bible. Who is the church to say one sin in greater or less than another. If we are going to talk about sins, why not first look at the sins of Catholic priests against boys. Did I say Catholic, well that is unfair as this problem is religion wide. All faiths have a history of protecting child abusers who are their own.

I say it is hypocritical for these church leaders when passing judgment on gays. They have conveniently forgotten the story of Jesus intervening when the women was to be stoned for her sins. He held out a stone and invited the person who is with out sin to take it. No one stepped forward.

The message here is we should not judge others, that is for God to do.

Yet all that aside. I respect the rights of a group of people to form a faith and to see its followers remain with in that faiths guidelines.

I cant accept that a faith can claim it has the right to force its guidelines onto people who are not part of it.

I cant accept that a government would allow a faith to control it.

Because we can achieve the same objectives - the exact same equality as married heterosexual couples - through civil unions with expanded domestic partner benefits like they do in the UK and we can totally remove religion from the equation.

But the gay rights lobby in this country is more interested in undermining the church and attacking traditional religious values than they are in achieving equality under the law, so they have invented the straw man argument of "gay marriage".

I have been asking myself the same question and asking some of my friends who do not belive it is wrong and would not vote for it. Generally it is because of religion. Which is completely wrong because of the separation of Church and state. People got tax refunds because they gave money to the Church. This money was then given to promoting bills that were against gay marriage. I belive that people are also scared of what they do not quite understand. And possibly they are afraid of what they are or what their children might be. This also relates to ignorance. Some people believe any thing that their church says no mater if it is correct or not. In Any case the main reason people are against gay marriage is because of religion. I would like to point out that in the Declaration of human rights it says men and women have the right to marriage. It does not say a man and a woman. For whatever reason people have religion, fear, ignorance or possibly a combination of these three people need to grow up and understand that it is completely biological and there is nothing that people who are gay can do about it.

Simple. If you don't believe in gay marriage then don't be gay and don't get married. I don't understand why other peoples relationships are public business. The real threat to marriage is divorce so why don't we out-law that.

What it comes down to is how one thinks of homosexuals. Conseveratives and even some liberals view it as a 'life-style' choice while people who are pro-same sex realize that it is something you are born. When did one 'decide' to be straight?

There is a fear of changing the defination of marriage. (One man, One women) however if you read the bible polygamy was the norm and we changed that.

I agree its hard to understand and I wish they would see this is going against civil rights. It used to be once upon a time not so long ago whites and blacks could not marry...

I hate them but even I myself don't know why.maybe because I think man and woman are created for each other.Marriage was defined befor chritianity.I'm from Iran and the ancient iranian religion,zorostarian,has defined marriage. In Quran, holy book of muslims,homesexuality is criticised,eighter.