Why do we honor marriage with legal benefits and social standing?

Because our society has a long-held belief that marriage is in the best interests of children. It is also from an understanding that women stay home and are care-givers of the children while men are the primary providers.

Marital benefits are there to encourage men to stay with the mothers of their children.

Our society believes that marriage benefits society. What homosexuals fail to demonstrate is how their marriage is worthy of being recognized by society. For them it is all about their individual rights.

Our whole social standards are based on the union of a man and a woman to have and raise children. Starting with the marriage we get a family which is run similar to how we run government. Where do you think right and wrongs and rules came from. Years ago there were fathers that raised children and governed them when they need it. They were called elders of a tribe. They were looked up to and respected. When they passed the oldest would take over and this where we get governors.Their are rules that apply to married couples and rules that apply to single people. From day one we have had these rules and morals and have tried to live by them. BTW these rules were given by God and then Jesus fine tuned them.With out families we would not have population and no growth. With two people of the same sex uniting we would not have had population, It is impossible. Talking about test tube babies and artificial insemination, this is unnatural and we didn't have this before so there wouldn't be population. The family always was there from Adam and Eve. Every culture has marriage, Even cultures they have discovered in the jungles in south America in the last 30 or 40 years who had a primitive way of life had marriage in their culture. So just what are you asking, because they get benefits and have a different status than anyone else.

Figure it out by giving some of these benefits they are insuring the growth and education of future leaders, engineers, lawyers, farmers, builders, and any other career these children brought into the marriage may become. A family has to be able to live and take care of their children also. And when you think about it everyone get benefits, it's just that some want it all and live an abnormal lifestyle to boot. God bless you.

Marriage is a contract - its not a great deal about love historically. It basically allows a heterosexual couple to raise children within a family unit. As other contributors have suggested, this has long been thought the best way to raise children which is why same sex marriages and single parent families get such a bashing. It would appear from popular psychology that the support network of a family which includes a mum and dad is indeed the most wholesome way for offspring to be raised even today - the traditional family is therefore promoted as a way of securing the futures of many. I think it should be viewed positively and that people should enter into marriage with the same gravitas they give a house purchase - that way there may be fewer divorces!

If homosexual want all the benefit and social standing, let them have it.

As far as don't claim it is call marriage or husband wife.

The benefit and social standing don't mean much to kid.

But the name, the title mean a lot to kid and believer.

So many people forget that US laws were started and based around Christian beliefs. (IE In God we trust). That includes marriage. In the bible it is a man and a women that can get married and nothing else. It clearly states that man and man and women and women together are wrong. Me personally I am a Christian and I believe in every word of the bible. But the bible also mention that we should not judge one another, But I see people like to ignore that quite often. IE our government won't let people of the same sex get married. Hopes this answers your question some what. Me personally its not my life its yours and you are allowed to do what ever you want with it and God told me I shouldn't judge you. So I won't :)

The best bond between a woman and a man is in marriage. As you said it carries not only spiritual benefits but also social. A family is one of the cells that every state or country is made up of. If there are no marriages and by this I mean true marriages that they honor they vow to respect and love each other and to up bring the children that they may be given to take care of. That is the main importance of every place. Marriage is a contract not only civil but also with God and so this makes it the strongest bond.

How can homosexuals compare their relationship, no matter how deep it could be, with that of marriage. Could they give birth to children and bring them up as a normal marriage? They surely can't and so their return to society is zero compared with marriage with children. How can a state go on without children? They are children not only of the parents but also to the state and to God. The benefits that you mentioned are not compensating to the worry, pain and sacrifices that parents have to go through to bring up good citizens for the future. What difference will it make to Mrs or no Mrs. It is only like other just to show the status of that person.

Homosexuals or polygamists can never be compared to marriage.

I don't call them honors what you said. It is a good thing to promote marriage for the reasons I have given you earlier.

I don't know and I don't care.

Good to see however, that you are not a queer or some kind of degenerate that sees the sky green and the grass blue (thought you were judging by the title.)

Wow, this is a great question and I can't wait to see the responses. I agree with Ruth so far.

It's all about family. Children, parents, partners, in-laws, all wrapped up into one tight group. Family.

to foster secure home for children