God, Marriage and Same Sex Couples?

"homosexual" was a term coined in 1868 and added to the bible in 1946, the bible has also been re-edited, mistranslated and misunderstood

marriage was around before christianity arose

the homophobes will make any claim that furthers their evil agenda

Yes it is a civil issue and there is no place for religious prejudice in civil issues because forcing ones religion on another is unconstitutional. By that I mean that the only reason marriage is defined as being between one man and one woman is due to religious influence and has no purpose other than to discriminate against those of other orientations. There are over a thousands rights that same sex couples are denied because their relationship is not recognized by the government. At all the rallies and benefits I have been to it is not the title that same sex couples want it is the benefits. Too many LGBT peoples are suffering from the limitations of their rights as a couple; Visitation rights in hospitals, power of attorney, insurance benefits, financial security. All these things are being DENIED to same sex couple only because they are same sex and these are the reasons why same sex couples want marriage. Simply same sex couples want the same protection as heterosexual couples and civil unions do not provide that by a long a shot.

EDIT: To Steve B... Do your research and you will find that you are completely and flat out wrong in your assumption that marriage "belongs" to heteros. The FACTS are that marriage traditionally is an arrangement or contract between two or more parties. Most marriages were arranged some between two men because it would benefit their social and financial status. Before the bible was written marriages were used for the purpose of making a profit. So it is really judeo-christian heterosexuals who "took" marriage and twisted it to fit their beliefs.

CallaLily- You misinterpreted my words... My point is that marriage comes with so many protections as well as a recognition of love. Gay couples will admit that they do not need marriage to validate their love but they DO need it to receive social security benefits, to hold their dying partners hand while they are in the hospital, to have the power of attorney over their spouse, and to not be challenged in the court of law over assets once their partner is gone. Civil unions do not provide these protections. You may not have gotten married for the benefits and rights that come along with it but you certainly have all those benefits at your disposal when you need them. If you didn't get married for the benefits then you also would of just had a ceremony and not have filed for a marriage license but I am sure you did get one anyways...

This is a really good question and is demanding some though. Any marriage that is joined without God in it, is still a marriage and recognized by the laws of the land..In some states now, gay marriage is recognized by that state as being legal.

However, only a marriage between a man and a woman is recognized in the bible as being joined together by God. .

I believe this is why so many Gay couples do not want a civil union. They want their marriage to be recognized as blessed by God and that is just not going to happen.

If the same-sex couple both accept Christ as their Savior and they marry in a church which does not falsely teach that homophobia is a legitimate "religious belief," then God IS present in the relationship. Whether radical anti-gay activists believe this or not is totally immaterial to the faith of the couple or God.

I pay my taxes, I want my rights. Those choosing the heterosexual lifestyle should not get special rights based on whom they sleep with.

I'm an atheist and married...and to any christian who doesn't like it they can look up marriage and see how it has nothing to do with christianity.

Not to mention that some christian churches want to marry gays...to deny them such is to make a law favoring one religious belief over another, which is illegal in our country. This won't be over until a. christians get over themselves and stop trying to deny rights to others (if you think it's not denying a right then i will tell you you can't marry and we'll see how you take it) or b. the gov will stop issuing marriages and issue civil unions to everyone, letting the churches marry who they want.

Any and every one can form an opinion about the importance of the institution of marriage from a psychological or sociological or historical perspective. I might say that marriage is so beneficial to society that it ought to be put in a special category of things we don't change without tremendous thought and effort, like the Constitution of the United States. The framers of the Constitution knew that times would come when people would change their minds over relatively trivial matters and so they made it difficult to change the Constitution.

Putting it into a special category and carefully defining the limits of marriage and making it difficult to change the definitions is essentially the same action as sanctifying it. From that point of view, we sanctify the Constitution. I might think the Constitution is a gift from God and you might think it is the invention of men but in the end, we both may sanctify it. The man and woman who enters into marriage sanctifies marriage regardless of their relgious beliefs. Gay marriages tries to open it up which is the opposite of putting it into a special category.

I used to go to conservative churches that teach that abstinence crap, and I learned that the leaders of these churches actually crack jokes about 30 and 40 year-old virgins behind their backs. Now I just send my Christian friends to the site below which debunks the whole thing against premarital sex in the Bible. It covers same-sex lifestyles too. I hope it helps you.

I'm assuming you're from America like me for many obvious reasons. In America, marriage has moved out of it's "religious only" state. So, one point for "Gay marriage isn't against God."

Secondly, why are you assuming that God isn't present in a same sex marriage? Isn't God omni-present? As in, present everywhere? There are homosexuals that are very good Christians, and the only reason they aren't considered (by some stingy bastards) is because they're gay. God is present in many homosexual relationships.

Lastly, talking about heterosexual couples without God... well... marriage in America isn't some sacred religion only thing anymore.

@ Persian Melon:

How is it it "nit-picking"? She's exposing the holes in your reasoning. Your reasons never hold up.

If marriage is a religious union, then why are atheists allowed to marry? How are civil marriages in any way religious?

If you bring up reproduction...why are infertile couples allowed to marry? If marriage and sex are about procreation, then why don't churches require fertility tests before a couple takes their vows? Answer the questions and people will stop asking.

LMAO @ Ice tackling the other posters. Too funny, I needed that.

Are questions really being asked for guidance, a different perspective or as a means to start debates?

To Perpetually Sarcastic: "Love"? You use the word as if it fits no other issue but marriage. What would we do if some were to say "I love to kill people for the thrill of it"? Should we agree because "love" is involved? I "love" to beat my children, so lets legalize it? I "love" to smoke pot so this too should be legal?

Jake: You've hurt the gay community by your own words. You've listed their largest reason for wanting marriage for rights they gain with marriage? Sorry but I didn't marry for the benefits of Insurance, or other "human" rights. I myself would feel I had those rights on my own depending on the laws of my country where I live. In America there is a large percentage in today's times to not file income tax jointly. Many don't see their marriage as a "joint" relationship, but that's another issue. Most people scramble to figure out which way is cheaper for that year for a higher tax return and is not based on the mere fact of being "joined as one".

Simplified: If gays, atheists or others who don't hold to the premise of religion want to be married yet have no "religion" that will "claim" them by the definition of "God" being in it with all His laws", then go to the Justice of the Peace to "be married". You might have a right to "be married" in your opinion but its quite different if you expect to be married in a Church that has a belief in a pagan God you have no need or want of. If that Judge won't marry you, don't complain to me about the fact we don't have laws to support your desires. Vote or make your own Church that will support you. Just remember the word "God" will still hang you up. In most countries, a religion has a "god" of some type as the foundation, right wrong or indifferent.

Think about it: If I hate Mickey D's food, their whole reason for fast food, everything they stand for, their slow employees, or whatever, why would I demand to go there to eat ????