Do people who are against gay marriage for religious reasons realize they are forcing their beliefs on others?

Of course they do. Why do you think they do it?

ADDENDUM

"it is the collective will of the people that makes and enforces our laws in America"

What a dumbass. The "will of the people" does not apply when it violates the Constitution. See Amendment 14, moron. If the "will of the people" had sway, the US would look like a Christian Iran. You'd just love that, wouldn't you?

Gay marriage will not effect their marriage or their opinions or their lives at all. Which means when gay people can marry, their civil marriage contract will somehow mean something less. I don't get it either...

@Pony - Churches already are able to refuse to marry anyone they want. The Catholic church won't marry divorced people unless they have their marriage annulled and some won't marry a Catholic to a person of another faith. It would still fall under the same rules as a private institution.

Plus, a wise friend of mine once said, "Why would I want to be married by a bigot in a building that spreads hate against us when all I want to do is celebrate our love?"

I am against heterosexual marriage for religious reasons. I don't think everyone has to remain single but the Apostle Paul did mention it would be better to remain single unless you burn with lust.

I believe that gay people should have the same rights and privileges as straight people. I know many see this as sanctioning this behavior and so they become very tense about this. Change is fearful for a lot of people.

The problem is that some people feel so inclined to their religious belief that they accept it as fact. A Christian would have to accept that it is a religious belief according to society, but his/her views on what is said in the bible may be considered absolute truth to them. So to them, homosexuality is going against absolute truths.

^---- This is my interpretation on why they do this. I don't hold this position and honestly I could go on for years on why it's so flawed.

It really goes further beyond just religion. If it was due simply to religion then many Christians would be protesting women's rights (which isn't supported in the Bible). It's more of a personal disgust which seems justified since it is supported by passages in their book.

They don't care if the discrimination is oppressive.

I was once very religious, and I was also once atheist. Now, I'm neutral and stay out of these things.

I don't agree with forcing people do adhere to religious beliefs. I also don't believe in forcing religious people to change their beliefs (courts agree with me) Everybody has a constitutional right to believe anything they want, even if the belief is out of touch with reality and common sense.

At the same time, I really don't obsess over what religious people believe. Also, At the same time, I really don't care what homosexuals or religious people do. As long as it doesn't harm people, it shouldn't matter. As long as it doesn't affect me, or cause me harm, then I mind my own business, and don't obsess over what other people do, or what other people believe. I'm not religious, homosexual or atheist so what these groups do or don't do doesn't concern me. If you obsess over what other people do, or believe, you will drive your self insane.

In response to Jim's (aka Http w) answer to this question

Child abusers, and murderers are much different than homosexuals getting married. The difference is that Child abusers, and murders pose a serious intimidate threat to society. People getting married is not an intimidate dangerous behavior. Nobodies dies as a result of same sex marriage. The comparison is absurd. You vote against traffic speeders and murder and child abuse because people that do those things, pose a serious immediate danger to society. Perhaps, finding better things to do with your time, than to think about homosexuals, is the best advice you can take.

1) Do people who are against gay marriage for religious reasons realize they are forcing their beliefs on others?

Yes. We forced our beliefs on others when we voted to prohibit murder. We forced our beliefs on others when we voted to prohibit rape. We forced our beliefs on others when we voted to prohibit child molestation. And we force our beliefs on others ***whenever we vote for anything*** - and so do you.

That is how democracy **is supposed to work**.

2) I don't understand why people who are against gay marriage need to force their religious beliefs on others. I am an atheist, but I would never say people are not legally allowed to go to church.

See 1)

3) I am curious if people who force others to live according to their religious beliefs realize they are oppressing others.

Yes, it's true. I'm horribly oppressing all murderers, rapists, child molesters and same-sex married couples because I believe that our society should not allow such immoral things. You are probably oppressing some of those very same people - and probably you are doing so because of your own moral standards.

Again: that is how democracy **is supposed to work**.

- Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

okay i see where you are coming from. do you know of the we have have the right to refuse service to anyone signs? i'm sure you do so like you i think gays should get married but have it either be at a courthouse or by a church with a liberal priest who is willing to do the marriage instead of forcing all priests to allow gays to have their marriages at any church whether the priest likes it or not. if priests could refuse service when it comes to marriage but yet gays could still be married then everyone would still have rights

In Christs day there was no word for homosexuality. Christianity is one of the newest religions on the planet, and stole a good chunk of their rituals from other religions, including a lot of the wedding traditions. I fail to get their agenda as well.

a simple vote cannot be considered as forcing one's will upon anyone

it is the collective will of the people that makes and enforces our laws in America

Vote - I do

It is up to a society to decide if they will follow the Creator's laws or man's opinions. One will bless a society, the other will destroy it.

Christians are not giving an opinon, but God's commands. He, alone, has condemned that lifesyle as abominable and has destroyed whole cities for the offence.