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As I see it, most people who oppose gay marriage do so because 1) they believe that homosexuality is a choice and a sin, and 2) they do not want to raise their children in a society which condones homosexuality. When you cut through all the pseudo-legalese bullcrap about "rights that don't exist" and whatnot, that's basically what it comes down to: religious beliefs.
Marriage may have started out as a religious institution, but many people no longer see it that way. People get married and divorced whimsically, with no qualms about ending it when things get rough. They may bring God up during the matrimonial ceremony, but there's hardly much consideration for the great deity during the divorce proceedings.
To me, God had nothing whatsoever to do with my decision or desire to get married. Marriage didn't mean being able to bang my wife with the blessings of some dude in the sky. I wanted to get married, because to me it it symbolizes commitment that is intended to be lifelong. That may not be the reality, but it is the ideal. Aside from the legal rights that are given to those who are married as opposed to unmarried individuals, many see married people as a "real" couple. A serious couple. I wanted the symbolism, the acknowledgment, and the right to call my beloved my wife.
Religion, for me, had nothing whatsoever to do with it. As such, I find it difficult to give a single valid excuse as to why other adult human beings who love each other should be refused the right to do the same.
I think that in our society we still encourage couples to marry before they have and raise children. I assume that the ideal of the nuclear family with loving parents and cared-for children is still alive today. If that is the case, then why would we not want homosexuals to raise their children in a home protected by that "sanctity" of marriage? Oh, I forgot - we don't want them raising children at all.
Granted, I don't remember my Bible too well, but I don't recall any passage that spoke against homosexuals raising children. Then again it is probably wise not to raise the subject of the Bible at all, since its teachings are riddled with discrepancies anyway. It's just hard not to consider it, since presumably the Bible is the basis for many of these narrow-minded values that people refer to as their justification for attempting to dictate and define valid adult relationships.
As for children learning about homosexuality... I remember seeing on CNN a man talking about why he was all for Prop 8. He said he didn't want schools to teach his children "about homosexuality." I would not be too concerned about it - history has taught us that bigotry and hatred are successfully passed on from generation to generation in the comfort of one's own home. I don't think allowing gay couples to retain basic human rights is equal to "shoving gay" down anyone's throat.
The religious "values" of a number of fanatic nutcases is hardly sufficient basis for prejudiced and discriminatory legislation, but I guess we need to evolve a bit more as a society before we can grasp that concept.
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Who is John Galt?
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