Same-sex Marriage Not A Religious Issue
The Day, New London, CT from the Web, November 16, 2004
Letters To The Editor:
Let's get this straight: The religious right thinks there is some sort of mandate to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and saying marriage shall be between a man and a woman.
Sounds simple, right?
Not so fast. If we are to ban gay marriage on religious grounds, let's do it right.
Let's make sure the amendment includes language banning second marriages, since adultery is just as morally wrong, according to the Bible.
We need to recognize only one marriage, the first one. Welcome to the American Taliban, trying to complete a perfect fundamentalist state.
If statistics are correct, more than half the country is in trouble.
What would such an amendment banning gay marriage accomplish? Not much.
Even Jerry Falwell says that the movement isn't looking to put people in jail; it just wants to prevent gay marriage because it threatens conventional marriage.
I cannot see how that threatens anyone or anything. It seems some homophobic fears are present because gay marriage has been happening for years.
Why not allow gays to enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals, religious and godless alike?
We are really talking about a civil right, the same right freely extended to atheists and any and all heterosexuals alike, as many times as they wish.
Shouldn't gays be permitted to go through a drive-through in Nevada and get married by an Elvis impersonator along with getting biggie fries and a Coke just like anyone else?
Benefits of marriage with respect to the law include tax deductions, the right to determine health-care decisions as well as inheritance and property rights.
These are civil matters and have nothing to do with religion. We cannot grant a right freely given to virtually all classes of people and deny those rights to any others.
That is morally unacceptable.
Chriss R. Miller, East Haddam
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