Here's the thing....

[Laurelin]

As a Christian I support gay marriage becoming legal. Because I truly think that that is the Christian thing to do. To me whether being gay is a sin or not or a choice or not is 100% irrelevant. I just cannot come up with a reason that gay couples should not legally have all the rights that straight couples have. I can't help but think of how un-Christ-like it is to not allow someone's life-long partner to see them in the hospital among other injustices that they face.

It really isn't about what *I* believe is right or wrong, it's about what should be legal and equality.

Just another Christian perspective.

 

[Greenmagick]

I also want to add, the majority of Christians I personally know are very supportive of gay marriage (and also mostly pro choice as well). I guess for me, I wish some people would do more to shut up or counteract the vocal minority

 

[drmom777]

My stance has always been that the government is not in the business of saying what religious beliefs are right, and even less in the business of caring what consenting adults are or are not doing sexually. I see religious marriage as a different issue than legal marriage. The whole idea that the government is in the business of policing people's sex lives is repulsive, and outside of that, why would the government care what sex two people in this contractual legal union are?

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

I think if we spoke to the House/Senate/President in completely candid terms we'd have to ask the question WHY should same sex couples not be allowed to marry? If their answer in any way includes "Well the bible/koran/what have you says..." or anything to the effect of "The teachings of X religion say that..." We could kindly point out that there is a legal obligation to keep all churches separate from state proceedings and ask them to vote according to the law. Of course, this does not happen but if we could get everyone to think logically, it would be fantastic and easy to remedy this entire situation.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

Oh also, a friend of mine posted this today: http://www.upworthy.com/every-biblical-argument-against-being-gay-debunked-biblically?c=ftm1

It's a very long video but it's basically a sermon pointing out how the bible does not in fact condemn homosexuality.

 

[zoe08]

First of all, I have to say that I think the government should just stay out of marriage (and pretty much most everything else)

As far as judgment in the Bible, it tells us to not be hypocrites.

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV / 1,599 helpful votes

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

However we are also not supposed to just sit around not care or say anything to our brothers who are sinning:

And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. Matthew 18:15-17

We are to forgive them always, but that doesn't mean just ignoring others sins.

The word calls us to be different, not to conform to the ways of the world, in which many churches today seem to be more concerned with pleasing the government or society instead of pleasing God.

There are many sins that I struggle with, and I have been doing a Proverbs 31 Bible study group and I don't expect them to just be like, it's totally ok to be that way. We are there to encourage each other to be BETTER, not to just say oh well, we all sin. Just because we cannot be perfect, does not give us an excuse to not try to do better and sin less.


I also get tired people saying I "hate" others because of my conservative position on many different subjects. Just because I don't support what you do, does not mean I "hate" YOU.

 

[Lyzelle]

My view is that religion should have no place in government. It is a personal view that should not be forced upon others in a religiously free country. America was founded on the ideal of freedom from religious persecution(and yet we are being persecuted by religion, go figure). This is not a Christian country, Christian views have no place in our government.

Marriage is a legal contract, period. It has nothing to do with religion. It is a contract that affects name change, insurance benefits, rights to equal share, medical decisions, etc, etc. It isn't something the government can just 'stay out of'. No way, no how. It is all legality, rights, and contracts, through and through.

I also believe marriage is a human right. And I don't believe human rights should be able to be voted on. Thus why they are called "rights". Equality is just that, equality. White, black, male, female, all creeds, religions and sexual orientations. Marriage is a human right, and legally speaking, there should be no reason why two women or two men cannot share a legal contract that affects name, lawful marital rights (such as medical decisions and right to spouse benefits), and guardianship over children, pets, or homes, cars, etc.

And I do look down on those who do not believe in equality, and I do consider them bigots. Race, religion, or sexuality. It is what it is, hate and segregation.

 

[Kat09Tails]

I believe in equality. It marriage was just about religion than I would care less. The issue is that there are well over a thousand rights granted to your better half by virtue of your union. These rights are being denied to people who are consenting adults simply because of a ridiculous notion of what is right based upon religion and that to me is where the rubber meets the road.

Changing the word for marriage to civil union isn't equal unless everyone is willing to give up their marriage certificates for civil union certificates as separate never has and never will mean equal and reality is - it's no one's business who is married to who as long as all parties involved are consenting- not the governments and not some church in Utah or Rome.

Right now I have friends who are in long term relationships who can't see each other in hospitals, would lose their kids if their SO died, have no survivors rights, would lose their home, and cannot make vital decisions for each other legally. These people are no threat to marriage - they're not outsiders - they work with you - go to school with your kids-pay their taxes - serve their communities and countries and deserve the chance for the pursuit of happiness anyone else would want in their life.

 

[RD]

I do not have an issue with gay people at all. I think we're all sinners and it's not anyone's place to judge another person or tell them who they have the right to love and enter into a union with.

I do agree with Greenmagick that marriage is a contract and whether or not it has any spiritual significance should be left up to the couple. If it were purely spiritual/religious, then who cares? Unfortunately it's not about religion, it's about the benefits and rights you receive as a married couple that gay couples are being denied. Gay people don't want to change the churches and rewrite the bible, they want an equal opportunity to sign a legal contract recognizing them as spouses.