Civil Union vs. Marriage for Gays

[GottaBMe]

Originally Posted by denverkid

If equal treatment under the law were extended to, and ALL the legal rights of marriage were given to gays under the banner of civil unions, then I'd be okay with it. This, of course, would require repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.

Honestly though, why is our civil government in the marriage business at all? If our civil government wants to legally recognize unions between two people, why not call all of them civil unions? Leave civil unions to the civil government, and leave marriages to the churches.

I think I agree with you and that is what I was try to say. I will look up the "Defense of Marriage Act." as I don't know what this is.

[moonshadow]

Originally Posted by GottaBMe

Why wouldn't the Gay Community be content with a Civil Union Law. I have heard that they think it would not be fair/equal and I do not understand why. To me, it seems like a reasonable compromise. The courts/government could legally join a couple of either persuasion (gay or straight) which would provide all legal rights and protections. Then the couple (gay or straight) could choose to go have their union sanctified by their church. Churches who do not believe in homosexual unions could refuse to marry gays. But the gays could be free to start their own churches to recognize their unions. This way, the straight, religious community could still have their religious freedom and the gay community could have their legal rights met. I believe they have such a system in place in Canada (or something similar) and I have heard some say it is working fine.

I, for one, would like to see a resolution to this as I have no real issue with gays but I am sick and tired of hearing all about an issue that centers around sex and having my children exposed to it constantly.

I'm straight and if the Church or the Government tried to tell me that I couldn't get married but could only be content with Civil Union you'd better believe I'd have a few things to say about it.

The church doesn't OWN marriage.

Frankly I'm sick and tired of hearing straight homophobes reducing this issue to sex and then complaining that they don't want their children exposed to it when I have to listen ENDLESSLY to the church's views on practically EVERYTHING on a daily basis. I turn off the television. It's a VERY USEFUL way of being selective about what information you're exposed to.

This is a civil rights issue.