what's the difference between a civil union and marriage?

[ergohead]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

If everyone's living the life they want to live, what does it matter?

Well yes, I was repulsed by whatever theory he may have had about living a lie.

Cause I think even Ms Connie might be living a lie under SOME sort of theory.

Still, what other people think of you can have disastrous effects on your ability to live the life you want to live.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by ergohead

Still, what other people think of you can have disastrous effects on your ability to live the life you want to live.

Yes. And in cases where it does affect a person's life, then certainly, someone else's opinion can matter. But if their opinion doesn't affect my ability to do the things I want to do, then I don't care what they think.

That's why I'm mystified by the people who spend an inordinate amount of time commenting on gay issues when it doesn't affect them directly. They're obsessed with the subject, and you have to wonder why...

[Danno3314]

Originally Posted by ergohead

A friend bewailed to me about 20 years ago (on behalf of his gay brother) that gays were forced to live a lie.

In whatever way his brother was living a lie then, do you think that today's gay marriages would still carry the thought by the married gays that they were living a lie?

Or by today's observing Christians that the married gays were living a lie?

I'm not sure I understand your question. When you say "living a lie" and that it was 20 years ago, is that because he wasn't able to be openly gay?
A married same-sex couple is obviously open and if they were living together before getting married, that would most likely would have been the case too (otherwise, making both announcements at the same time, would be a lot for one day....that you're coming out and that you'll be getting married to your partner, that no one even knew you had up until then)....so, if that's what he meant, no.

I don't know what other way he would have meant he was "living a lie"....if he meant it some other way, it's not coming to mind for me right now, sorry.