Quote Originally Posted by Andres View Post
Then those christians fail to make the distinction between legal and religious marriage.

A misunderstanding is not a justification for a difference in treatment between gay couples and straight couples.

Gays should be allowed to marry for the law. Religion is private, church and whatever religious institution can decide who they want to marry, that's none of the state's business. But when it comes to the legal marriage, gays should be allowed to marry. There's no justification for the current discrimination.
Difference in treatment? Christians are not arguing that they be treated differently, simply that they shouldn't apply (what Christians see as) the legal representation of a Christian institution to themselves in a way that will change its meaning. Christians are afraid that if legal marriage is changed, that religious marriage will follow. They are two entirely different things in reality, but in perception, the same. As I said, it is about as much discriminating as not letting my dog be legally recognized as a Rabbi! You can see why it means a lot to Christians (because it is literally sacred to them), but why should it mean so much to gays who want to change the legal definition? To use my dog example, you could see why Jews would justifiably be very angry if I tried to make my dog legally classified as a Rabbi, but it would be hard to understand why it would mean anything to me or my dog. As I said, I think that marriage should not be recognized in any form, but as it is, it is impossible to seperate it from its religious origins. (simply because of the way that it is percieved) Don't let there be any difference in treatment, but if it means that much to them, let them keep their silly word. They got a claim of thousands of years on the institution.