[ken5050]

cg...the point is that marriage is first and foremost an institution of religion..developed to forge a family bond to enable children to be raised in a stable environment...it was adopted by government....attempts now to co-opt marriage debase its original meaning and intent..civil unions work fine...

[Aquinasfan]

the point is that marriage is first and foremost an institution of religion..

Yes, but it's also a part of the natural order, and the state of the State depends on the state of the family. As the family goes, so goes the State.

[cajungirl]

I sort of agree with you, civil unions would do the same thing. but it seems to me that the issue that is being ignored is that no religion can be required to marry someone. Shouldn't the religious denominations be the ones to say they won't do this if it violates their beliefs. Now I agree marriage is good for the state, for children, for society. I just don't see how allowing gays to marry really debases marriage. Haven't we ordinary mortals done that pretty handily ourselves what with divorce, infidelity, etc. I wonder if gay marriage might be beneficial for society when you look at the single gay life,,surely monogamy and fidelity would be better than say bathhouse sex. Marriage certainly civilizes men and curbs their jungle like behavior {sorry guys},,could it not do the same for gay men. I just wonder if saying gay marriage debases marriage is a bit like saying I have the finest house in town, noone else can have anything else close to mine in structure as it will debase mine. It seems ungenerous somehow.

[NYer]

the point is that marriage is first and foremost an institution of religion

Dwight Longenecker, an American author now living in Great Britain, has written an excellent article on this topic. In it, he analyzes the current situation in the Anglican church. He points out ...

"Archbishop Williams’ own views are outlined in a paper called The Body’s Grace which was originally delivered as an address in 1989. It is now part of a series of essays collected in Theology and Sexuality (ed. Eugene Rogers, Blackwells 2002). In his essay Dr Williams argues that ‘good sex’ is simply the sort where each partner desires their own arousal to generate a mutual arousal in their partner. The absence of any desire for this mutual arousal is why rape, paedophilia and bestiality are "bad sex.” The Archbishop then argues that biblical Christianity endorses this understanding of sex. He says that God's intention is that sexual experience should help us understand that our needs can only be met by giving to others. "

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