The Same People

The Bible!!??? LOL!!! That's your argument!!?? That???s right up there with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But you go on and keep kidding yourselves if that???s what makes you sleep at night???.

Consider these words:
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories."
Thomas Jefferson

A previous comment was about the wasting of marriage by heterosexuals, ie so many divorces. Let me point out to you that the two lesbians in Massachusetts who got gay marriage approved by the legislature, gues what, got divorced. So, marriage for them was not all it was cracked up to be. (no pun intended.)

Unfortunately, an initiative to forever make discrimination legal in California by constitutionally banning gay marriage in California has qualified for the ballot in November. I don't know how gay couples stay sane, that ring always just out of reach, or if they get it, having it taken away from them. I sincerely hope that Californians will do the right thing this time and support the decision of the Supreme Court. Let them marry!

I have often been bewildered by statements made by various people, religions, politicians and organizations that homosexuality is a choice. I did not wake up one morning and choose to be attracted to the same sex, just as heterosexuals do not choose their attraction to the opposite sex.

I am a gay man who has just celebrated 20 years with my boyfriend, and I believe my life was a choice, not in the sense that I made a choice in my attraction to the same sex, but rather a choice I made to live an authentic life, even when society and my religion told me I shouldn't.

Perhaps the reason we see such anger, prejudice, hatred and judgement from the parties I mentioned earlier, is because these same people were faced with a decision, live a life being who I am or choose to live a life that my society and religion tells me I should be living. Perhaps that is where the real "CHOICE" comes into play. I know that if I had made such a choice to deny my homosexuality and live life as a heterosexual to appease society, family and religion, and was then faced with homosexuals living full, productive lives, I'm sure I would have anger and resentment, and want them to change their ways so I would not have to be faced with the picture of what my life could have been.

When I think of my life had I made that choice I am saddened to think of who I would be, unauthentic, to myself, and everyone in my life. That is what causes the downfall of humanity.

Quindlen's points ring true: "It's the neighbors, friends and family members who have come out and made the political personal???and lovable. " I see this personally as I travel around the country. In Boston, MA, where same sex marriage is legal, not only do all my friends there know gay people personally, but I also see same-sex couples holding hands on the street, Rainbow or Pink Triangle buttons, wristbands, bookcovers, t-shirts and bumper stickers, in other words gay people are generally visible. Contrast this to
rural Midwest, where gay people are still routinely harrassed -- and are virtually invisible in public.

I think it's a two-way process that builds on itself: Gay people become more visible, as a result the general public sees that they are not the scary satan-possessed ogres that James Dobson presents them to be, as a result the people vote for equal rights, as a result MORE gay people feel comfortable becoming visible.

Thanks, Anna Quindlen, for helping us see the way forward, toward equality for ALL!!

So-called "gay" marriage is an oxymoron - a contradiction in terms. No legal fiction or fiat Court will make it otherwise. The proper, not corrupted definition of marriage, is the complimentary union of male and female, husband and wife, mother and father and the sanctification of human sexuality to a higher and more dignified purpose... "life." No human being was ever born to bugger or be buggered. Grow up people. The "gay" rights movement has not only debased human sexuality, but perverted history and science, the Justice system and the education of children, but the entire political process of a once great nation. The "gay" rights movement is nothing more than a sex cult which has co-opted and exploits the language and symbols of normal society.

As long as we live in a communal society there will ALWAYS be debates over what is right for society. Our nation was established as a Constitutional republic, and what is the best way to "promote the general welfare" will always be up for debate by the people and their representatives. The solution on what defines marriage is simple: let each state decide on its own state law, or let the United States decide on a national law. Up to this point, the majority of states have spoken and no doubt a national referendum will yield the same results: marriage is to be defined as the union of one man and one woman. Scream and yell if you like, but democracy IS all about determining the will of the majority of those governed. And once that will is determined, the job of the courts is simply to interpret and enforce -- no matter whether those courts agree or disagree with the will of the people. Those who believe the job of judges is to protect the minority from tyranny DO NOT UNDERSTAND DEMOCRACY. Either obey they laws, vote to change them or choose to live outside the community. But if you look to the courts to create your gay marriage utopia you may find yourself on the outside one day when the courts are staffed by those opposed to your view. Then you may well long again for democracy.

I know that gay marriage is not what God intented when He created us - a man and woman compliment each other and together they reflect the beauty of marriage and the incredible design that God has instituted.
Because I believe this doesn't mean I hate gays - in fact, I have a few friends who are gay. I love them, and God has called me as a Christian to love them (and to love all people), but love does not mean I have to accept and agree with what they are doing.

Ok...well I have a few replies as well:

1) JJooJJ - I never said that black rights were above gay rights....read my post again. I simply said that the two struggles don't logically compare. Yes, they are both struggles...but they are not the same and should not be viewed as the same. By the way...Osama Bin Laden? Aren't you going a little far to make your point? Just seems like a little TOO much of the slippery slope argument.

2) indianaman130 - to answer your question....Yes. Even a loving God has standards... God hates the sin...not the sinner. So, yes, sadly, he would condemn them for their lifestlye of sin... God doesn't wish to condemn any, but because of offenses against Him, that's not possible.

3) DArnold1112 - Quite simply, you DO choose to live a homosexual lifestyle. The same way that I, or anyone else, could choose to abstain from ALL sexual conduct.

"ALL men are created equal.." no mention of dogs, sheep, or any extreme bestiality argument some of you ridiculously try to use. "..and they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.." THEIR creator..not God, not Buddha, not Yahweh, but THEIR creator. This great nation founded on religious freedom realized that for all religious beliefs to peacefully exist in the same land no one religion should tell others what is right or wrong. The founding fathers realized that a set of laws that guaranteed the freedoms and rights of one had to be the rights and freedoms of all.
Throughout history small groups of religious zealots have used their narrow interpretation of their religious doctrine to justify such things as genocide, slavery, denying interracial marriage, denying minorities and women the right to vote, forcing women to wear burkas, suicide bombings and flying planes into buildings.

For people to write laws that CHANGE their state or even the U.S Constitution to try to define marriage as only a union between a man and a women must be because they realize that the law as it is already guarantees the rights of marriage to ALL because in our great nation "ALL men are created equal"

I think that Christians do not follow the literal instructions of the Bible, especially the words in Leviticus.
1. Don't wear clothes made of more than one fabric
2. Don't cut your hair or shave
3. Agree to be killed if you curse your mother or father
4. If you commit adultery, you must agree to be killed, along with your wife
5. Don't have sex with your wife if she's menstruating
6. Agree to stone psychics, wizards, and similar people to death
7. If you know of a priest's daughter who has sex outside of wedlock, you must help to burn her at the stake
8. You can't have a flat nose, be blind or lame
9. If you curse God, you agree to be stoned to death
10. You can't work on the Sabbath (and not just employed work; you cannot do anything except worship God--no washing your car on Sunday anymore!)
11. You can't make images of anything in heaven, or on the earth, or in the water
12. If you dream something that is against God, or if someone tries to turn you from God, you will agree to die
13. If anyone you know even suggests worshipping another God, you must immediately kill them
14. And of course the law mentioned on homosexuality

Daisy and Phoebe's mom and DArnold1112 should get a clue. The comparisions between women and or races are the same. The Bible has been interpereted by man to serve his purpose or support his views. The original Bible is not like the King James version nor does God condemn gay people anymore than does it say the races cannot inner marry or women being considered chattel or second class citizens. . The lifestyle is not chosen. Who in their right mind would want to betreated like second class citiizens? Get a clue read open your mind and come out of your bigoted space. Cheeze Louise............

I'm a 60 year old white conservative married with five kids. I am more concerned about crazy christians with nutty ideas from 2,000 years ago, then all the gays in California. The book your reading has too many errors and inconsistancies. You need to move your thought process into the 21st century and out of the 4th. Gays are people, and we all should be treated the same. Equal protection under the law.

To all of you zealots who insist marriage comes from the bible, what about all the married Muslims in the world?