Gay marriage is a hot topic. Although some states have legalized gay marriage and more are on the right track, the issue is still one of contention among churches and state governments. The question of gay marriage is not its own issue, and the fact that this question is finally being addressed now brings up questions about the relevancy of any type of marriage in modern society.
There is credible reason to acknowledge the legal relevancy of marriage. Many southern states make it difficult for couples to share residence or bank accounts without being married. Other states provide tax breaks or other financial benefits to married couples. Marriage also makes it easier to apply for many types of insurance.
With more and more people moving away from the traditional constructs of religion and getting married for financial reasons, many members of conservative religions argue that the sanctity of marriage is being compromised. To be honest, the sanctity of traditional marriage was screwed the second the government intervened and made it a financial and tax issue. Do you really feel comfortable having the government officiate what is supposed to be a personal and spiritual affair?
If two people want to promise to live together for financial gain, whether male with male, female with male, or female with female, it shouldn’t even be an issue addressed by the church or its values. It should be handled by the government. In any other area — economic, government, or military — the government doesn’t discriminate by gender. Why should it discriminate by gender on the topic of marriage?
In today’s society, with all the anti-discriminatory legislation to protect people of different gender from having an advantage, the church’s idea of what marriage should be is no longer relevant. I assert that the church should have the ability to marry or not marry whomever they wish; however, the values of one people group should not be allowed to sway the proceedings of a government who doesn’t discriminate in literally any other institution.
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