Re: gays not welcomed
 

But often it doesn't mean the same thing. The rights, obligations, and benefits are not equal to that of a marriage

I was married in a registry office. Do you consider that a marriage?

Re: gays not welcomed
 

Yes it is frowned upon and that in my view is idiotic

And if one wants to be celibate within marriage I can accept that sometimes that happens

Mahatma Ghandi and his wife swore of sex. In the fifties in India this was confirmed to me by some of their acquaintances. I found it odd back then and still do, but that was the life they chose.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

I can not be sure but from a legal point of view I think they are equal. Maybe someone can confirm or refute?

I consider a registry office union to be a marriage as long as it is not a same sex relationship

One does not need to be married in a church or synagogue or temple, etc, to be considered married. A civil ceremony is fine.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

What's marriage necessarily got to do with religion or necessity to have children?

Re: gays not welcomed
 

I see a contract that deals with the ownership and distribution of assets and a public personal commitment to make a life together. To me, it doesn't matter what it is called. That said, I can understand that if someone is only allowed to have a civil union, whereas others can have a proper marriage, and the only difference is sexual orientation, then it becomes discrimination.

Alan2005 had a good idea regarding this. He said that civil union should be the only legal relationship. Gay, straight, or whatever, this was the relationship that is recognized by law. Couples would then be free to have whatever religious union they desire but the extra religious ceremony would have no legal significance.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

nothing in my view but religious views are the main argument against same sex marriages

Re: gays not welcomed
 

so why can't gays get married, what is your reasoning?

Re: gays not welcomed
 

It depends on which country or jurisdiction. In the USA there are several states that do not allow same sex marriages but allow civil unions but the partners rights are not the same.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

FFS. Because the basic ingredients of a marriage is one man and one woman. It's a bit like substituting the flour in a cake with another egg and claiming you have a cake. You don't. What you have is an omlette. :rolleyes:

Re: gays not welcomed
 

Definitions change paulry, I know it's harder for you old guys to accept, but things move on. in the late 60's in many states in the US marriage was not permitted between black people and white ones - things changed.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

I think paulry put it rather crudely, but nonetheless eloquently

the premise is a basic one: that marriage is between a man and a woman

this has been so for generations worldwide, regardless of culture, race, religions and geographic region etc.

It's only lately that same sex unions wished to be labeled 'marriage' and i think in time, maybe once i am gone from this earth, that matters will revert to traditional values

Re: gays not welcomed
 

but you are comparing apples and oranges

interracial marriage was frowned upon, even verboten, in the fifties and prior

the issue then was that whites married blacks, which was idiotic discrimination, but nevertheless marriage was still between a man and a woman

Yes, definitions change but they are not cast in stone

Re: gays not welcomed
 

so it boils down to the fact it matters not to you what it is called but to me it does

there is no answer really, no right way or wrong way, just personal opinion

Re: gays not welcomed
 

In those States marriage was only between a white man and a white woman (or black & black) and if you had asked many of the locals they would have said it was sacrilege for interracial marriages to be permitted as marriage is between white and white. I don't see that it is much different than people now saying marriage is only between male and female.

It's interesting how you see the old US as "idiotic discrimination" - other might say the same now about the lack of same-sex marriage.

Re: gays not welcomed
 

You are seeing it from a racial viewpoint and I see it from a gender (sexual) point of view but i can appreciate the point you make in the second paragraph even though I disagree on it