Quote:
Originally Posted by DC_DEEP  I'm obviously for equal marriage rights for all adults, or for none. The church is free to do whatever it wants, but when the government gets involved, it is legally bound to make the same laws apply to ALL citizens, not just the chosen few. |
Chosen few? Straight couples who decide to marry are a minority now?
I understand your point, but it is an odd choice of words.
Quote:
|
So, if the government wants to get out of the marriage business altogether (and repeal all laws that refer, even tangentially, to marriage) that would be best, and leave it to the church to administer marriages.
|
That might be a good idea!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DC_DEEP Honestly, you haven't read the thread, have you? 
My desire has nothing at all to do with the social/societal aspects of marriage, and everything to do with the legal/financial aspects... |
In France there is no gay 'marriage' - since 1998 there has been a contract (PACS
Pacte civil de solidarité - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) allowing any couple, regardless of sex and orientation, to make a civil and financial union - covering pensions, tax allowances, inheritence and similar. Plantonic couples also use it. It is slightly less child oriented than the 'acte de marriage' but since its introduction that has slowly improved. It appears more couples of all types are choosing PACS ahead of marriage.
I freely admit I have had my reservations about gay marriage over the years - but I've never found a reasonable argument against it. Not one that isn't based on some kind of prejudice about gay people being unfit parents or some such bollox. So I put my reservations down to social conditioning and ignore them. Equality is equality - you can't start adding clauses, it doesn't work like that.