actually if you read the constitution, the state was build entirely on Christianity

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah it's built on Christ but it doesn't mean that the laws have to be religious. Or else or would be a mailable offense to commit adultery

by Anonymous 12 years ago

"actually if you read the constitution, the state was build entirely on Christianity" To quote the Treaty of Tripoli, signed by John Adams (one of our founding fathers): "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion" I know the Constitution tosses around the word "God" a lot, but it doesn't mean the Christian God specifically-- it refers to a higher power that most people refer to as God.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

for the same reason, why does the government have a role in marriage at all?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Taxes and such. I really don't understand why same-sex marriage is even an issue still. Religious "morals" and the law are completely separate.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The idea of marriage is a larger entity endorsing your togetherness

by Anonymous 12 years ago

All laws are is a collection of people with the same views on a certain issue. Why do you think Murder is illegal? Why do people not blast that as being a strictly Christian value? Because most people share the view that murder is morally wrong. It's the same thing with gay marriage. If enough people feel that it's morally wrong, it will be prohibited.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Because marriage affects taxes and visiting room rights in the hospital and custody of children.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

True...I personally have mixed feelings on the issue. I'm just stating how laws work

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Just because church and state are separate doesn't mean they have to always be opposed.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well, do you have ONE *non religious* reason why gay marriage shouldn't be allowed?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Just because some people are against gay marriage doesn't mean it has to do with religion. Some people are just against it. There's really no reason other than "ew homo fags fuck dat" but just because there's no valid reason doesn't mean some people won't be against it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

"The state" isn't against gay marriage. The people voting are. It's not like we can ban religious people from voting, so yeah, people's religious views will effect their opinion, the way they vote, and thus the final outcome of the vote.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The BOR and the constitution was based off christan and catholic beliefs.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Um. No.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Obvious troll is obvious

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I love when churches get offended by gay marriage and say people are trying to force them to do something they don't believe in. They all seem to forget that the church doesn't marry anyone, the state does. The ritual takes place in the church, but it doesn't have to, it's purely done for tradition.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Just to point out, religion is not always the origin of moral beliefs. There are people who are against gay marriage and don't believe in god. By virtue of our democratic voting system, the policies of the government tend to reflect the views of the majority of its constituency, the reason their constituents have these views, however, is none of the governments business. Yes a lot of people vote based on their religious principles, but that does not violate the seperation of church and state, also because that idea refers more to direct influence by institutionalized religion on the government, not to religion on the lives of people.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It does in some cases because the only reasoning behind putting a religiously influenced law into effect is religious. Think of states attempting to teach theistic evolution in schools.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, but it's because the people who elect their government have those values based on religion, it isn't a religious institution directly imposing it's will on the government. It's a small but important distinction.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Too add to that, intelligent design is what some people honestly believe caused the world to be created, sure they may believe that because it is an idea that religion has instilled in them, however it's an idea that they have adopted as their belief. The point is that there is not a direct impact by religious institutions on the government, people will always be the middle man.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

True. But in cases where the only reasoning behind implementing a law is religious, that law shouldn't be implemented. Especially if it denies the rights of one group or another.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, but that's never the case because the church does not have direct influence on the state

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It does through its voters on issues where the only good reason for a law is religious, like anti-gay marriage laws.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Through its voters means that it is indirect

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But it's still a very large influence! Regardless if it's the voter's personal beliefs, any law that only makes sense through a religious viewpoint should not be made valid because of the separation of church and state.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It does not only make sense through a religious viewpoint though, some people believe it's just morally wrong and against nature. They put it on par with bestiality, not because they're religious, but just because that is what they believe. I don't disagree that most people who are against homosexuality are against it for religious reasons, but the separation of church and state does not mean people are not allowed to vote based on their religiously inspired beliefs. They still believe it, and a government reflects the beliefs of its people, no matter where those beliefs come from.

by Anonymous 12 years ago