Is there a secular reason to oppose gay marriage?

[middlegirl]

its doesnt actually say homosexuality is a sin anywhere specifically. i think it would make the country better, more people would have their spirits up and more hope (i think). its associated with the republican party because just about all of them are opposed to gay marriage.

[Beautifulstranger]

1. no there is no reason secularily for gay marriage to be banned
2. in the original bible there is NOOOO mention of anything against gay marriage... just something about man and woman marriage which the probably didnt realise would be taken to mean that gay people shouldnt marry
3. republicans are conservative and things so dont like anything that isnt like perfect american dream-like

[A Thoughtful Man]

I can't for the life of me think of a purely secular reason to oppose gay marriage.

For reasons of upholding public health by encouraging monogamy alone, one would think everyone should support it.

Well, it's true that the libertarian wing of the Republican Party wishes the question to be addressed by state legislatures.

But the social conservative, evangelical wing of the GOP really wants to control the behavior of others and to make sure we are following God's laws as *they* understand them.

Ron Paul would not oppose gay marriage, but Glenn Beck or Pat Robertson would.

[How_Would_I_Know]

Allowing people to demand extra rights and special treatment based on them making a "lifestyle" choice is wrong.

No choice you can make makes you deserve any more rights than everybody else.

[Country Wisdom]

It wouldn't have any effect on society. People are just afraid and ignorant.

[Nef]

Christian or atheist

Republican or Democrat

black or white

NO ONE has the right to tell gay people how to live their lives and who they should love or marry. Bottom line!

[Liebestraum]

You may want to read about Sodom and Gomorrah if you are finding a secular reason that opposes gay marriage... well not actually gay marriage per se, but really more on homosexuality.

[Steven]

There is no other reason esp a secular reason why gay marriage/ rights are opposed. It could be an "us" and "them" thing that the "thems" are the ones who are treated less. It could be a society thing that gay rights/marriage are repressed. I cannot think of any reason, good or otherwise, that one person or group can repress another group based on race, religion, nationality, sex/ gender orientation, etc.

There is no reason what so ever. Not even religion is a good reason.

[BibleChooser]

I was really amazed at the answers. Of course there are purely secular reasons.

The foremost is quite obvious: marriage benefits funded by taxpayers.

Society supplies several monetary benefits to married couples. These are *intended* to encourage the formation of the so-called nuclear family - which, of course, saves taxpayers from having to support and educate *everyone's* children. Married parents normally take on the huge majority of the financial burden of raising children.

Now, certainly not all married people raise children. However, *very nearly* all married couples end up raising children. Nearly all of benefits earmarked for married people end up supporting *private* child raising.

When you allow homosexuals to obtain these same benefits, suddenly a large portion of the benefits are going toward people for whom they were never intended, for purposes never intended. It is, in other words, a failure to properly distribute public funds. Society is (suddenly) paying more benefits and getting nothing in return.


There are, quite naturally, *several* additional reasons - but I have spent enough time on this question.

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com

[John M]

Bible never said homosexuality is sin. To understand sin, we must understand the whole principle of Sin. Thus, we must first understand the essence behind God’s Laws, the substance over form, because it is the breaking of God's commandments with the wrong intention, is the one leading to sins. God judges one's heart. Also, Sin and morality are separate issues. Sin is separation from God not necessarily always immorality, or not all immorality are sin.

God is Spirit and thus when we want to understand His commandments; we should interpret from a Divine perspective, from God’s perspective. God wants us to understand the reason for His laws (i.e. the spirit behind the words) and not to apply on face value only. Laws are made for lawless and disobedient people; righteous people are already guided by their good intentions. Any intentions motivated by selfishness (i.e. spirit of treachery) are a form of unfaithfulness - i.e. dishonoring one's promises to each other. A good test is: "would we accept it if we are the one being treated this way?"

The book of Joshua: Rahab the prostitute chose to tell a lie, so that “Jews” hiding on her roof would not be killed by the enemies. When the midwives were called into Pharaoh and questioned why they had not killed the Hebrew male children, they lied ….. but God blessed them both who were supposed to have sinned / being a liar. Many other examples are in Bible, even including “righteous murders”. The governing principle, that surpasses all others is GOD IS LOVE: “You shall love others as yourself. Love works no ill nor evil to anothers”. It settles any apparent conflict of principles. THEREFORE WHERE THERE'S LOVE, THERE IS FULFILMENT OF LAW. And Jesus even made it clearer during the last supper, He stated He has summed up the whole commandments in the Bible into just one commandment: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR LIKE YOURSELF.

God wants a faithful spirit, motivated by love for Him, to love others as we love ourselves. Because when we love God, we will naturally want to be faithful in all things. In all conflicting situations we face, we shd always ask ourselves if we are still bound by that motivation of love ?, or if we are doing it out of a hidden evil reason ?. The result of our decisions should be to "love & save" and our decision should not leave us feeling guilty.

In situations as such, I would pray for help from the Holy Spirit in Jesus name, for the ability to discern my situations and wait for advice from God which will prompt me inside my heart what to do. When I work with the Holy Spirit, He is so gentle and will not rush me into making any decision. And any decisions prompt by God will always leave a sense of fulfilment and peacefulness in me