I think if we take the ever popular religious view on marriage... two people who are over 55 should not be allowed to be married.. or those who cannot have children. If we want to stick to the good old rule that marriage is for people who want to continue on the species. I believe the catholic view is so outdated that it is totally pointless to have it as a religion.
I'm not against gay marriage, but seeing people generalize and misconceive Catholic beliefs (I was raised Catholic) for the purpose of debasing them and attacking them really bothers me. If you're going to assume their logic is wrong, at least know their logic.
The Catholic opposition to gay marraige is simply one based on the belief that homosexual acts are immoral of their own accord and therefore cannot be sanctioned by the approval a marraige gives to the sexual relationship between the two members (NOT agreeing with this, just stating the facts). Part of this does have to do with the Catholic belief that sexual acts should leave OPEN the POSSIBILITY of procreation (even if they're 55 or can't have kids), thus the disapproval of birth control and anal sex; people forget that sex act is considered a "perversion" and is thus disapproved of in any relationship (they're thorough; I'm not saying others to save space--see why I left?!). However, the opposition to homosexuality could be made independently of this, simply on the belief that Biblical teachng condemns homosexuality in and of itself. As much as I laugh at people pulling the "Book of Leviticus" bs on me (as I don't believe that's a basis for anything; but that's not the point here) it is stated there and elsewhere, and Catholics choose to base part of their teaching on it, as well as "church tradition" that states "marraige" is a spiritual union of one man and one woman (even people who can't have kids). So even if that reproduction bent wasn't in place Catholics would still oppose gay marriage. You're combining issues that are in fact seperate, but have some shred of commonality.
Anyways (I'm gonna qualify this again to avoid :crucified
I don't disapprove of gay marraige in any way, but don't distort people's beliefs. If you want to build an argument against Catholic teaching, that's just fine, but base it on Catholic teaching, not a generalized, misguided view of what you think it may be. Good advice for any situation attacking an argument really.
And on a last note, about the last sentance, you may be of that opinion, but it really comes off as ignorant, arrogant, and discriminatory. It's apparent that you don't really know the Catholic view, so why are you condemning an entire religion? And why should you? Say what you all will about Catholics trying to force beliefs onto the rest of the country, but that doesn't give anyone the right to condemn their entire religious intstitution simply because they differ on some beliefs "and we don't like it!" I don't agree with Catholic teaching on many things (I'm obviously having premarital sex and using birth control--and on a sexuality forum, which isn't condemnable, but it'd raise eyebrows since I "shouldn't" be having sex), but that statement was completely disrespectful of others' chosen way of life. Again, they might find your way of life condemnable and completely indefensible, but by saying that, you sound no more open minded nor tolerant than they do.
Anywho, as far as I stand, I agree with the gov't pulling out of "marraige" entirely and only dealing with the legal aspect, leaving religions free to recognize what they will as spiritual marraige.
And I'm not trying to get anyone mad here, so sorry if I did. Not a Catholic anymore, not opposed to gay marraige, not a fan of generalizing and condemning others on faulty grounds or spitefully mocking and hating on others' beliefs (joking is another issue; political correctness is for the birds :tongue: )
