“…the only thing I am curious of is if “Eyes of Green” realizes that her avatar says “I am greater then you”. Not sure if she’s trying to be original or had a major spelling error that makes it seem that way. Course, she could simply be totally narcissistic, and that would answer it all”

It’s actually something I found amusing…and yes, I do realize what it is, thanks! I don’t know how there could be a spelling error, it’s 2 letters and a ‘greater than’ sign. and I’m only totally narcissistic when I’m having a good hair day. :)

JK, I know my gay friends feel the same way about the word marriage, because any other word implies they are less than. But I think baby steps need to be taken because the opposition still feels so strongly about this. I think it’s the most important thing right now to make sure there are equal relationship rights among straight and gay couples first.

you know people who want to marry donkeys? that explains a lot.

grant…. do you just think being gay is “wrong”? or do you hate gay people?

The problem is that I don’t believe that any church (or any one church) should own the word “Marriage”. Personally, I don’t care if my husband and I are joined in “marriage” or a “civil union”, but there are people who care very much. And some of those people are gay.

I can see from even reading this one message board just how complex an issue it is. I absolutely thing homosexuals should have the same rights as I do under law. And I see that certain religious people think that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And I really think church and state should be separate, especially in situations like this. The church is free to keep marriage as between a man and a woman, but the state has a responsibility to provide the same rights to gay couples as straight couples.

I know what you are trying to say but now I’m confused. Religious marriage is an institution that wants to be recognized by the state as man and wife. It no longer can be recognized as that institution if marriage is defined as “between two consenting adults” aka lets pretend that’s now civil unions. It would be a marriage in the religious sphere and a civil union in the civil sphere–so it’s not being recognized by the state. It’s leading a double life. lol. Ok I will stop. You make it seem so simple.

I think it doesn’t hit home to people until they have a friend who is gay. My best friend took 2 years to come out to me becuase she was afraid of what I’d say and I’ve never been more ashamed of myself and the fact that my beliefs hurt someone else. I’d never vote to deny her the chance to be with the person she loves.

Now, the government’s job is to give all of us the same rights. The government’s job is to provide certain rights to two consenting adults who enter into a “marriage”. It is the job of the government to make sure no inequality exists between all unions between consenting adults. And I think for a lot of my gay friends, this also involves terminology. They want the same terminology as their straight counterparts, and they are absolutely right.

I guess the point is that I feel I only have a right to fight my government, not some other religion that I don’t even follow. I don’t want one Christian religion dictating my life in other areas, so I cannot dictate their life in this area that so many feel so strongly about.