hehehe see i called it back then :)

It's interesting to read what God says about the issue:

Romans 1:24-28  Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

I know, thank you SPARKS. I will continue to have hope that someday everyone can be seen as equal and live without prejudice in this country. I hope that someday people would just open their hearts and see that because someone may be different than you doesnt make them wrong. That someday those difference will be celebrated. I love the fact that we live in a country where people are so diverse, so colorful, I only wish people were more accepting of others differences.

The institution of marriage has been in a state of flux for centuries:

• It was only after the civil war that African-Americans were allowed to marry in all areas of the U.S.

• It was only after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1967 that mixed race couples could marry anywhere in the U.S.

• But, until recently, same-sex couples could not marry anywhere in the world.

Why must people butt into other peoples lives?  Live and Let Live. If 2 Consenting Adults would like to exchange Vows with one another, then so be it. Who the hell are they hurting by being married. I myself wouldnt get "married" because of the religous meaning around it, i would prefer a civil union that offers ALL the benefits of marriage. BUt who am I to say if someone wants a marriage because they happen to be gay and religous. Go to a Church that wont marry gay people if you feel so strongly about it, Im sure the Homosexual people wont want to go to your church anyways. So if they wont go to your churches then they wont get married in them either. I say just be worried about whats happening in your own home and stay out of others, they didnt invite you in.

Marriage is a religious institution, based in religious rite and tradition.  In every religion, there is a clear map of marriage.  One man, one woman.  In those same religions, homosexuality is condemned.  So, to combine the two, from a religious perspective, would be wrong.  Not applicable, like a fish out of water.

(As a side note, in one particular religion, marriage is specifically stated as between a man and a woman--and homosexuality is punished by immediate torture and beheading.  Not Christian--they say love the sinner but not the sin.  And of course it says to keep marriage between a man and a woman, too...  Why would anyone want to flaunt God's law?  I do not think it is the citizen who does this, but the ACLU and that sort of organization that wants to remove moral/religious foundations from our society entirely--and I believe that they are USING the population to promote their own hidden agendas, which do not have anything to do with marriage for all or even equal rights for anyone.  I find it very sad to know that these people are just being used, that their emotions are like pieces on a chess board to those that run these organizations.)

But I do not think that the "M" word is what we're talking about here.

It's about clear and equal rights under the LAW.  Right now, even here in California, the Civil Union, which is open to any couple, gay or straight, does not give you equal protection under the law.  I believe that this needs to be changed.  There needs to be equal opportunity for homosexual couples to collect the tax break, to seek and attain long-term medical care for their significant others, etc.  Our country was based on equal rights, and I do not think it is right to have unequal rights.  (I don't think that married couples should even get a tax break, or that more kids should bring a bigger refund--I believe in a flat tax.  That is fair and equal, too.)

I am a Christian, and believe that "Marriage" needs to be protected as it was intended.  (I also believe that those that speak so harshly against gay marriage because it is religiously wrong should be as protective of their own marriages!)  But as a Christian, I also do not believe that it is up to me to punish the sinner, and that I should follow the laws and traditions of my country, as is stated clearly in the Bible.  Marriage?  NO.  Civil Unions that provide equal protection under the law?  YES.

Right now, in our society, we have numerous situations that are leading people into the homosexual lifestyle.  Abuse of kids, sexual or emotional, leads to mistaken identities.  Abandonment of kids will do the same.  Abuse by clergymembers, trusted friends, or even strangers will lead to confusion and the natural tendencies to opt out of that sort of person that hurt them.  There is no genetic proof that it is inborn, but there is tremendous proof that it is cultural and "natural" in that way.  Our society demasculizes men, and they are being made inconsequential in American society.  They are the brunt of the jokes in sitcoms, and the abusers in movies.  The women are the stable characters, and they often save the day to the surprise of the bumbling man at their side.  An effeminite man is unacceptable in our society--yet they are as "man" as anyone else... we just sequester them off into a "gay" category, instead of accepting that this "man" doesn't like getting his hands dirty...  But if a woman wants to work under the hood of her car instead of cooking in the kitchen, she is strong and sexy.  If this society would accept that a man is sexy and interesting when he is sensitive and introspective, we would have fewer gay men.  (This has been a topic of many stories in the homosexual blogs and mags, and is readily agreed-upon, at least in University life and my immediate circle of friends...)  I know, I know, there are propogandists that are spewing the so called, "genetic link", but it's not there.  Really.

Until we can fix our society, we are going to have lots of people acting out and retracting from our said society.  They find solice and acceptance in their retraction, and then they find the acceptance they were seeking in their previous lives.  If this person finds safety within a relationship with a same-sex partner (and vice versa), and they have a long-term commitment, and are really "there" for each other (as much as a married couple), then who are we to punish them by disallowing them to be legal partners in legal, medical, traditional and other ways?  Not "marriage" for that was not designed for this situation... but a legal civil union that protects everyone.  And if you're still stuck on the unproven "genetic link" , let's just agree to disagree on the root cause, but we have the same ultimate protection in mind.

I know that someone is going to say that I am crazy, and that adoption will be next...  Well, before you come down on me, I have tried to adopt a child, and it is harder than you think.  I would hope that similar "matching" would be in effect no matter who was doing the adopting.  I am a white married woman with a deaf child.  I also have a deaf nephew and we all sign and are totally familiar with the deaf culture.  There was a little 5 year old black boy who was also deaf who was up for adoption and was being featured on the local news station in LA.  He was adorable!  Such spirit!  A terrific sense of humor (which wouldn't have been enjoyed if you didn't know sign... he was playing in the background as they were talking).  Well, of course I called and was interviewed.  They were very excited, until they asked me what race I was.  I asked, "what does that matter?" and their response was, "Well, if you're not African American, we cannot allow him to come to your home."  I was stunned!  Their reasoning?  I could not offer the cultural background that he would need.  They told me that I was disqualified, and to try back when they featured a white child.  My point?  If the adoption agencies didn't think I could offer a suitable cultural home to a deaf child who happened to be black, then it will be very difficult for anyone living a "different" lifestyle to qualify.  Of course, private adoptions happen every day to both hetero and homo sexual couples. 
Of course, my deep down belief is that the little boy who we tried to adopt would have been better off with us instead of going from foster home to foster home (all or most of which couldn't even communicate with him).  And I believe that there are lots of kids that are better off with a gay couple than with foster home rotation, too.  Who can say that Jameson is better than a gay couple's loving adoption?  

I agree with the previous poster who said that the gay issue is undermined by it's own parades and demonstrations.  It isn't about who you want to sleep with.  It's about being upstanding, honest, respectful and respectable citizens.  Wearing a g-string and marching down the street whipping your boyfriend (while kids are watching) is not respectful, respectable, upstanding behavior.  

Great steps are made when made in humility and honesty.  Pushing only gets you resented and ignored.

So, how far should we go?, should we allow people to marry 2,3,4,5 wives or husbands?, should we allow people to marry Dogs, horses, etc?, you probably think I'm being ridiculous, but both of these are being done in many places. why not here?,  does not the family unit mean anything anymore?,  and answer the first question, should gay couples get the same tax breaks as straight couples?  every state in our country shoots down any attempt to legalize gay marriage, even liberal California,,,, gay couples do not help their cause by those looney gay pride parades they have, they are an embarrasment,,,,,,,keep your sexuality private, it is nobodys bussiness,

HEY !!!!!!!!  I THANK SAME SEXS IS GREAT , I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME SEX WITH MY WIFE FORE 34YRS!!!!!!!!!!

Should Gay couples have the same tax benefits as traditional couples?, these tax breaks are there because married couples have children and need a tax break. Traditional marriage between a man and a woman has been in exsistance for thousands of years,,,,,,,,, have we had it wrong all this time????