Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Solution

Proposition Eight, overturning the California Supreme Court's decision mandating that marriage licenses be granted to same-sex couples, has caused plenty of hoopla (love that word). I recently saw a photo of protesters carrying a large sign that said, "Can I vote on your marriage, now?"

I loved it!

Marriage began as a religious sacrament--mutual promises exchanged before God. Eventually the government got involved. Since early governments were religious in nature, this probably had little or no effect for quite a while.

But now marriage is two things. Marriage is a contract--mutual promises that may be enforced by civil law, consumated by signing a state's marriage license (legal marriage). Marriage is also a religious sacrament (religious marriage), consumated by someone of religious authority saying, "I now pronounce you . . ."

I am in favor of the change on the protesters' sign, "Can I vote on your marriage, now?" Yes! Vote.

Vote to invalidate every legal marriage. Government would then only control civil unions--the ability to legally contract--a contract that any humans could make. Multiple spouses? Sure! Have at it. Sorry you can't marry your horse. Horses cannot make contracts.

Government would, in no way, discriminate between various parties to civil unions. However, the insurance company should have the freedom to discriminate, and not insure my sixty husbands and seventy wives at no extra charge--people who own insurance companies should have freedom, too.

What about my religious marriage? Today's governments should not regulate the religious sacrament. After the state's recognition of marriage is gone, the spiritual aspect of my marriage, which I consider my real marriage, will be untouched.

1 comment:

rasa said...

After the state's recognition of marriage is gone, the spiritual aspect of my marriage, which I consider my real marriage, will be untouched.

I've been struggling with the right way to say this, but: I have a lot of respect for you, John, and this post increases it tenfold.