Homosexual Marriage In A Church

[Origami]

This was an interesting conversation spawned in chat and I felt it would be interesting to bring more opinions in on the matter.

Do you believe homosexual couples should have a legal right to marriage within a church?

@Before someone tries to derail this topic; This is not a debate on the LGBTQ community having the right to be legally married. For the sake of this debate, let's assume their is already a law, nationwide, in effect allowing them to be married.

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Personally, I do not believe that a homosexual couple should have the legal right to be married in a church. I believe a pastor has all right to deny them use of the church as well as refuse to marry them. Why? First of all, there is a thing called Separation of Church and State. White the Church should not have the right to decide who can be legally married, it should have the right to deny them marriage on it's grounds. The government should not have the right to force this upon the church. The majority of Christians, Christian institutions, and religious leaders are against homosexual marriage. Forcing the church to open it's doors to a homosexual wedding would be blatantly disrespecting every Christian who attended the church as well as the pastor residing over it. If a pastor, or his congregation, feel compelled to allow the couple to use their venue, then by all means. But again, I don't believe they should have the legal right to do so.

[Stronk Serb]

Yes it should be up to the church. If it is legally forced onto churches, there is a possibility that angered Christians would attack homosexuals getting married in the church and possibly attack homosexuals outside of church.

[Horizon]

I think the Church should have the right to say no.

As in the point you have made, there is supposed to be a separation of church and state. Forcing church's to allow homosexuals to marry would be unconstitutional. Again, like you said, it would be disrespecting each and every member, and the pastor. That is not okay, not one bit.

But I feel like the pastor should have the right to choose yes or no. If they choose to, then yes homosexuals should be able to use the church for their marriage. If they say no, there should not be a word spoken of it. The church has every right to say no, and no one should force the church to do something it's against.

[Fanta_Lover44]

It is wrong to force places like church's to have them, I think it should be up to the church as it could turn Christians into nasty people...

[britishboy]

im pro gay marriage but it would offend the church if it was forcesd opon them

[Human]

I think the church should be allowed (even though i disagree with religion disliking homosexuality) to say no.

[Jess]

The church has the right to say no if it does not want to.

[comical]

Since majority of Christians are against LGBT marriage, and we're supposedly supposed to be, why would a homosexual person actually want to be wed in a Christian church?

[Elysium]

I agree that a church should be able to say no. Forcing beliefs upon anyone is not a good way to make progress.

[Rayquaza]

If atheists are allowed to be married in churches, why shouldn't LGBT people be allowed to?

[Jess]

Since majority of Christians are against LGBT marriage, and we're supposedly supposed to be, why would a homosexual person actually want to be wed in a Christian church?

That's a good point; but maybe the person is a Christian - it's possible.

[Origami]

If atheists are allowed to be married in churches, why shouldn't LGBT people be allowed to?

There will be churches that allow LGBT marriage. Bottom line. However, I foresee couples trying to force churches, through legal means, to open their venue to them under cause of discrimination. Not because they're LGBT, but because humans have an insatiable need to be "entitled" to things. Why should they be allowed to have legal support in this? Separation of Church and State should prohibit this. On top of that, the Church is a private institution, why should they have to allow anyone to use their venue? And not all churches allow Atheist ceremonies. A church I attended back in the day only did ceremonies if one of the two were an active member of the congregation, in fact.

[Rayquaza]

There will be churches that allow LGBT marriage.

That's all I personally care about then. As long as some do, it's much better than no churches at all.

[Twilly F. Sniper]

The church has the right to make that choice.

[Cygnus]

It all depends on the church, they can say yes or no.

[TheDeepestDepths]

I'm sort of two minds about this.

On one hand I believe that of course the Church and State should be separate in that I believe religion is a personal choice and so religion has no place in the government or constitution. I also believe that prejudiced but religious views should not be given a free pass by the government and should be treated no different to prejudiced views with no religious basis. Homophobia is a prejudiced and religious view and this homophobia is what is preventing gay couples getting married in a church. Personally I find it no different than preventing a black couple getting married in a church.

But on the other hand I also believe that there should not be laws against something which is quite a big part of a religion. And that there should always be choice.

Thus, I am confused. But honestly I just wish the churches would realise that just because someone is gay it doesn't mean they are not a devout believer and worshiper and should be treated as such.

[Cicero]

It's the churches right to say no, if you force a church to marry lgbt couples, then you're taking away the churches rights.

[tovaris]

Whel if the religiin of that church alowes theat... Why not?

[kenoloor]

can a church refuse to have a heterosexual couple married on its grounds?

[Origami]

can a church refuse to have a heterosexual couple married on its grounds?

I see what you did there.

[workingatperfect]

I think it should be entirely up to the church whether they want to marry LGBT couples or not. If their religion is against it, it would be wrong to force them to marry them.