Marriage

[Amnesiac]

Do you believe the government should regulate marriage? Or do you think that the government should offer civil or "legal" unions that have all the benefits of current marriage under law while leaving traditional marriage as a separate religious ceremony?

This way, the government wouldn't be "redefining" marriage by extending it to gays. Marriage is a religious ceremony, it's not the government's job to regulate it.

[Sith Lord 13]

Do you believe the government should regulate marriage? Or do you think that the government should offer civil or "legal" unions that have all the benefits of current marriage under law while leaving traditional marriage as a separate religious ceremony?

This way, the government wouldn't be "redefining" marriage by extending it to gays. Marriage is a religious ceremony, it's not the government's job to regulate it.

This has been my thought all along. Gays get equal rights without having to change the English language.

[Amnesiac]

This has been my thought all along. Gays get equal rights without having to change the English language.

I know, I got it from you :rolleyes:

[Sith Lord 13]

I know, I got it from you :rolleyes:

Good. Glad to see I'm making an impact. :)

[Amnesiac]

Good. Glad to see I'm making an impact. :)

Yep, I'm usually open to new ideas :P

[Korashk]

Option 3. Government gets out of marriage and marriage-like contracts in their entirety.

[Azunite]

Marriage in Turkey is not religious for example. There are special employees called " Nikah Memuru " meaning " Marriage Officer " smething like that and they get people married

[Korashk]

Marriage in Turkey is not religious for example. There are special employees called " Nikah Memuru " meaning " Marriage Officer " smething like that and they get people married
It's pretty much the same in America except there is really no specific job for sanctioning marriages. Priests are one of the many, many professions able to do it. However the religious aspect of marriage is merely ceremonial and legally meaningless.

[Sith Lord 13]

Option 3. Government gets out of marriage and marriage-like contracts in their entirety.

And how do you propose to deal with the issues lacking any form of union would cause?

[The Joker]

Third option. Make marriage illegal (but use the grandfather rule). I think it's a terrible idea to sign yourself into a lifetime contract...for anything. Especially considering all the things you have to give up if you break that contract, it's a terrible idea. Why do you need the government to recognize your relationship?

[Korashk]

And how do you propose to deal with the issues lacking any form of union would cause?
I don't exactly know what you're getting at, could you elaborate?

[Sith Lord 13]

I don't exactly know what you're getting at, could you elaborate?

Legal marriage is essentially a consolidation of forms such as health care proxy, next of kin rights, etc. To change many of these forms requires a legitimate reason, without a marriage you would lack that reason. Not to mention the endless amounts of extra paperwork generated by filling out each form individually.

[Korashk]

Legal marriage is essentially a consolidation of forms such as health care proxy, next of kin rights, etc. To change many of these forms requires a legitimate reason, without a marriage you would lack that reason. Not to mention the endless amounts of extra paperwork generated by filling out each form individually.
You've kind of answered your own question there. All of the non-financial benefits of marriage are available without the legal contract of marriage and the financial ones are unwarranted.

[Sith Lord 13]

You've kind of answered your own question there. All of the non-financial benefits of marriage are available without the legal contract of marriage and the financial ones are unwarranted.

And you didn't deal with the fact that many of those forms require a justification for the change.

[Korashk]

And you didn't deal with the fact that many of those forms require a justification for the change.
Like which and what kind of justification?

[Sith Lord 13]

Like which?

Change of name form.

[Korashk]

Change of name form.
The law differs from state to state, but from what I'm researching all you need is "sufficient reason" and "I want to and there is no reason not to allow it" is sufficient reason in a lot of them. Got any more?