Gay Marriage Should Be Legal

The Bible states that marriage is between a man and a woman: Genesis 2:24:Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Proverbs 5:18-19 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer-- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD Deuteronomy 24:5 If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. And of course: Matthew 19:4-6 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." The instigator claims: The Bible does not say homosexuality is wrong. 1.> It does, but I'll save that for last. 2.> The Bible does say that adultery is wrong and if two people are not married, but living together in a romantic relationship, they are adulterers. In that sense, homosexuality is NOT unique. It's not a sin by itself. It's not even bigger than any other sin. It is however a sin, simply by being an adulterous relationship. Now, the proof that homosexuality is mentioned specifically in the Bible: 1.>Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 2.> Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 3.>Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet In addition: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators [Gk: paramours], nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [Gk: catamites], nor abusers of themselves with mankind [Gk: sodomites] nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (I Cor. 6:9-10). ----------------- The next point: Marriage is NOT a union between two people who love each other. Marriage is the outward symbol for the Christian, of what Christ is to the Church. The Government created a legal union between two people on the basis of love and called it marriage. That's not marriage. That's a re-defining of the word. That...is civil union. Marriage is rite of faith. The same way Baptism is a rite of faith, the same way communion is a rite of faith. If the goverment started passing out crackers and grape juice, it would have zero religious value and is hence NOT associated with the church. I don't care if people get joined under other faiths...well, that's not true. I do care, but that's not the point. The point is, if a Muslim cleric joins two men in marriage, THE CHURCH OF CHRIST WILL NOT RECOGNIZE IT. It is just as broken and false to the eyes of God, as gay marriage under state law. ------------------- Pro is arguing that not everyone is Christian. That is true. Does Pro realize that a Baptist Church will not marry a Muslim couple? Nor will a Muslim cleric marry two atheists. The problem is, the Government will join anyone and call it marriage. In fact, the option to swear on the Bible exists, if you desire to include it in your union by the justice of the peace. What does the Bible have to do with a Governement who is honorbound to seperate God from it's law? Nothing! The argument is NOT about two people loving each other. I don't argue that two men and two women cannot be in love. That would be rediculous. My argument is, a union between two men and two women does not meet the criteria for marriage. If the gay community wants the same rights and benefits as heterosexual couples, then they can have that through civil union. They get a tax break, they claim their partner as a dependant, property rights get extended to btoh parties etc. No problem at all. In fact, I believe, if you're taking care of someone else, you ought to be able to claim them as a dependant. (Doesn't matter if it's your lover or terminally ill grandfather). Civil union will grant ANYONE, (not just gays) access to that right. However, the Christian Church is the defining authority on marriage. Hence, gays should not be allowed to get married, the same way that atheists should not have a wedding in a Muslim temple.