You know, it is amazing to me how many people end up getting so upset with an issue when it shouldn't have been an issue in the first place. At least not one the goverment should have put their hands into.
It seems that every time government tries to legislate morality we run into problems and divisions, as a country. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for morality, and wish that everyone would live highly moral lives. I'm also of the personal belief that the heterosexual, monogomous, chaste-before-marriage lifestyle is the way to go. However, when legislators and goverment try to tell the people what is and isn't moral when it comes to things that don't directly affect others, then things start to get crazy.
The recent upheaval over Gay Marriage is the obvious example. How come we let people live together (whether heterosexual or homosexual) but when they want to "marry" as homosexuals we say no? Why do people get automatic benefits as a spouse at all under government rules? Another example that comes to mind is Polygamy. Why is it illegal to marry 10 women, but not to sleep with 10 outside of marriage? How about prostitution? Why is it that a person can engage in as many sexual relationships as they want so long as they are not paying for them directly? Is that to say that somehow the exchange of money is more powerful or important than the exchange of feelings? Whether by money or by pleasure, everyone gets paid something for consentual relationships.
No, the answer is not to dictate morality through legislation, but rather to leave it to churches, families, and individuals. I have come to the conclusion that the answer is not to recognize marriage legally at all. Marriage is a religious rite, not a legal partnership. A legal partnership may be drawn up by two or more individuals, and will be binding in a court of law. So if someone wants to get married they can do so, in their own religious way. At any time before or after their religious ceremony of choice (which no government should need to sanction nor collect a fee to allow), they can enter into a legal partnership which states whatever divisions of property, conditions, requirements, benefits, or obligations that the partners wish to create. That way government stays out of legislating morality, and sticks to enforcing contracts, which is exactly what it is supposed to do for citizens.
