Should Same Sex Marriages Be Legalized

The question of whether gay marriages should be legalized has been increasingly asked over the last few years. I strongly believe that they should be. A move like this would allow for greater equality in many aspects of life for homosexuals, and would also remove the negative stigma that looms around same sex couples. Banning same sex marriages is discrimination, and in a world that is striving for equality it is a huge step backward. Homosexuals should be allowed to marry the person whom they love, just as heterosexuals do. I will first give reasons why homosexuality is not immoral or wrong, and then address why same sex marriages should be legalized. The key reason why these negative beliefs towards homosexuality are so prominent in our culture is because of the great influence of the Bible. Some may say that the Bible has no effect on the lives of those who do not actively participate in Judaism or Christianity, but they are wrong. One look at our central laws will tell you that. Most of our laws today still have remnants of the Ten Commandments in them. Killing, stealing, and adultery have specific commandments condemning their practice. In addition, Sunday being a day of rest used to be prominent in out society.

Once people finally accept the fact that homosexuals do exist, they are people, and they do have rights, then equality can happen. Staying together forever is not a necessary condition for marriage, so I don"tmt see why procreation or lack thereof (which there are not even any explicit marriage vows for) should be a critical issue in marriages. Marriage has become so interwoven with procreation that it often seems that one must always go with the other. This is important for rituals such as funeral ceremonies, the passing on of land and business, and other lineal family traditions. This is where the children are going to be harmed most. It could be that if we had founded our societies on a different book all those years ago, we may have completely different views on all of these actions. In this case, equality is all that is being sought. However, who is to say that homosexuality is immoral If immoral means unnatural, then we can end the argument now because many breeds of animals, especially primates, engage in homosexual activities. To say that the Bible has no bearing on our beliefs is ignorance. Post menopausal women, men with erectile dysfunctions, and people who are physically unable to have intimate relations still get married, and society does not consider their marriages wrong, unnatural, or immoral. This view is especially prevalent in modernized countries such as Canada, most of Europe and many Asian nations. The reason that many gay and lesbian couples want to get married is not just to challenge the status quo (even though there are those with that motive), many want to enjoy the same benefits as married heterosexual couples do. The problem here is that people"tms attitudes need to change, not homosexuals. The primary quality of parenting, they assert, is the loving and nurturing relationship between parent and child. In our ever-progressing culture and society, this rebuttal must be overlooked.