Should atheists be banned from marriage?

[bernee51]

Opponents of gay marriage are largely motivated by their firm belief that such unions are displeasing to God and that only divinely-approved marriages should be permitted.

How long will it be, however, before they start fighting for other kinds of limits on civil marriages based upon their beliefs about what their god wants?

Should atheists be allowed to marry?

[A 3rd Gentleman]

The real problems are sexual licentiousness and sexual hedonism and the destruction of the family wrought by sexually perverse people.

Families are individual social structures designed to provide support and guidance to those who are of biological/romantic relation. In what way would homosexual marriage destruct or change the definition of 'the family'. Also, so you don't strawman again, how would this change destruction be a negative thing?

I'm thinking that the Anti-Christ may very well be raised by same-sex "parents." What will flow through the mind of a person that loathes Christians as a condition of an upbringing challenged every moment of every day as "not normal?"

How about the mental health of the developing human brain inside all of those children? Hasn't the failure of dysfunctional families and the foster placement industry been proven over and over?

At my school, located just outside of the Toronto homosexual culture centre, I have met many children brought up by homosexual parents from birth. These people were generally all highly tolerant of people from all faiths and cultural backgrounds, not socially inept or ostracized, mentally stable and academically proficient. Understandably, most of them harboured resentment for the christian/religious ridicule and hatred that affected the people that cared for them, but certainly no more than any self-respecting non-theist from a heterosexual family.

I would also like to add that without the homosexual population adopting these children, a good number of them would be dead or working slave labour on shit farms in Cambodia.

Barring atheists from marrying each other is not sought by Christians if the atheists are a biological couple designed to have children. That would of course mean a man and a woman.

I hate ask this, but could you please read/respond to my post on page 1 which addresses this specific point.

[The Persnickety Platypus]

There is desperation in your rebuttals.

Far from true. I am pretty confident in my beliefs.

This assertion is wrong. Christian churches most certainly have movments against divorce within and without the church. Divorce was made absolutley easy by the law. Christians obey the law. You will see this when homosexuals rudely impose their ways on good Churhces. No decent Bible believing Chuch that I know of celebrates divorce as a human right and promotes the membership to embrace it.

We are beginning to re-hash the same points.

I ask yet again, are Christians seeking to make divorce illegal?

No.

So why are they trying to get homosexual unions banned? Is one worse than the other? God speaks against both divorce and homosexuality, does he not?

Homosexuals are invading marriage and have no right to do so. Jesus and the consistent history of human civilization agree that marriage is for family and family is man-woman-children.

Discrimination. Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit; partiality or prejudice.

By refusing to grant same-sex couples the same rights under law, we are discriminating. Niether God nor the constitution approves of such treatment. Pretty simple the way I see it. I do not think this issue is as black and white as you contend.

I would not necissarily wish to legalize homosexual marriage. But to shun them from the right to a civil union (thereby granting them the same civil rights given to married couples) is flat out segregation.

Everyone should be welcomed into the Church. Unless, they want to teach false doctrine. Or, unless they do not want to repent.

Would you bar a homosexual from attending church? If so, I assume you would also deny entry to a divorced person. And an adulterer. And a lier. And a Stealer.

Pretty soon your church membership will consist of one person. And if you are not too hypocritical to admit your own faults, you might have to disfellowship yourself, being that you are a sinner like all the rest.

What difference does it make if the person refuses to repent? Jesus taught people of the like anyway. He housed tax collecters and prostitutes. Some of the sinners he taught repented. Others did not.

Some people do not see homosexuality as a sin, and therefore see no need to repent. You and I would consider them wrong, but can we objectively interpret the Bible for everyone else?

What is to say that James 2:9 is only in reference to to church attendance anyway? God is said to love us all equally. Seems to me that he would not wish us to discriminate in ANY circumstances. I believe the Bible supports this.

One quote does not a doctrine make.

As opposed to none? Show me where God commands us to to love certain people more than others. Show me where discrimination is allowed.

We are to attempt to correct our enemies un-Godly ways of course, but do we have any right to forcibly conform them?

OK. Far be it from me to embrace inconsistency. Will you stop them from having children too?

Does the Bible assert that the act of concieving is exclusive to believers?

This comparison does not work.

[AlAyeti]

I ask yet again, are Christians seeking to make divorce illegal?

No.

So why are they trying to get homosexual unions banned? Is one worse than the other? God speaks against both divorce and homosexuality, does he not?

Wrong, divorce was illegal for a long time and very stigmatized. Ever seen the movie Peyton Place? Christian morality and common sense was defeated by sexually licentious people.

You do realize that no one can bar what is already not allowable? Homosexuals are demanding to change laws. Just like those that made divorce go "No Fault." Very unBiblical and anti-Christian in most cases.

By refusing to grant same-sex couples the same rights under law, we are discriminating. Niether God nor the constitution approves of such treatment. Pretty simple the way I see it. I do not think this issue is as black and white as you contend.

It is to God's word. Jesus made it clear why a man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife. Immutable concept of marriage and family. The Constitution was written by men that would never had dreamed that child porno and same-sex marriage would fin their champion in them.

The words of the constitution are black and white.

I would not necissarily wish to legalize homosexual marriage. But to shun them from the right to a civil union (thereby granting them the same civil rights given to married couples) is flat out segregation.

OK. But they don't want civil union they are demanding that marriage fall to their agenda. We already have a society that holds no idea of morality. Same-sex marriage is the nail in the coffin of chaos taking over. Already our young people are suffering like never before in the history of the world.

Would you bar a homosexual from attending church? If so, I assume you would also deny entry to a divorced person. And an adulterer. And a lier. And a Stealer.

I bar no one from my Church unless they want to attack and subjugate those of us in the church by living an unrepentant lifestyle and demanding that we celebrate their diversity. I qualify in all categories except same-sex relationships. What does the Bible say of our sins when we repent?

They are as far as the east is from the west. Once I repent (honestly) I am white as snow to out Lord. I cannot deny that to anyone and I will not.

You are completely wrong on the following . . .

Pretty soon your church membership will consist of one person. And if you are not too hypocritical to admit your own faults, you might have to disfellowship yourself, being that you are a sinner like all the rest.

What difference does it make if the person refuses to repent? Jesus taught people of the like anyway. He housed tax collecters and prostitutes. Some of the sinners he taught repented. Others did not.

Repentant sinners fill every seat in every church. And those that will not repent will not stay in the long run. But repentance and forgiveness and fellowship are not denied anyone.

Jesus was extremely forceful on those that would not repent or even listen to the Gospel message.

Even if a man comes back from the dead, they will not listen.

It will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah on judgment day than for the cities that refused to hear the Gospel.

Which by the way, gives us an indication that those that live a hedonistic and licentious lifestyle (haughtiness) in Sodom or Gomorrah would have come to repentance if they would have heard the Gospel. Makes you wonder what and who is keeping sexual deviants in the dark. It certainly isn't Bible-believing Christians.

Some people do not see homosexuality as a sin, and therefore see no need to repent. You and I would consider them wrong, but can we objectively interpret the Bible for everyone else?

That relativism is satanic. Plain and simple. The Bible is only one religious point of view, but it is clear about homosexuality and what a marriage and the family is. Done deal. We can only interpret the Bible accurately. By the way, what difference is being born homosexual or being born with "original sin?"

Repentance is the key.

Obviously King David gives us an indication. Let's say for the sake of argument that he and Jonathan had a "very close" relationship. David still married (women) and accurately defined a family.

What is to say that James 2:9 is only in reference to to church attendance anyway? God is said to love us all equally. Seems to me that he would not wish us to discriminate in ANY circumstances. I believe the Bible supports this.

I know that I do not favor anyone over another. I preach repentance to all. Not regarding anything about as better or special.

As opposed to none? Show me where God commands us to to love certain people more than others. Show me where discrimination is allowed.

We are to attempt to correct our enemies un-Godly ways of course, but do we have any right to forcibly conform them?

Again, repentance is a free gift as is salvation. But, discrimination in the Bible is from cover to cover. The followers of God are called the Ecclesia: The Called Out Ones! Sorry man, that is pretty discriminatory.

Did I come to bring you peace? No. But to separate . . ." That is the definition of discrimination. Oh, and segregation.

You cannot correct anyone that will not admit their wrongdoing. Christians also were indeed "born" to sin. But the cure for the disease is sought unceasingly, as it is easy to catch again.

Does the Bible assert that the act of concieving is exclusive to believers?

Nope. Only to heterosexuals. As is marriage. And you don't even need a Bible for that proof.
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[lynxichan]

It is that children are the products of male/female sexual unions and that is an immutable fact. Is that a bigoted opinion or 100% biological fact?

It is also a 100% biological fact that an individual who is infertile is incapable of producing children. Does that mean that infertile people shouldnt marry? What about people who are too old to have children?

How about the mental health of the developing human brain inside all of those children? Hasn't the failure of dysfunctional families and the foster placement industry been proven over and over?

All the more reason to give gay couples adoption rights. The more loving, caring homes for orphans, the better, ne? You seem to automatically write gay couples off as being too unstable to start a family. Prejudice? Tsk, tsk.

I'm thinking that the Anti-Christ may very well be raised by same-sex "parents."

Im kind of anti-Christ, and very Democratic, and was raised by a conservative, republican, Christian family. Its because I happen to like thinking for myself, which is more than I can say for some people I know.

Normal parents and families are not the intolerant ones.

By "normal" I'm assuming you mean man-woman-child1-child2-esque families. And yes, sometimes, they are intolerant. But if they were tolerant of the rights of homosexuals, then we wouldnt be having this discussion.

Pretty simple logic and certainly not a bigoted view.

No. Very illogical and bigoted view.
"bigoted
adj : blindly and obstinately attached to some creed [as you are to Christianity] or opinion and intolerant toward others[as you are to homosexuals]"

Homosexuals are invading marriage and have no right to do so.

Marriages, even gay marriages, have been going on for thousands of years in non-Christian/Jewish/Muslim societies. God did not define marriage, and the Church has no right to do so.

You need to see the truth.

You need to be a little more tolerant.

Again, I don't treat homosexuals any differently than I do liberals or sexual hedonists or pedophiles.

Of course not. Excluding liberals, you somehow see to think they are all the same.

Augustus (the Son of Deity) tried in vain to stop the madness he knew would eventually kill the Roman Empire.

So, now gays are responsible for the falling of the Roman Empire? Thats a new one.

When they accept Christ, their family would be intact. Just what Jesus would want.

What if they never accept Christ? I know I wont. Never have, never will.

You do realize that no one can bar what is already not allowable? Homosexuals are demanding to change laws. Just like those that made divorce go "No Fault." Very unBiblical and anti-Christian in most cases.

They are fighting for their rights. If no one did that, women, black people, atheists, etc. would still be discriminated against, and sometimes attacked for no good reason by people who hate them just because they need someone to hate.

Besides, Christians were the ones who denied homosexuals the right to get married in the first place. So you cant say anything about them protesting and making their problems public and messing up your view of a perfect world, because you were the ones who started it.

It is to God's word. Jesus made it clear why a man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife. Immutable concept of marriage and family.

Family is as possible to a gay couple as to a heterosexual one. Adoption, or artificial insemination for lesbians. And as for marriage, if they had that, I wouldnt be sitting here typing this up now.

OK. But they don't want civil union they are demanding that marriage fall to their agenda.

Maybe some are just fighting for the sake of fighting, but it had to have all started for a reason. That reason being: Gay people want civil union.

We already have a society that holds no idea of morality.

Now that, I can sort of agree with.

Same-sex marriage is the nail in the coffin of chaos taking over.

It wouldnt be chaos if Christians and conservatives were a little more tolerant.

Already our young people are suffering like never before in the history of the world.

And this is the fault of homosexuals, how?