Quote:
Originally Posted by christiangirl
If I'm correct (and if I'm not, someone please interject), the act of marriage has a religious base--it is two people of the opposite sex coming together in the eyes of God.
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Nope. Marriage was (is?) a contractual agreement within a community that solidified familial relationships, determined lineage and royalty, and perhaps most important to westerners, significantly impacted power and landownership. If you recall, women were traded for property, alliances and even peace.
Marriage cannot historically be separated from "religion" but you also have to remember that "religion" permeated every aspect of a community and drew it together. While the United States is affected by hints of Christianity, we are not directly governed by its precepts today as it was in the near past.
Denying gays their right to legal marriage undermines their value within our society. And, that's ultimately why they continue to be denied by the majority.