# Any atheists against same sex marriage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 7, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757 "2006-06-07T16:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/21 "2006-06-07T22:04:42Z")
> [@Hirundo82](#): > > I’d love to know how atheists that say that homosexuality is contrary to evolution think that homosexuality evolved and has persevered. The only other way to explain it other than it being not harmful evolutionarily would be either to consider it a mental disorder or a frequently recurring mutation. Well, _I’d_ like to know why “contrary to evolution” = “bad and should be illegal”. I have no intention of having children; should I be forced to breed ? Evolution is just a description of how biology/genetics works and changes; it’s not a recommendation or a mandate for anything. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/22 "2006-06-07T22:13:59Z")
Can I ask a question? Is it possible to be against same-sex marriage and not be anti-homosexuals ? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/23 "2006-06-07T22:18:11Z")
> [@blinkingblinking](#): > > Can I ask a question? Is it possible to be against same-sex marriage and not be anti-homosexuals ? No. I don’t think it’s possible to hold homosexuals to a different legal standard than heterosexuals without betraying a prejudice against homosexuals. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/24 "2006-06-07T22:21:29Z")
> [@blinkingblinking](#): > > Can I ask a question? Is it possible to be against same-sex marriage and not be anti-homosexuals ? Yes it is. I have several gay friends who are against SSM because they feel that as gay people we shouldn’t want to be part of the straight lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/25 "2006-06-07T22:37:05Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Yes it is. I have several gay friends who are against SSM because they feel that as gay people we shouldn’t want to be part of the straight lifestyle. But nobody would be _forcing_ same-sex couples to get married. The ones who don’t want to be part of the straight lifestyle (whatever that means) wouldn’t have to get married. The ones who think that they should be allowed to decide whether _other_ same-sex couples get married or not- they’re as bad as the religious nuts who want to make everyone live the “right” way. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/26 "2006-06-07T22:53:56Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Yes it is. I have several gay friends who are against SSM because they feel that as gay people we shouldn’t want to be part of the straight lifestyle. That is at once the saddest and stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/27 "2006-06-07T22:59:32Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That is at once the saddest and stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. I totally agree with you. Wasn’t saying I agreed with them just that I know people who are not at all homophobic but are against SSM. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/28 "2006-06-07T23:06:25Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I totally agree with you. Wasn’t saying I agreed with them just that I know people who are not at all homophobic but are against SSM. Oh, don’t worry, I understand that. Although, just based on your comment about your friends, it does sound like they might be _hetero_phobic. Which would mean we can still say that there’s no non-bigoted reason to oppose SSM, we just have to recognize that the stupidity sometimes flows both ways. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/29 "2006-06-07T23:58:33Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > Atheism is arguably contrary to evolution too. For various reasons people who believe in a supernatural God tend to have stronger survival rates than athiests, which is why most people believe in religion. Are you f\*\*king serious? I have never known, nor heard of, one religious person who believes in God specifically because religious people live longer. Married people live longer than single people, but I seriously doubt that most people get married for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/30 "2006-06-08T00:00:44Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Are you f\*\*king serious? I have never known, nor heard of, one religious person who believes in God specifically because religious people live longer. > > Married people live longer than single people, but I seriously doubt that most people get married for that reason. I think what he’s arguing is that most people are religious because people who aren’t, are dead. Not that it’s necessarily a _better_ argument… ---
**Author:** ![Tripwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tripwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripwire)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/31 "2006-06-08T00:52:30Z")
A Repbulican Senator recently said that he was proud to report that there had not been a homosexual or a divorce in his family for generations. But, of course, it’s wrong to call that bigotry, because that’s politically incorrect now. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/32 "2006-06-08T01:00:20Z")
> [@Tripwire](#): > > A Repbulican Senator recently said that he was proud to report that there had not been a homosexual or a divorce in his family for generations. > > But, of course, it’s wrong to call that bigotry, because that’s politically incorrect now. Yeah, I heard about that asshat. I’m seriously surprised ther ehasn’t been a bigger outrage about that. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/33 "2006-06-08T02:09:06Z")
> [@blinkingblinking](#): > > Can I ask a question? Is it possible to be against same-sex marriage and not be anti-homosexuals ? Yes it is possible, on economic grounds (to which I alluded earlier). I can see an employer opposing same-sex marriage because it would expand the number of individuals covered under that employer’s health care plan, and thus increase the premiums the employer must pay. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/34 "2006-06-08T02:42:12Z")
> [@Tripwire](#): > > A Repbulican Senator recently said that he was proud to report that there had not been a homosexual or a divorce in his family for generations. Now, to be fair, what Inhofe is reported to have said was “I’m really proud to say that in the recorded history of our family, we’ve never had a divorce or any kind of homosexual relationship.” Perhaps his recorded family history only goes back five or six years. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/35 "2006-06-08T06:36:07Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > What about people with red hair? Are they for or against same-sex marriage? > 😉 For. I’m also an heterosexual and an atheist – does my vote count double or triple? 😃 To address the issue seriously – I can actually see some atheists who might oppose SSM for _“cultural”_ reasons – y’know, like plenty of otherwise normal people in the 50’s who hated Rock’n’Roll because it was just too **different**? As you may be able to tell, I wouldn’t _agree_ with such a POV, but I can see it happening. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/36 "2006-06-08T09:49:24Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Yes it is. I have several gay friends who are against SSM because they feel that as gay people we shouldn’t want to be part of the straight lifestyle. I would argue that this is almost (if not as) prejudiced as those bigots who oppose gay marriage to mask their own homophobia- although in this case the term would, I suppose be heterophobia. Seriously, I think the whole “withdraw from bigoted society” movement amongst (admittedly) persecuted minorities is bloody stupid, not least because in doing so they oppose measures that would benefit the vast majority of people who share their (in this case) sexual preference. Thanks Bob none of the folks I know are like this. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/37 "2006-06-08T09:51:08Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Yes it is possible, on economic grounds (to which I alluded earlier). I can see an employer opposing same-sex marriage because it would expand the number of individuals covered under that employer’s health care plan, and thus increase the premiums the employer must pay. It’s hardly a persuasive argument, though, considering it is both limited in scope and motivated by unusually petty self-interest. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/38 "2006-06-08T10:11:23Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Well, _I’d_ like to know why “contrary to evolution” = “bad and should be illegal”. I have no intention of having children; should I be forced to breed ? > > Evolution is just a description of how biology/genetics works and changes; it’s not a recommendation or a mandate for anything. _bustles up to throw his weight behind **Der Trihs** ’s ambition never to breed_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/39 "2006-06-08T14:17:34Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > What about people with red hair? Are they for or against same-sex marriage? Couldn’t tell what level of irony you’re on here with the winky. Did you read the OP or just the title? > [@Wesley Clark](#): > > Atheism is arguably contrary to evolution too. For various reasons people who believe in a supernatural God tend to have stronger survival rates than athiests, which is why most people believe in religion. Oh, puh-lease. Are you suggesting that belief in a supernatural god is genetic? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757/40 "2006-06-08T14:33:17Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Couldn’t tell what level of irony you’re on here with the winky. Did you read the OP or just the title? > > Oh, puh-lease. Are you suggesting that belief in a supernatural god is genetic? Yes, he is, and he’s right. There is a genetic tenedency\* towards belief in the supernatural: > **[News](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/?xml=%2Fnews%2F2004%2F11%2F14%2Fngod14.xml&sSheet=%2Fnews%2F2004%2F11%2F14%2Fixnewstop.html)** > > Latest breaking news, including politics, crime and celebrity. Find stories, updates and expert opinion. Google “god gene” and you’ll find lots of examples. \*Sigh. Some scientists belief, and in my opinion are correct, that… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-atheists-against-same-sex-marriage/359757.md?page=3)