Let’s not forget democracy. Oh, wait. The_Broken_Record doesn’t approve of that, either.
It doesn’t appear she approves of much at all through, but it does seem that it’s fostered by a lack of understanding of how it works.
Cracking post, Publius, that stands out amongst some gems. Count me in for the crusade against bigotry!
I researched for another thread, but since these threads seems to be popping up everywhere, I’ma gonna copy and paste.
Marriage has changed a LOT in recorded history. Read a few history books to figure that out.
Howzabout we check out [polygamy[/url real quick-like.
“While modern Western societies believe in the sanctity of monogamy and enshrine it in their legal codes, most social traditions, over 80%, accept at least some degree of polygamy, the union between a person and more than one spouse.”
[url=http://www.geocities.com/mollyjoyful/marriage.html]Different types of marriage around the world.](http://www.umanitoba.ca/anthropology/tutor/marriage/polygamy.html)
“The different types of marriages listed above show that marriage is not one set, unchangeable definition. Even in male-female marriage practices, there are many variances in what is acceptable. However, the average American citizen may not have such a global awareness of marriage. This may in part be due to the Christian heritage of the majority of US citizens. This country directs the most marriage exposure to Christian church weddings. It may not occur to many people that there are other traditions of marriage in other countries that are considered equally valid. What this country considers the most natural and normal is not necessarily a universal standard. That the range of acceptable marriage practices may change in the future is not an unprecedented possibility nor is it unrealistic to expect changes. Marriage has never been an immutable and fixed standard.”
And how about we examine what the Bible says about marriage and its Laws?
From same page.
"Historical marriages documented in the Bible were barbarous, in which women were seized during warfare to become wives. Parents viewed their daughters as child-bearing commodities, and just as frequently sold their children into slavery. Polygamy was frequent, especially in early Biblical marriages, such as the stories of Solomon and his “700 wives, princesses and 300 concubines,? as related in 1 Kings 11:3 (Revised Standard Version).”
On to Gay marriages:
"Research by the Yale historian John Boswell in the book, Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, explores the historical context of homosexual marriages. His studies revealed that homosexual marriage rites have been legally sanctioned and religiously upheld for over 3,000 years in ancient African, Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamian, Native American and Roman cultures. The social acceptance of same-gender relationships did not gain widespread condemnation until the 13th century, when religious orders stepped in and declared them immoral (Dorrell & Legal Marriage Court Cases, 1994,1996).
"Paul Halsall, also a historian, supports the findings of Boswell and unearthed other cultures? acceptance of male-male or female-female relationships. In his essay, Lesbian and Gay Marriage through History and Culture, he documents the recognition of same-gender couples in many cultures. He specifically lists, ?Ancient Greece, Egypt, Crete, Sparta, Thebes, Ancient Rome, China, Japan, Malay, Bali, Australia, India, Native Americas (Chukchi, Koriaks, Kamchadale), New Mexico tribes, Peru, Brazil, Medieval Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism? (Halsall, 1996). While certainly the couplings and the recognitions were not everyday common occurrences, they were recorded as happening.
"The role of the church in condoning homosexual marriages is also evident, according to Boswell. The Catholic Church, in particular, legitimized same-gender unions for over 1,500 years. This tradition was halted only in the 1800s. There were over 100 liturgies specifically for same-gender marriages. Since childbearing parts of marriage did not fit the same-gender unions, they were removed. As a replacement, the liturgies praised the companionable parts of marriage. For instance, a gay couple was cited as celebrating "brotherhood.? (Dorrell, 1994)
“Other religious denominations accept and support same-gender commitments. Religious ceremonies for gay male couples and lesbian couples have been performed in assorted religious persuasions, including, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Reconstructionist, Jewish, Reform Jewish, Presbyterian, Quaker, Unitarian and others (Where to Get a Religious Blessing, 1995). It is noteworthy that while many of the arguments against same-gender marriage pertain to religion, currently the only instances where Americans can have same-gender marriage rites performed are religious. The law does not recognize same-gender marriages, but many churches do.”
"Condemnations of homosexual relationships are rampant, especially the charge that recognizing same-gender couples as legal is promoting immorality. The American Psychological Association (APA) disagrees, in its released statement of its position on homosexuality in July of 1994. According to the APA:
“Homosexuality is neither mental illness nor moral depravity. Study after study documents the mental health of gay men and lesbians. Studies of judgment, stability, reliability, and social and vocational adaptiveness all show that gay men and lesbians function every bit as well as heterosexuals.” (What Do Some, 1996).
"It further goes on to state that research suggests homosexual orientation is decided early, perhaps before birth. It is found in 10% of the population, constantly across cultures irrespective of values or standards of each culture. Rates of homosexuality do not seem to change with new moral codes or social mores. Efforts to reverse homosexuals are simply social prejudice trying to sound scientific. While some people may label same-gender relationships as depraved based on their own feelings, the American Psychological Association does not view it as a medical or moral problem. This is not a new view, either. The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in the 1970s. Even the American Medical Association calls for “nonjudgmental recognition of sexual orientation by physicians? (What Do Some, 1996). Perhaps religious sentiment may inspire views of homosexuality as immoral. Nevertheless, nationally accredited medical, psychiatric and psychological associations do not share the view of homosexuality as immoral.”