I know we’ve covered this before in other threads…
I’m looking for an opponent to the concept that what we now term “marriages” stop being part of the legal structure of government and society, and be replaced by a civil union. Hell, let’s roll the dice and call it a civil union of 4 people, extendable by request and review. It need have nothing to do with sex, but merely stands as a type of standard social contract between individuals including (but not limited to) right of ownership, medical decisions, death looting, and everything else marriage currently makes legal between two people.
The churches can have their own religious ceremonies and religious unions with religious significance. Kinda like earning that Eagle Scout Badge. You don’t need to be a Boy Scout to take a badge and call it an Eagle Scout Badge, but it isn’t really one unless you’re a Boy Scout (and then, if anyone cares).
The way I see it in this equation, everyone walks away happy. Maybe one extra form to fill out to get “married” and registered by a church. Religious people still have their religious marriage not being pillaged (or whatever), everyone else is happy, situations where you have a few people who live together closely (not read: sexually, read: economically) can be made easier, etc etc.
Maybe needs some polishing, like additional requirements (citizenship) and duration of the contract (has to be renewed by all parties every, say, 4 years)…
So what exactly is it that pisses off (some) Christians so much about this kind of idea? Is it that people are eating the same cake they are? What right do they have to decide who can enter a legal union together? They didn’t invent marriage. They (individual Christian groups) don’t even agree on the ceremonies and religious background and rules of it. Look at the Catholics vs. Southern Baptists, and you’re looking at the same difference as Lutheran vs. civil union.
Radical overhaul of society? You betcha. But why not? We’re living in a very different age where people have very different needs, economicaly, medicaly, realisticaly, socialy, sexually, and theistic…ly… yea.