>and I don't want to open the door even further to things like greater involvement of homosexuals with little children (including adoption)<
Nice :gays are all pedophiles!" argument. Doesn't hold.
Speaking as someone who deals with abused kids all the time, I do NOT see the problem here. So long as the adopting “parents” have been vetted (basic background check), there shouldn’t be any more of a problem with gays in that role than with straights.
>Marriage is a religious institution co-opted by the state<
That’s easy to deal with: get the government out of the marriage business!
>The arguments I have made are usually based on:
1. Biology
2. Economics
3. Equal treatment
4. The illegitimacy of comparing homosexual practice with race/ethnicity
5. Civilizational Survival
6. Resistance to vocal minorities attempting to impose thier value system on the majority
7. Respect for the COTUS and the various state constitutions and processes vs disdain for them in pursuit of some political goal<
1: Not going to get into this one: it’s already been addressed
2: Been addressed: if a business doesn’t want to provide Bruce & Steve benefits, they don’t offer bennies period
3: Is actually an argument FOR some form of civil union enterable by any group of two or more adults
4: I can kinda give you
5: I somehow doubt that gays “marrying” is going to result in the end of the human race
6: could be pointed at gun owners, too
7: I’ll leave alone
>I believe marriage should not be a government issue at all. If people wanna go fill out some form that dictates someone else has secondary power over their lives, like possessions, health-care, etc, let them indicate who that person is. As a Christian, I believe all marriages that are not Christian marriages are spiritually false and invalid, that includes Native American, Muslim, homosexual, etc. I also believe that has nothing to do with government tax and power of attorney law. While I don't agree with the degree Leftists have pushed the "separation of church and state" issue, I do believe this is one area where it applies. Lets get government out of marriage, and let people decide for themselves who gets their crap when they die, or who holds power over them if they're in a coma, and all that. And let's get rid of the tax benefits for "couples" altogether. That should solve the whole "we want the same rights" issue. Just get rid of special government rights for everyone. I would prefer that to recognizing what I see as a deviant and invalid "marriage".<
We have a winnah!!!