Gay Marriage – the biggest non-issue today

I see that the California appeals court has upheld a ban on gay marriage and the sky is falling.

On this issue I’m tempted to echo the comedian who remarked, “And this affects me, how?”

Proponents of gay marriage say that all our liberties are trampled on by denying this right (which has never been recognized as a right by any country that I know of, but never mind). Opponents say that they are trying to destroy civilization. Cynics say, let them be miserable like everybody else.

I say, “Permission to divide the question.”

The chair recognizes the Honorable Blogger.

Honorable members of the tin-foil-hat parliament. Marriage, as recognized by society and the law, is two things, sacred and profane. On the one hand, it is a sacrament of the church under which two parties swear an oath before God to live together and observe certain obligations towards each other. Including obligations which are not part of the law and cannot be enforced as such. Such as to love, honor and cherish.

On the other hand marriage is a legal contract which confers certain rights to act on another’s behalf, make decisions for another in extremis, and entails obligations of support.

Is there anything gender-specific about the second? I’m actually not sure. How is it different, for example, from a legal adoption?

Don’t we have something called “separation of church and state” that the Left is always harping on in this country? The way a priest explained it to me, is that every priest/ minister who performs marriages is basically employed as a clerk of the state he lives in, and is empowered to register marriages, for which he gets a quarter or something. I.e. he wears two hats, sacred and secular.

Legal companionate contracts are now legal in a few states, so what’s the problem? You want to get married in church? So find one that will do it. You can’t? So start your own, it’s the American way! (Or at least the California way.)

You want to be recognized by society as a married couple? Sorry guys and gals, that’s out of our control. Maybe it’ll happen and maybe it won’t. I don’t personally have a problem with it, but how seriously I’m going to take it depends on how seriously you take your obligations and responsibilities. Is this something you really want or is this just in-your-face-notice-me-dammit! attitude?