These iceholes have violated others fargen rights!

[Treasure Chest]

What everyone is missing is I'm not saying to limit it. Marriage is a religious institution. It simply is. However if you want to exercise your right to say you're married to whomever you want, you have to take the power from the government to license it. If it's licensed, it can be regulated.

It's kind of like saying you have to be 18 to own a shotgun or rifle. If you were truly exercising your right to keep and bear arms, anyone should be able to. And that is actually an enumerated right

Please explain how my marriage or my wedding ceremony is/was in ANY way bound by religion.

I do believe my officiant left out any references to God, including when he said, "By the power vested to be my the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

It was undoubtedly the one of the most spiritual moments of my life, but spirituality and religion are two completely separate things.

[Forever_frost]

In interest of changing my point of view, can someone point me to the origin of marriage? I'm hearing I'm wrong that it's not a religious ceremony. Will someone please provide me with information that it's not?

[Forever_frost]

You can put up all the faces you like Racr, doesn't make me wrong. You want anyone who wants to to get married? Take away the ability to license it.

[racrguy]

What everyone is missing is I'm not saying to limit it. Marriage is a religious institution. It simply is. However if you want to exercise your right to say you're married to whomever you want, you have to take the power from the government to license it. If it's licensed, it can be regulated.

It's kind of like saying you have to be 18 to own a shotgun or rifle. If you were truly exercising your right to keep and bear arms, anyone should be able to. And that is actually an enumerated right

[Forever_frost]

I identify with an agnostic standpoint. My children, OTOH, are active in church. The kids lead prayer before meals. This doesn't offend me. It's a great moral compass, but I teach my children to give the same respect to other beliefs. I will continue to teach my children to respect other's life choices.

Seriously, if we limit the the choice to marry because of 'sin' most of us would be ineligible to marry because both parties weren't virgins on our wedding night.

What everyone is missing is I'm not saying to limit it. Marriage is a religious institution. It simply is. However if you want to exercise your right to say you're married to whomever you want, you have to take the power from the government to license it. If it's licensed, it can be regulated.

It's kind of like saying you have to be 18 to own a shotgun or rifle. If you were truly exercising your right to keep and bear arms, anyone should be able to. And that is actually an enumerated right

[racrguy]

I identify with an agnostic standpoint. My children, OTOH, are active in church. The kids lead prayer before meals. This doesn't offend me. It's a great moral compass, but I teach my children to give the same respect to other beliefs. I will continue to teach my children to respect other's life choices.

Seriously, if we limit the the choice to marry because of 'sin' most of us would be ineligible to marry because both parties weren't virgins on our wedding night.

Most? I lol'd. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say 99.999999999% of all people that get married aren't virgins.

[Forever_frost]

No, it was against the law, and the bus companies had to comply with those laws, even if they didn't want to. What if they had wanted to give blacks priority seating over whites? Would the laws have been just then?

You mean like affirmative action laws now? Yes, if it was a business that was doing it, absolutely. Going to have to go with Paul on this one. Damn I hate agreeing with him

[Treasure Chest]

I quoted the wrong person. I don't have a problem with kids praying to Jesus in school, as long as it doesn't affect their learning of math, English, science, history, etc. I also don't have a problem with kids praying to Allah, Satan, or the Jolly Green Giant either, assuming they aren't forcing it on ithers or distracting anyone. Then again, it probably would be distracting, so why not just leave ALL of that shit at home? The idea that only Christ should be allowed in public school is absurd, IMO.

I identify with an agnostic standpoint. My children, OTOH, are active in church. The kids lead prayer before meals. This doesn't offend me. It's a great moral compass, but I teach my children to give the same respect to other beliefs. I will continue to teach my children to respect other's life choices.

Seriously, if we limit the the choice to marry because of 'sin' most of us would be ineligible to marry because both parties weren't virgins on our wedding night.

[YALE]

Honestly? Before an amendment was written in, they didn't. That was up to whatever company who owned the buses. Or are you saying government has the ability to dictate to private owners who sits where?

No, it was against the law, and the bus companies had to comply with those laws, even if they didn't want to. What if they had wanted to give blacks priority seating over whites? Would the laws have been just then?

[racrguy]

Honestly? Before an amendment was written in, they didn't. That was up to whatever company who owned the buses. Or are you saying government has the ability to dictate to private owners who sits where?

[YALE]

Actually, they really are. Polygamists want to be married, are you saying they do not have the right to marry someones that they are in love with?

Quite frankly, I don't care what consenting adults do with other consenting adults, in any number. Comparing polygamy and homosexuality to bestiality is a bad comparison, because the animal can't enunciate its choice in the matter.

[Forever_frost]

Yeah, and black people don't have a right to sit at the front of a bus, sit in schools with white kids, or drink from the same water fountains either. What's your point?

Honestly? Before an amendment was written in, they didn't. That was up to whatever company who owned the buses. Or are you saying government has the ability to dictate to private owners who sits where?

[Forever_frost]

They're not all the same, dude. Stop it.

Actually, they really are. Polygamists want to be married, are you saying they do not have the right to marry someones that they are in love with?

[Forever_frost]

You aren't actually making a point here, just so you know. You're either telling me to vote out the people in power, or you're telling me to remove them forcibly, but you haven't elucidated which you're advocating. You even said, "take the power back," earlier. Are you talking about localized revolt on a state level as a legitimate means to a political end?

I'm pretty sure I've been clear about this in the past, but what the hell. If voting out does not give you the result you desire, you have the right to break the bonds with a government you feel does not represent you. That's Declaration of Independence. Now, if you have the ability to back up that right, completely different story

[racrguy]

You don't have a right to be married.

Yeah, and black people don't have a right to sit at the front of a bus, sit in schools with white kids, or drink from the same water fountains either. What's your point?