RE: "Jesus would rather kill, not marry, gay people" - Franklin Graham
July 16, 2018 at 2:18 pm
(July 16, 2018 at 1:40 pm)KevinM1 Wrote:(July 15, 2018 at 7:48 am)SteveII Wrote: All valid points and are part of a civil discussion. Here's the question, who has the right to redefine an institution that predates history itself? 5 people?
In the United States, marriage is a legal construct, not a religious one. So, yes SCOTUS has the authority to determine whether or not gay marriage can be legal, and recognized by both state governments and the Federal government.
That this legal construct is termed marriage is immaterial to the issue at hand, namely that LGBTQ couples are seeking the same legal standing as traditional couples, with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities associated with it. That's what LGBTQ people and their allies are fighting for. It has nothing to do with whether or not a church recognizes such unions.
Marriage is NOT a legal construct. Mainly because the legal system did not construct it. That is like saying buying your house is a legal construct or bartering a chicken for some flour is a legal construct. No, the legal aspects of it are protections and have nothing to do with the underlying purpose/goals/outcomes. If you are talking about a marriage license, that's just silly. That's like yesterday in the history of marriage.
