Gay Marriage

[Mr. Heartbreak]

So, as you can tell, I am a political conservative (at least fiscally) and a religious liberal.

Just like my other conservative friends!

I suspect that most conservative politicians are either 1) evolved enough to not be bothered by it, or 2) don't really give a shit one way or the other. Most of the posturing is probably just pandering to the hardcore anti-gay evangelical types within their constituencies.

If I were a Republican politician, I would totally be like, "It's an abomination...if it's two dudes. If it's two chicks, that's cool."

[ripthisjoint908]

I'm very pleased to know you are that way uncool2pillow. Its refreshing. Jesus does not once preach against gays. Its found in the Old Testament, right next to where it says men shall be punished for shaving their beards, and women who experience menstrual cycles shall be put in isolation. I just don't like how things are picked out of the Bible, and other things are left alone. Either take it all or leave it all.

[uncool2pillow]

Paul brings up "Sodomy" a couple of times, but it's not in the Gospels.  The funny thing is, divorce IS.  How many righteous divorcees are the condemning homosexuality?  

[anthony]

Paul brings up "Sodomy" a couple of times, but it's not in the Gospels.  The funny thing is, divorce IS.  How many righteous divorcees are the condemning homosexuality?  

[Mr. Heartbreak]

....and women who experience menstrual cycles shall be put in isolation. 

That part never made sense to me until after I was married to my ex-wife.

That was when I learned that PMS stands for Pitiful Male Suffering. Good grief...

[Tweedling]

If I were a Republican politician, I would totally be like, "It's an abomination...if it's two dudes. If it's two chicks, that's cool."

I'm no politician but it's been my stance all along. Hahaha

 

[-seven]

From a sign at the Supreme Court yesterday.

"Claiming that someone else's marriage is against your religion is like being angry at someone for eating a donut because you're on a diet"

[Mr. Heartbreak]

From a sign at the Supreme Court yesterday.

"Claiming that someone else's marriage is against your religion is like being angry at someone for eating a donut because you're on a diet"

That's been known to happen. : lol

[Hixter]

This should make some heads spin:

 

[remphish1]

Hell froze over!

This should make some heads spin:

 

[LouieB]

The world has turned.  Everyone knows this fight is unwinnable.

 

LouieB

[Tweedling]

I don't think this is a new stance for him. I could be wrong. He also believes in legalizing drugs too, if I'm not mistaken.

[LouieB]

Good for him.  Now if he can lighten up on some other stuff.

 

LouieB

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Good for O'Reilly indeed. At least he admits the weakness of the anti-gay-marriage argument.

In the other corner...wearing red, white & blue trunks...Governor Rick Perry: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/rick-perry-gay-rights_n_2963151.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D290143

Imagine this guy as our President. Is there an emoticon for shudder?

[Tweedling]

Good for him.  Now if he can lighten up on some other stuff.

 

LouieB

Like what?

 

[twoshedsjackson]

Like what?

 

Pretty much everything. The man's an idiot. Thinks the effing tide coming in/out proves the existence of god.

 

As to gay marriage, what kind of miserable, joyless prick could oppose it? Why are rednecks so threatened by it? I've yet to hear a reason that doesn't start with: "...But...the bible!"

Due to the favored status religion receives, too many people in this country think that their belief in superstitious nonsense should take precedence over the basic human rights of others.

Possibly the most annoying people? Fat old politicians and radio talk hosts on their second or third wives talking about the "sanctity of marriage".

[Tweedling]

Pretty much everything..... That's all ya got? Yeah he's an idiot.

[mountain bed]

As a religious person, I am not offended.  The loudest voices of Christianity are not those of love and compassion for the outcasts.  I am fairly sure that if the Jesus portrayed in the Gospels was alive today he would be befriending gays.  I'm also somewhat confident he wouldn't take issue with loving, committed gay couples.

 

Also, if i am wrong, then it's God's job to sort that out, not mine.  I hope he is as forgiving as the Gospels portray because I know I require his grace as much as, if not more than, many gay people I know.

 

So, as you can tell, I am a political conservative (at least fiscally) and a religious liberal.

I'm proud to call you a friend, you know.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Like most people my age, I used to be a fairly homophobic person. After my wife and I bought our first house in 1987, we made friends with two of the nicest, thoughtful and fun guys who had a house across the street.

The fact that they were gay made me uncomfortable at first, but I quickly came to realize that people love who they love. The problem wasn't what they did in the privacy of their home, but my narrow minded, fearful attitudes.

 

When my niece came out 10 years ago, she told my wife and me before she told her parents. She still hasn't told her grand parents. And she is in a committed relationship and is planning to get married in the fall...I wonder how this will play out. I sense a world of heartache coming because of family issues...

 

I am conservative on many issues, but gay marriage is simply not an issue for me.I honestly pity those who are caught up in fear and prejudice.

 

Let's move on to other societal issues that need to be addressed like the legalization of marijuana and mental health care reform.

[Moss]

 

Let's move on to other societal issues that need to be addressed like the legalization of marijuana quote]

 

That is getting much closer to reality, much faster than I expected as well. I like the direction things are going with traditionally "liberal" issues.

[Sir Stewart]

Like what?

 

Like thinking he's a historical writer. Yikes.

[LouieB]

Why does being old mean you are homophobic?  I am older than most here and I haven't ever been homophobic and have known gay people for a very long time. Even though more people are out now, if you live in a reasonably cosmopolitan area you have to have run into gay people as neighbors, friends or relatives for years.  Either that or you are totally clueless. 

 

What most "social" conservatives suffer from is empathy so they literally have to have someone in their own family such as a son or daughter to change their mind.  How hard is it to figure out that regular people you don't know are regular and gay and deserve some rights?  Let's be honest. EVen the most backwater politician in the rural south has constituents that are gay (alert, gay people live everywere), so acting like gays aren't part of their consttuancy is so stupid it is beyond belief. The reason gay rights are finally getting so much traction is because the stupidity of denying it and the fall out from not recognizing the need for it (the same as was true for civil rights for blacks and women in earlier times) finally is catching up with everyone. In 10 years we won't even be having these discussions, thankfully.

 

LouieB

[Magnetized]

I don't think being old per se means you're homophobic, but I certainly think our ideas of what is culturally acceptable have changed a lot over time. I'm old enough to remember laughing at jokes that would be shockingly offensive to me now. It's like so many things--the culture has evolved over time as we've had our collective consciousness raised. I remember segregated restaurants, I remember prominent law schools that accepted only men, I remember a timekeeping form that was used in my first job that had a line for "girl work." And I definitely remember thinking that "queers" were that way because they had controlling mothers and absent fathers.

 

I've been lucky enough to get a good education, meet and become friends with a wide range of diverse people and have many mind-expanding life experiences, but not everybody of my generation had those same influences, and it's not surprising that if their life took a more traditional path--marriage, church, PTA boy scouts--their ideas might not have changed all that much from what was the norm when they were kids. It's really hard for me to believe--and acknowledge--that I ever felt the way I did. I was kind of a rebellious kid and thought of myself as a liberal about race, sexuality, feminism, secular humanism--you name it. But when I think back to what I used to just accept, or at most quietly roll my eyes at, I'm appalled now. And even now--people who don't seem actively hateful toss out the word "gay" to describe something they think is generally lame. How long will it be before that will seem shockingly offensive (as it should be)? 

 

So basically I don't think it's ageist to suggest that as older people die off and people who don't have that historical baggage to deal with become more of a majority, we'll naturally move toward this becoming a ho hum non-issue. I agree with what others have said here--I really think there's a seismic cultural shift on this issue, and I'm very happy about it. 

[Mr. Heartbreak]

My experience is very much like Wilco Me's, especially thinking that gay men "had controlling mothers and absent fathers." I even had a gay friend who seemed to justify the cliche.

I still cringe a bit when I listen to some of my old Zappa shows. He made fun of everybody, but he was especially savage about gay culture. I guess we are all a little more politically correct these days...

[Queen Amaranthine]

 

When my niece came out 10 years ago, she told my wife and me before she told her parents.

 

Let's move on to other societal issues that need to be addressed like the legalization of marijuana and mental health care reform.

 

If either of my kids is gay (they're too young now to know, but if someday), I want to be the first to know (after themselves, of course!).

 

My state approved gay marriage a couple of years ago, and surprise, it's not ruining society or the "values" of the state, as opponents suggested before. No one who I know that is gay has married yet, although I know one big, gravelly construction worker guy who rolled his eyes at having to spend a Saturday going out of town to attend a lesbian wedding (a relative of his wife), but the eye roll was because he was going to a wedding period, rather than stay home and watch baseball on TV.

 

Mental health is another important issue. My state ranks very low in terms of availability of mental health services. A person can get help, but they have to know how and where to seek it, and not everyone does. Plus, it's a rural area, so facilities for those with severe cases are very far apart geographically.

 

The other day on NPR, I heard that polygamists are using similar arguments to those made by gay marriage supporters to support legalized polygamy. While I personally think one spouse is enough,  and no doubt my husband would agree, I'm not sure what I think about that overall. I agree that a person should have freedoms and that not everyone is the same. The only concerns I would have about that is the cult brainwashing factor that often comes with polygamy in the U.S. and how legalized polygamy could theoretically or actually affect financial issues in the big picture such as overtaxing benefits such as employers needing to provide health insurance--if it even would have any impact there? I haven't thought through it.