"You can not get married with out getting a marriage license which is a privilege extended by the state of which they can set any reasonable qualification and not a right."

That is the whole problem. If the United States of America gives people who are married certain legal rights under the law, then the requirements for marriage should be equal for all.

Again, jfnance32, a 16-year-old is not a consenting adult.

"They will go after churches that have rules against hiring gays in their ministries. They will at first strip alway the tax exempt status and later just make it illegal."

jfnance32, you're paranoid.

jfnance32,
Marriage is a LEGAL commitment, not a right or a privilege, and should be available to anyone of legal age to make that commitment.

LT2LV,
I agree. Well said.

Sorry, that last post was to go to tennis_ace_2000

LT2LV,
A 13 yr. old can't make a LEGAL commitment, so they cannot get married or have a civil union.

tennis_ace_2000,

No, Civil Unions do not give the same LEGAL rights because all states do not recognize Civil Unions, and those that do have different legal rights attached.

No churched is forced to sanctify anything! If a gay couple came to a church with a marriage license that was legal in that state, and that church did not recognize gay marriage, they are not forced to perform the ceremony!

In my church, you can only get married there if you are a member! No church is being forced to accept members.

kwkpost - No, she is asking for the same right you have - to be able to make a LEGAL commitment with the person she chooses to - to have the same legal rights under the law with regards to her life, health, inheritance, etc. that you have.

kwkpost - how is jumbogirl asking for an "additional" right? They are asking for he SAME right that you have!

Is marriage a legal term or a religious term?

If it is a religious term, then if your church does not allow marriage between two people of the same sex, then that is fine in your church. You have the right to go to that church and practice that religion. However, if my church believes that marriage is allowed between two people of the same sex, then that is fine in my church. I have the right to go to that church and practice that religion. You have no right to tell me what I am to believe in, just as I have no right to tell you what to believe in.

But if marriage is a legal term, allowing certain rights between two people, then it must be available to ALL people, no matter what they believe in. Civil Unions do not give the same legal rights to people that marraige does.

Maybe we need to change the term "marriage" to "civil union" legally. EVERYONE in the US getting a license will be given a Civil Union License, not a Marriage License. Then, you can go to a church (or wherever) to have a marriage ceremony done by a minister/priest/pastor, etc. That way, legally, everyone will get the same legal rights when they legally commit to another person. It is up to your religious institution to decide if it is a valid marriage in your institution. That way everyone will have the same LEGAL rights.

BTW - I am a divorced, straight, Christian woman. I don't see how a marriage between two consenting people of legal age who are of the same sex affects me in any way. Wasn't it just a few decades ago that marriage was illegal between people of different races? How is prohibiting marriage between two people of the same sex any different?