The Traditional Definition of Marriage

1393 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Why gay marriage should be legal

The traditional definition of marriage is said to be the union of a man and a woman in holy matrimony. Marriage means many things to different people. It can mean the joining of two people or of two families. It can mean marrying your best friend or long time lover. It is a promise to always stand by your partner’s side until death do you part. Who is to say that this union should only be allowed in a heterosexual relationship? One’s opinion should not impede on another person’s right to live their life how they would like to live it, and with whom. Opponents will say that allowing gay marriage is unconstitutional, and that it violates religious rights(CLGS, n.d.). Proponents argue that same-sex couples should have access to the same marriage benefits and public acknowledgment enjoyed by heterosexual couples and that prohibiting gay marriage is unconstitutional discrimination (ProCon, 2012). Ultimately, studies show that homosexual families are able to live just as productive, if not better off, than families of heterosexual parents.
In order to guarantee an atmosphere of absolute religious liberty, this country's founders also mandated the strict separation of church and state (Anti Defamation League, 1999). In a country where marriage is declining and those who do marry are increasingly well- educated and well-to-do, it is a poor form of social protest to decline to administer legal marriages. Everybody needs these protections; a promise to God will not make a deadbeat parent pay child support. Equal access to a civil contract (especially one to which so many benefits accrue) is a matter of social justice, of civil rights. Granting full marriage equality to lesbian and gay couples would in no way endanger the religious right of...

... middle of paper ...

...gious views should have no influence as to what laws are put in place regarding the marriage institution. There are many benefits available to the married couple and to society, including the profits made by the various fees, taxes, and ceremonies connected to getting married would greatly benefit the United States economic system. If the economy were under control, it would definitely have a direct positive effect on other areas of the nation including poverty, education, and health care. Additionally, allowing gay marriage promotes a positive, healthy family structure, as well as less confusion for the child and more support services in the community. Opponents will propose various arguments to negate the fact that anything beneficial could come from a same sex marriage, but in my opinion the facts are there, and it makes no sense to continue to refute the issue.

Show More
Related

  • Essay On Gay Rights

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    With the economic support, the adoption rates rising, and the equality same-sex couples deserve, gay marriage deserves to be legalized throughout the nation and the world. Rejecting the right of marriage to these couples hurts them and the way they are able to live their lives. Everyone deserves marriage and life equality despite the person they love because we have equality rights based on us as an individual, not on who we decide to love.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: Legalizing Gay Marriage

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    Legalizing gay marriage has been a controversial topic in the past few years. In my opinion, gay people should be allowed to get married because it is a civil right. It shouldn 't matter what gender they prefer because they 're still regular people. Making gay marriage illegal, is the same as taking away someone 's freedom and civil rights. That is unethical and completely awful. There 's no harm being done by letting two people who are in love with each other get married. However, many religious fundamentalists are against this and believe gay marriage is wrong and needs to be stopped. Homosexual couples should have the right to get married because it 's a civil right and their sexual preference doesn 't make them any less human.

    Read More

  • Howard Moody Sacred Rite Or Civil Right Summary

    686 Words  | 2 Pages

    If the line is clearly drawn in the sand between church and state it will ultimately be for the betterment of many. Members of the clergy will no longer fear the repercussions of performing marriages for the select homosexual couples who wish to be joined in their church of their choosing. Moody states one catholic priest said: “We can bless a dog, we can bless a boat, but we can’t say a prayer over two people who love each other.” (355) The sacrament of marriage will forever be a topic not everyone can agree upon but as history proves change is inevitability a spoke on a wheel that will constantly be moving forward.

    Read More

  • Marriage Inequality: The Right to Marry

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    Marriage is defined as “(1) the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage ("Marriage," 2003, p. 659). Despite the latter definition’s addition to dictionaries in the past decade, this definition of marriage is still debated. Being a touchy subject in both politics and religion today, it’s been very hard to come to an agreement. There are two main sides to this argument regarding the nature of marriage. Some stick to their conservative and/or religious beliefs, while others state that marriage is a civil right (Kim, 2011, p. [Page 38]). However, same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in North Carolina and thirty-two other states at this time ("Defining Marriage: State Defense," 2014). Homosexuals have been denied many of the rights given to those that are heterosexual. Same-sex couples are not able to receive other benefits as a heterosexual couple would. The lack of benefits is extremely unequal and unfair. This unacceptable treatment is unconstitutional and should not continue.

    Read More

  • Gay Marriage Persuasive Essay

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    As an American citizen, a person should be entitled to marry whoever they choose, regardless of gender or sexual preference. Gay marriage is something that some people consider to be taboo while other people are very supportive of it; I am one of the latter. The ability to marry someone is a basic human right and it should not be taken away from someone because they love a person of the same gender. One of the main reasons that gay marriage is illegal in the United States is because of what the Bible says about it, regardless of the fact that the first Amendment of the US Constitution says that there is to be a separation between church and state. Approximately three point eight percent of the United States population is made up of people

    Read More

  • Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity

    649 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people’s opinion on gay marriage is that same-sex marriage violates the “true” intentions of marriage, which “should” be between a man and a woman, but a more broad definition of marriage would be “(broadly) any of the diverse forms of interpersonal union established in various parts of the world to form a familial bond that is recognized legally, religiously, or socially, granting the participating partners mutual conjugal rights and responsibilities”

    Read More

  • Personal Opinion Essay:The New Civil Rights Movement: A Fight for LGBTQIA Rights in the United States

    1419 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... what can be considered one of the most forward thinking countries in the world. The longer we hold out on allowing homosexual couples to marry, the further we will fall behind in the world. We cannot continuously look down upon other countries degradation of particular minorities while we continue to do the same thing in our own country. Gay marriage it simply gives another minority the opportunity to express their love. Being married involves legal matters, and religion is simply something that we have added to it. The ideals of marriage have been ever-evolving and we as Americans, the pillar of modernization, the ever futuristic mainstay, should be open-minded enough to evolve even more to benefit the homosexual community. If not open-minded enough, look at the laws: America established itself upon the ideals of equality for all. We should follow our own rules.

    Read More

  • Gay Marriage Should Be Legal in All States

    1370 Words  | 3 Pages

    The issue of gay marriage needs little introduction as it is one of the most widely contended and discussed topics in the United States of America. While the issue is relatively recent one has to question why this is even an issue to begin with. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Arguments come from both religious groups, as well as secular focused sources. Reasoning against gay marriage ranges from religious immorality, to the idea that giving gays the right to marry would support minoritarianism (giving minority special privileges and advantages in either a legislative or societal capacity). There are countless arguments besides those mentioned, few of which have any substantial grounds to stand on. Gay marriage causes no political or communal grief, except for those who strongly oppose it now. Even for those people gay people exist either way. Whether they are married or not will not change that and their lives will not be dramatically changed from it. Gay marriage has no valid reason to be outlawed and there are plenty of reasons to allow it.

    Read More

  • Meaning of Marriage in Different Cultures

    1752 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Islam, marriage is a contract between two people. It is required that a certain amount of money be relayed to the bride. This idea of dowry derives from the word in Arabic; Mahr. Furthermore, like both Christianity and Judaism, Islam is strict on the concept of chastity. It is the element of staying pure. Seeing as marriage in Islam is concealed with intercourse, which is evident from the root of the world in Arabic meaning marriage. The Arabic of word Nikah can be translated to marriage and "sexual intercourse." We see in Islam a marriage being very mutual, we see the concept of equality among the couple. This is advocated when looking into divorce in Islam. Divorce is not prohibited like Christianity where there has to be an annulment. The Muslim faith recognizes marriage as a "transaction" in a sense. There is a contract that must be fully accepted by both the husband and wife, and two Muslims have to be there to witness it. After the contract is signed and the decision on the Mahr is derived at, a marriage ceremony can take place. The woman does not necessarily need to appear during the signing of the contract, but the bride tends to usually be there. The Qur'an holds marriage very highly, and allows the presence for the willingness of sex. In fact, if you complete the contract of marriage you have essentially completed one half of your faith in Islam. Furthermore, the Qur'an continues to go on and describe certain things that must happen in a marriage. It even states that a Muslim man can either marry a Muslim woman or a woman that is included in the People from the Book. The People of the Book are referred to as the Kitabi in Islam. This would mean a Muslim man could go onto marry a Christian or Jewish woman; however, thi...

    Read More

  • The True Meaning of Marriage

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    When we think of marriage, the first thing that comes to mind is having a lasting relationship. Marriage is a commitment of two people to one another and to each other?s family, bonded by holy matrimony. When a couple plans to marry, they think of raising a family together, dedicating their life to each other. That?s the circle of life--our natural instinct to live and produce children and have those children demonstrate your own good morals. I have never been married; but I don?t understand why when two people get married and vow to be together for richer and poorer, better or worse, decide to just forget about that commitment. A marriage should be the most important decision a person makes in his or her life.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Marriage

    2099 Words  | 5 Pages

    Marriage is a “socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectations of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding which formally unites marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government,” (Skolnick, 2005). Marriage is also an important institution because of the impact it has on society. Marriage is the main way that reproduction of human life occurs. In some societies it is tradition for family heirlooms or things of value be passed on through marriage. Marriage also serves as a healthy way to have intimate relationships with an individual. In most places a marriage exists between two people of the opposite sex. However, the legal definition of marriage is currently being challenged by many. According to Skolnick’s article a marriage can be defined by responsibilities that a couple would share, some examples are: living together, having sexual relations, sharing money and financial responsibilities, and having a child together. The issue is that homosexual couples can do these things like heterosexual couples.

    Read More

  • Marriage as an Outdated Institution

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    is the most usual in which a man and a woman unite themselves in the

    Read More

  • Same Sex Marriage

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gay and lesbian unions have been for a long time a subject that no one liked to discuss. For the last few decades, gays and lesbians have come out and expressed their sexuality preferences. Many believe that same sex marriage should not be legalized because it's against the moral. It's against the definition of marriage, which is considered as the union of a man and a woman as a husband and wife. Same sex marriage should be legalized because the way society views the union of lesbian and gays can a change. Another reason why same sex marriage should be legalized is that children that are issued from a gay or lesbian couple will be loved and raised in a family that is legally recognized under the law. Lesbians and gays also deserve to have the same rights as heterosexuals.

    Read More

  • Gay Marriage Should be Legal

    2010 Words  | 5 Pages

    There are many opponents of gay people as it is, and they all have their reasons to dislike the idea of permitting them get married. One of the main reasons is that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. Because gay couples are unable to have children, they should not be allowed to marry (Schiffen 495). Another main argument is that the word marriage means the union of one man and one woman. This is a long-standing theme of most major Western religions. Under a proposed bill known as the Defense of Marriage act, marriage is defined as “a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” Furthermore, it defines a spouse as “ a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife” (What 1). Under these guidelines, it is quite obvious that gay couples would not be eligible for marriage. People against homosexual marriage also say that it is a person’s choice to be gay. Since the individual chooses to be a homosexual, they should not be given special privileges. Another argument that you hear is that these couples should not get married simply because of the torment and ridicule they would be faced with in their everyday lives. There are news reports from across America telling about how a gay person was beaten or killed just because they were looked at as different. Some of these people would end up the target of verbal abuse and maybe even physical abuse, just because some heterosexual people see them as different.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Same Sex Marriage

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion I argue that banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. It is discriminatory because it denies homosexuals the many benefits received by heterosexual couples. The right to marriage in the United States has little to do with the religious and spiritual meaning of marriage. It has a lot to do with social justice, extending a civil right to a minority group. This is why I argue for same-sex marriage. The freedom to marry regardless of gender preference should be allowed.

    Read More

More about The Traditional Definition of Marriage

Open Document