Ever since the Supreme Court decided to take up the issue of same-sex marriage, a vast pool of arguments, both legal and moral, have been made to defend or attack the virtues of same-sex marriage.
Many of the arguments used to support same-sex marriage have centered on the Civil Rights of the LGBTQ community. While many, if not all, of the arguments opposed to same-sex marriage have centered on the moral and religious aspects of matrimony.
In my own opinion, few issues are as simple as that of same-sex couples and their right to marry. From a strictly legal view, the institution of marriage is no longer a religious one but has long since become a governmental one.
Marriage licences are issued by the state, they are often performed by judges, mayors and other Government officials and lastly, records on marriages are kept by the state. Therefore, the seperation of Church and State apply.
Many same-sex marriage opponents' views on homosexual or transgender people are based largely on their religion, this in effect invalidates the liegitamacy of their opinions. Because if the only thing standing between a same-sex couple and their right to marry is a person's religious and moral views, than the Supreme Court has no option but to legalize same-sex marriage nationally or else be in violation of our Constitutional Right to the seperation of Church and State.
It's a simple concept, one which many on the religious right conveniently choose to ignore except, of course, when they want tax-exempt status or some other benefit from the state. As Loudly as possible, the Christian right proclaims such ubsurdities as, "God will lift his hand of grace from America if gays are allowed to marry!" (Literally I heard this in a video of protests at the Supreme Court this morning)
Sadly, the amount of hate and vitriol directed toward those who don't share their beliefs or refuse to follow the rules and laws of the Christian church is astounding. Many seem to believe that theirs is the only religion acceptable in America.
And to think, I once believed we lived in a secular society!
The good news is it's not up to the religious right whether or not same-sex marriage is legalized, and the Supreme Court has hinted toward a positive resolution for the many LGBTQ Americans who've decided no longer to hide in the shadows, but to stant proud with their partners and proclaim, "I DO!"