SoliDeoGloria said:
So let me get this straight. A marriage, to you, is a legally recognized contract between concenting adults. The one thing I am now curious of is what does this contract require besides being
Um, yes that is exactly what a marriage is. Religion is not a part of my life, so I define marriage the same way the government does.
What I mean is if this is all marriage is, then obviously sexual relations are a completely unrelated issue, therefore even arguing the two as if they are related is really quite unproductive either way.
Exactly. What goes on in the private lives of two consenting adults isn't anyone's busniess - not the governments, not the church's, and not yours or mine. That's why nobody asks you what kind of sex you like to have when you apply for a marriage license.
On top of that, I would have to wonder why the government should even be involved in regulating private businesses?
This is a completely different monster. Personally I don't think the government SHOULD be regulating private business, but that has nothing to do with marriage.
If this is the case then I don't see why I can't just take all my buddies down to the courthouse, get "married", then we can all be on the same insurance plans and recieve all the benefits also. What would be so wrong with that?
Legally?
Absolutely nothing. Morally, maybe some people who think marriage is a sacred religious bond would think otherwise, but as far as who can and who can't recieve a license from the state, then that morality has nothing to do with it. If you think it's immoral then you won't do it. The state doesn't care how long you've dated, if or how you love each other, or whether you're "just friends". Two consenting adult citizens of the country and state. That's all it takes. If personal life or morality isn't an issue for the state in giving out this paperwork, why shouldn't it be extended to any pair of consenting adults?
Is a working contract between two individuals to get a certain job done, which are legally recognized, also considered a marriage and entitled to the same benefits?
No. Not all legal contracts between two people are marriages. On a purely semantic level you could argue that. But, a marriage contract is a very specific contract that requires specific paperwork, information, and specific people to co-sign with you and your partner. A contract between two people to work together on a job is a business contract, and has very different requirements for paperwork, and sometimes requires a laywer depending on how complicated the contract is.
There are just too many questions left to be ansered in you response.
Like what? I have time, trust me. I'm telling you what the rules are for two heterosexual people to obtain a marriage that is legal. Those rules are two consenting adults with a drivers license, and a justice of the peace. Questioning that system is questioining the rules that are already in place in government's system for marriage, which is still legally only between a man and a woman. Should we add questions about a person's private life to the paperwork to ensure their relationship is "valid"?
Obviously you cared enough to make the effort to go to the county clerks office, give them information, and pay them money to get your marriage legally recognized which could also be called legally "validated", but this was just so you could recieve and has absolutely no bearing on what this relationship of yours even is right?
Gramatically I'm having a hard time understanding what you're trying to say here, but here's my answer. People get married for many reasons. People get married in many different ways. The host of legal and financial benefits granted to a married couple from the government are the only reason to apply for a license. If these things didn't matter at all to you, and all you and your partner cared about was a marriage recognised by God and not the government, I'm sure you'd be able to find a priest or a rabbi or anyone else willing to marry you before God according to the rules of your religion without signing the legal paperwork.
I don't need you, the government, or God to tell me whether or not my relationship is valid. There are no standards for validity in that sense other then consent, and being of legal age.
You know, it's also a law in NY that whoever is officiating your marriage ask you if you "come into this marriage of your own free will".
...anyway, in theory, if polygamous marriages were legalized, through numerous inter-marriages, everyone in the country could be conceivably be 'married' to everyone else.:group: That would certainly have an effect on us all.
