Give Marriage Back To Religion

[McBell]

My solution to the same sex marriage debate: eliminate government sanction of marriage altogether. There's something deeply troubling to me about our secular government attaching rights to rites.

I propose that we replace legal marriage with a neutral contract. Let's call it a Declaration of Household. Any consenting adults, regardless of gender or familial relation, can enter into a DoH as co-heads of household, the only requirement is that they live together. They file taxes jointly, have presumed power of attorney, survivor's benefits, protection for dependents, everything right and responsibility that goes with the recognition of married couples as a single household.

Marriage is given back to religion. Churches can marry or refuse to marry whomever they please.

Thoughts?

What is so special about the word "marriage"?

 

[Storm]

What is so special about the word "marriage"?

 

[McBell]

Seems to me you are pretty much saying that religion can have the word marriage and that the government calls marriage something else.

 

[Storm]

Seems to me you are pretty much saying that religion can have the word marriage and that the government calls marriage something else.

Why does everybody think that? Since when can sisters marry? Obviously, I'm not getting my ideas across well here, but for the life of me I can NOT see why...

The notion is that government no longer in the marriage business. No more civil unions, no more marriage. Neutral, equal-for-all household contracts with all the rights and responsibilities.

 

[McBell]

Why does everybody think that? Since when can sisters marry? Obviously, I'm not getting my ideas across well here, but for the life of me I can NOT see why...

The notion is that government no longer in the marriage business. No more civil unions, no more marriage. Neutral, equal-for-all household contracts with all the rights and responsibilities.

Marriage is a legal contract, plain and simple.
Anything and everything else that people "attach" to said legal contract outside of what said legal contract grants is nothing more than fluff, window dressing, puffery, etc.

 

[Storm]

Marriage is a legal contract, plain and simple.

Not quite. Marriage is (at least officially) a legal contract between a mated pair AND social recognition of said mating.

 

[McBell]

Not quite. Marriage is (at least officially) a legal contract between a mated pair AND social recognition of said mating.

Mated pair?
Social recognition?

Edit:
I am not trying to be a jerk with my questions.
I am merely trying to avoid making assumptions as to what you mean.

 

[Storm]

That's what I said.

 

[McBell]

That's what I said.

I understand that.
What do you mean, exactly.

 

[Storm]

I understand that.
What do you mean, exactly.

... I'm not sure I can say it any plainer. What confuses you?

 

[McBell]

... I'm not sure I can say it any plainer. What confuses you?

Mated pair

Do you mean having sex?
Merely living together?
​

Social recognition

What recognition are they receiving that would not fall into either the terms of the contract, I.E. tax breaks, or fluffy window dressing?
​

 

[Storm]

Mated pair

Do you mean having sex?
Merely living together?
​

Social recognition

What recognition are they receiving that would not fall into either the terms of the contract, I.E. tax breaks, or fluffy window dressing?
​

Well, mating does imply sex, yes. I suppose the social recognition could fall under window dressing... not entirely sure what you mean by that.

 

[McBell]

Well, mating does imply sex, yes. I suppose the social recognition could fall under window dressing... not entirely sure what you mean by that.

So how would couples who get married but do not engage in sex fit in?

Window dressing would be like the claims of sanctity, the personal feelings towards marriage, the belief that god is involved, etc.

 

[Storm]

So how would couples who get married but do not engage in sex fit in?

They're just weird.

There are exceptions to every rule, sweetie. Not denying that.

Window dressing would be like the claims of sanctity, the personal feelings towards marriage, the belief that god is involved, etc.

Ah, I see. No, I don't think social recognition falls into that category. It's not a legal benefit either, though.

 

[Rakhel]

You are referring to something like an LLC? with a Living Will attachment?

 

[Storm]

What's an LLC?

 

[Penumbra]

What's an LLC?

limited liability company

 

[Rakhel]

A limited liability company (LLC) is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions. LLCs do not need to be organized for profit.

Limited liability company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is something yosi and I discussed when we lived in Arkansas and were the straight couple at one of the gay bars. ( I miss that place that one bar tender had my drink sitting on the bar before I even got around to ordering it.) The owners where a gay couple and we think this is what they used to get around the laws when one got sick.

 

[Storm]

A limited liability company (LLC) is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions. LLCs do not need to be organized for profit.

Limited liability company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is something yosi and I discussed when we lived in Arkansas and were the straight couple at one of the gay bars. ( I miss that place that one bar tender had my drink sitting on the bar before I even got around to ordering it.) The owners where a gay couple and we think this is what they used to get around the laws when one got sick.

OK. Yeah, something like that, only more comprehensive.

 

[ninerbuff]

It still baffles me why religion focuses on "marriage" when in reality regardless if you're married in a church, in a field, under water, at Disneyland, etc. WITHOUT A LICENSE, it ain't a LEGAL marriage. You could have a perfect ritual, perfect prayer, perfect wedding and it still wouldn't be a marriage without a license.
So why deny a license to same sex couples for the purposes of legal marriage? The religious can still keep their "sacred marriage" intact with their wedding rituals?