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My Marriage Is Stronger Today
Friday, 26 June 2015 11:43So... The Supreme Court of the United States goes 2-2 over the last two days. And gay marriage is now the law of the land.
I am neither gay, nor lesbian -- or other factions beyond the traditional and oversimplified binary choices. But I have friends who are. And it's 2015. Hell, Ireland of all places actually voted for marriage equality, rather than doing it judicially.
But it turns out that I did have skin in this game.
Because one of the arguments against marriage equality is that marriage as an institution is ONLY about procreation. Which means the 31 years of marriage with Mrs. Dr. Phil isn't considered a marriage, because we have no children.
Justice Kennedy's majority opinion actually addressed this -- that there are many married couples who have no children, whether by choice or not, whose marriages are not defined by children. (I don't have the quote in front of me.)
What this decision does NOT do is destroy the sanctity of church marriages.
We were not married in a Catholic Church... because we were not Catholic.
We were not married in a Baptist Church... because we were not Baptist.
We were not married in a synagogue... because we were not Jewish.
There are TWO ways of marriage in this country -- secular and religious. What this ruling does is open up secular marriages to all. If your church doesn't support gay marriage, don't marry gays. But your religion does not get to tell everyone else what to do. That way leads to madness. We do not have a state religion in the United States. Period.
So... congratulations to all whose relationships are now allowed across the country. Gone are the days where you could be married in one state -- and have your marriage denied in another. Gone are the days where you could be married in one state -- and have the voters decide your marriage is invalid, even to the point of refunding your marriage license fee.
This is as much about death as about life. Gone are the legal disasters that will accompany committed people as they age and die, because now they can get spousal rights if they want.
My marriage is stronger today.
11,488 days later.
Dr. Phil
I am neither gay, nor lesbian -- or other factions beyond the traditional and oversimplified binary choices. But I have friends who are. And it's 2015. Hell, Ireland of all places actually voted for marriage equality, rather than doing it judicially.
But it turns out that I did have skin in this game.
Because one of the arguments against marriage equality is that marriage as an institution is ONLY about procreation. Which means the 31 years of marriage with Mrs. Dr. Phil isn't considered a marriage, because we have no children.
Justice Kennedy's majority opinion actually addressed this -- that there are many married couples who have no children, whether by choice or not, whose marriages are not defined by children. (I don't have the quote in front of me.)
What this decision does NOT do is destroy the sanctity of church marriages.
We were not married in a Catholic Church... because we were not Catholic.
We were not married in a Baptist Church... because we were not Baptist.
We were not married in a synagogue... because we were not Jewish.
There are TWO ways of marriage in this country -- secular and religious. What this ruling does is open up secular marriages to all. If your church doesn't support gay marriage, don't marry gays. But your religion does not get to tell everyone else what to do. That way leads to madness. We do not have a state religion in the United States. Period.
So... congratulations to all whose relationships are now allowed across the country. Gone are the days where you could be married in one state -- and have your marriage denied in another. Gone are the days where you could be married in one state -- and have the voters decide your marriage is invalid, even to the point of refunding your marriage license fee.
This is as much about death as about life. Gone are the legal disasters that will accompany committed people as they age and die, because now they can get spousal rights if they want.
My marriage is stronger today.
11,488 days later.
Dr. Phil
Posted on Dreamwidth Crossposted on LiveJournal
