Steven on Same-Sex Marriage

- 2 minutes read - 385 words

First things first, let me say that I am an ardent supporter of the separation of church and state. This is one of the most fundamental beliefs I hold about the world around me.

It cheapens religion to put it in the State and the State has no business commenting or being involved with people’s faith (or lack thereof).

The intermingling of the two caused some of the most bitter wars in Europe that the West has ever known and even today this lack of partition is responsible for making sure that the mortars keep falling in Kashmir.

So, to address what my title speaks of.

“Marriage”, the term gets tossed around cavalierly as if we al agree as to what it is and in which context we are speaking. Marriage, as far as the church is concerned, should be something about a mythical/spiritual union between a man and a woman. Yes, there is another use of the word marriage which specifies a legal or tax-related status between two citizens, this is civic marriage - the sole provenance of the secular, no religion before any other, Establishment clause and all that State.

For example if X and Y are civilly wed (i.e. obtained a marriage license), if X dies the property will automatically be given to Y sans much difficulty; X and Y can apply to own property in common, etc.

Now, in the absence of civic unions being available in all states (like they are in Europe), access to this bundle of contract-capability and legal benefits is only available to a man and woman. Therefore, a whole class of individuals are banned from these legal advantages and tax burdens.

This is wrong. In the eyes of the state, all people should have right to enter this covenant.

That’s not to say it isn’t politically useful. The Christian Right of course wants to make sure that their muddying of the partition between Church and State continues and will demand something like a constitutional amendment enshrining giving a weaker minority position an other status.

I also think that it is shameful that the President is using the Constitution as a wedge between the population. Shameful.

Funny, Republicans carry the state’s rights flag most of the time, except when they want to push their own moral agenda.