| Joelcool7 said: Alright I recently got in a debate over gay marriage and the right of marriage in general. I was called uneducated etc...etc.. for not believing marriage is a right under the declaration of rights or Canada, USA, Australian Constitutions. However I knew my declaration of rights pretty well and with a nights research realized that not only is marriage not a legal right guaranteed in the Canadian constitution or Declaration of Rights but it isn't in the US Constitution or Bill of Rights either or the Australian ones. So the question has to be asked, legally and democratically is marriage a right that each and every citizen is entitled to? Also if marriage is a right that each and every citizen is entitled to like how Health Care is in Canada and such then what are the implications on society? I'll start with my opinion based on the Constitution of Canada, USA and Britian. I do not believe marriage is a right as it has no legal recognition as one. None of our countries have put marriage in their contitutions or rights bills. Their isn't a single country that I know of which believes marriage is a right to all citizens. Am I entitled to the right to get married? If I want to marry another man, animal or object should I have that right? Is it owed to me am I being treated unfairly and not as an equal if I am not given the right to get married to whoever or what ever I want? In my opinion and the opinion of almost every dictionary prior to 2003. Marriage is a bond both legally and spiritually between a man and women. The definition is explicit marriage is not between two men, two women, a woman/man and an animal or a man/woman and a object. The definition was actually changed in 2004. So was that change nescessary and supported legally by the Constitution or law? I would like to see some legal evidence to support that change in definition and law? Marriage is a religious ceremony and religious institution. Sure it was recognized by the Government but its basis and grounds are in religion. So what entitles beastiality followers, homosexuals and object fetishers to marriage? Some have argued that their were gay unions back in the Roman and Greek empires. But were those union's marriages recognized by the church,temple etc...etc.. or were they just two men or women living with one another? Also to use those as examples in Greek and Roman times a fifty year old could marry a five year old, does that mean that pedophilia should be legal as well because it was in the Roman/Greek empires? So thats my opinion on marriage, it is a religious institution between a man and a women before God and there for the law. Not the legal right of any or every citizen, object or animal. My opinion is based on the Constitutions of Canada, US and Australia. So what's your opinion, is Marriage a right that should be guaranteed to all citizens? If so why do you believe that and what are your legal grounds to believe that? Notice this thread is not about Gay Marriage, it is about whether marriage is a fundamental right legally or democratically. Also please no flaming, derailing or insulting in this thread. This is not a troll thread it should be a civilized discussion on whether Marriage is a right to all citizens and whether it constitutionally or legally is such. Why do you think marriage is a right? |
If marriage is a religious institution and you're using freedom of religion as a defence of banning gay marriage, what about the religions/churches who are fine with marrying gay couples (and believe me, quite a few exist)? Their religious rights are being infringed by banning them from marrying gay couples under your argument.
Also marrying children and animals would still be illegal for the same reason having sex with them is - both are unable to properly give consent.
