Are Christian American Extremist the reason it took Same sex marriage so long to be legalized in the U.S?

[Raven722]

Adinnieken said:

Raven722 said:

First, the term and concept of marriage is not exclusive to Christianity and was around long before it. So they don't own any rights to it nor should they be awarded such a thing. Then you also have to consider that being an atheist or of any religion besides Christianity is a sin as well. So are you going to start telling everyone in the nation that is not Christian that they cannot refer to it as being 'married'? Why not? You would have already prevented homosexuals from doing it. Why not go further and make sure those other heathens can't do it, too? It's ridiculous. It's just a compromise to help make Christian Americans feel like they're even more special in this world than they already believe they are and make it feel like they didn't really lose the argument.

I think you're missing the point.  If religions want marriage to be a sacred institution, let it be so.  Whether the term is civil unions or some other term, use it to describe a civil union, which is what a marriage is outside of sans religion.

I'm not missing the point at all. My point is that your point is absurd. It's not simply about how the term is used. It's an extension of the bigotry that Christians show others. It doesn't begin and end with homosexuals and marriage. They should not be awarded anything. Marriage is NOT a religious concept or term. It did not begin as, nor is it, THEIR sacred institution. Christians want you to think that it is. The only reason to call it anything other than marriage is because religious bigots can't stand the idea that they are not, in some way, denying people something if those people don't follow the rules that these Christians have chosen for themselves. They want a term and concept which predates their religion to be legally recognized as a Christian idea. If they don't like it then THEY can be the ones who choose a new term. Not force everyone else to accept the term as theirs when it never was to begin with. Besides, this is ultimately about striking down homosexuality. They don't bother trying to protest non-religious straight marriages which should be considered just as blasphemous to them if they think what they're trying to uphold is some kind of Christian born value or idea that only Christians should be allowed to engage in. This is much less about the ownership of a term and much more about trying to shaft a particular group of people that Christians don't like with every chance they try to give themselves.