Gay Marriage Essay

Persons acquire special duties on account of their moral and legal relationship to another. One such relationship is established in marriage. Marriage is a moral and legal contact between a man and woman. It is a moral contract because it is entered into by both parties, giving free and voluntary consent. It is a legal contract because it is solemnized in accordance with the law. Marriage is an important institutional element of the family. It is the cultural mechanism that ensures its continuity. Marriage is an institution consisting of a cluster or mores and folkways, of attitudes, ideas, and ideals, of social definitions and legal restrictions (see Brennan, Robert Edward: Thomistic Psychology, New York Macmillan Co. , 1999). People marry for a combination of reasons: love, economic and emotional security, the parents’ wishes, escape from loneliness or an unhappy home situation, money, companionship, protection, adventure, or common interests (see Buckley, Joseph: Man’s last End, London, Herder Book Co. , 1999). Sex or sexual attraction is the least consideration, but marriage makes sexual intercourse legitimate. It sanctions parenthood and provides a stable background for rearing of children. Marriage is the foundation of the family, an inviolable social institution. Its purpose may not necessarily be for procreation or to have children but for companionship, as in the case of couples past the age of procreation. This paper intends to discuss the pros and cons of gay marriage or same-sex marriage. II. Discussion A. Pros †¢ Society should allow same Gay Marriage: In the article, fighting the same sex marriage should be allowed. Ralph Wedgwood firmly believes that same- sex couple has every right to marry. For him, marriage is not just a mere ceremony but through it the people in the community may know that both of the parties are very serious of their relationship and that it is not just a game. For them, it is a commitment and a thing to be really cherished even if the society throws issues on them. Having a same sex relationship that eventually, if permitted could lead to marriage is about a domestic and long lasting relationship. The article by Wedgwood, who is an assistant professor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of technology at Cambridge. The purpose of marriage is mutual support and companionship. Marriage is a state where spouses compliment each other. Love and concern for each other is the foundation of a happy marriage. Without such love and appreciation for each other, no man and woman or a couple with the same sex can be together permanently. Thus, such love which draws spouses in marriage must be more than physical attachment, sexual attraction, or infatuation. It is the deep commitment of matured persons for each other. Married spouses have every rights and duties to perform like in the financial aspect, in division of possession, insurance and other things that should be shared by the couple. Many same sex couples now are being given privilege if they are not yet married or are committed legally with each other Marriage is not just about rights and benefits they will get from the society and with their partners. It is a deeper union of the souls loving each other. Some people tags marriage of low- respect, they see marriage as a means of satisfying ones’ self of sexual desires, well in fact it is more than that. Procreation and sex are not the only reason why people want to get married. Some couples after getting married and found out that it won’t click, and then decides to get a divorce. A person does not have any right to choose and disapprove a decided marriage, the decision is up to the ones involve in the relationship. The laws determine the ones who are those that are married and those who are not being recognized. Society’s expectations on marriage depend on the rights and obligations of both parties, thus these duties and obligations should be done by both parties. The spouse should support his/ her partner, and if divorce will result they should equally divide all their properties. Marriage is a serious thing to decide. The parties should be that committed and they should really love and care for each other. Marriage is not just a joke; it is a long term domestic partnership with the one you adore. Same sex couples want to get married for the reasons that a normal boy- girl relationship also has. They are not just after of the benefits and privilege that they could get in the society and with their spouses but they also want to be recognized by the society. Their relationship is not just purely based on lust or sexual desires but also for them to have a serious commitment, like sharing of responsibilities. Many homosexuals, lesbians and gays aspires that what the society expects of marriage is also the kind of marriage that they are dreaming to achieve or to have. Many questions are being raised on having a domestic partnership. People may ask, if having a domestic partnership is renewable? Do they really have to support each other in all aspects? Or they just stick with each other because of sex and fun? For the society, it is less recognized than having the ceremony of marriage. They wanted to be recognized by the society that even if they are of the same sex, they still know what real love is and they are ready for a lifetime commitment. For them it is the greatest benefit of marriage, to be recognized by the society and that is why the State disapproves of this. Many critics say that if same- sex marriage is approved it would then deviate to the real purpose of marriage, such as its real meaning like procreation or the process of bearing children. But as we see now, some of the married couples are not able to perform this duty. The disapproval of same sex marriage still needs to be reviewed. The State is concerned on the moral values of the church, and Christianity. Some believes that heterosexual partnerships are above homosexual relationships. Many criticized same sex marriage and many are against it because it if is approved it will just be equal with the heterosexuals and it will just lower the view of the society about relationships. They should be allowed because they are not hideous criminals to do such an act; it is just being with someone you love. The murderers and even convicted criminals are allowed to marry but still the State still does not allow this kind of relationship. Same sex marriage would not force anybody to allow this gay or lesbian relationship if it is just totally against them and their beliefs. But all they wanted to happen is for the society to understand their feelings and relationships with the same sex and they are really serious with it. B. Cons †¢ Society should not allow same- Sex marriage: According to Burman Skrable, when same- sex marriage will be legalized it would be a great detriment to the society. It totally deviates from the real purpose of marriage which is to â€Å"procreate†. These children will be the future of the society and the environment. Approving it would somehow destroy the essence of marriage and the family which is the basic unit of the society by legalizing a relationship that is non procreative. Some Christians fight to disapprove it. For it totally disobeys God’s doctrines and Commandments. But all of them are aware that these days, there are great query about the laws that God has put up because of the rising taboo that has been happening in the society now. Great changes are being called out by the believers but the challenge of this is fast arising. We should stand firm and follow or obey the instructions that God has written in His Word. We should not involve ourselves in such promiscuous acts that we ourselves know is unacceptable towards God. The couple should give a stable future to their children and family that may be in the aspects of financial, emotional and spiritual. They should bring their children to school and educate them and let them become a friend to all. But how would these become successful if a child is being brought up in such an abnormal way, where in his/ her mother and father are of same sexes. The traditional family is composed of the husband, wife and natural children. These units of the society are all normal variables. This is the one that gives a bright future for the society they are in and also by forming a natural family. The family is the most basic unit of the society where the children are being taught values and morals that greatly affect on how they interact with other individuals in the society. Yes, raising a family is sometimes hard especially in raising finances for their education, but the hardship is worth fighting for because of the love you feel for them. The society expects that these children would make their family and their parents as a model as they will grow and build a family of their own. The society needs a family that is stable and the one that they can really recognize. What they expect is a male and female marriage and not of the same sex. The greatly arising sexual revolution brought a big impact on how individuals and the society see and do things, that sometimes they think is not bad were in fact it has already crossed God‘s boundaries. Time has erased the moral values that we should follow, like now marriage is already not seen as a form of procreation, for raising children; that there should be faithfulness and that sex should only be done with in the bounds of it. For Karen Murray it has become a public declaration of love and pledge of fidelity with the partner. The rise of the same revolutionary forces encourages this interest for having a homosexual marriage. The belief that sex is not just about procreating drives the toleration of the society of this same- sex marriage. But the homosexuals does not get affected by this instead they are proud that they have found a relationship where in they will cherish and have commitment forever. Gay marriage or same sex-marriage is totally erasing the real definition of marriage. It removes the reality that it is only the man and the women are to be bind, that both partners should procreate to raise their children who are the hope of the society’ improvement. Approving or making same- sex marriage legal would dissolve the uniqueness of the sacrament that God has given to us. If same sex marriage would be approve, it could jeopardize the health of the society. Diseases like HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases are much great when one is involved in this same- sex marriage. III. Conclusion The foundation of the family is marriage, which provides the cultural mechanism to insure its continuity. This marriage is the one God wanted for us. The family performs varied functions, among them the sex and parental function, socialization and social control, biological maintenance, status placement, and economic, religious, educational, recreational, and political functions. Therefore, Marriage is such a holy and sanctified Eucharist and is bound to be respected by people.