Nonsense! The State has many non-religious compelling reasons for marriage between a man and a woman, only.
Marriage is where a man and a woman come together to do the hard work of creating and training the next generation of good citizens. Romance is irrelevant to the institution (arranged marriages dominated only 75+ years ago). The Family of a Man and a woman, as trainers and role models for the 2 sexes of children, is the most efficient manner to train the next generation of "good" citizens, in the their respective roles. Hence the State has a compelling interest in marriage between a man and a woman, the production of the next generation of citizens.
On the other hand, the State has no interest in romantic relationships. They are inherently fleeting and transitory nature, and have non productive impact on society, that is, until it changes to the marriage institution.
So the State has NO interest in either hetero or gay romantic relationships. Those are individuals matters.
Same sex couples, unlike married hetero couples, cannot do any of this without extreme scientific intervention, or borrowing from the other sex...which is inefficient , and, they can only impart one model of sex roles, depriving the children of wholeness. The State has no interest in creating more confused children.

Nor is there a compelling State interest in changing the definition of marriage. It is a complete institution which already serves the State and society efficiently.

Have you not noted that other countries (ones much older than our own!) don't have this issue? Look around - China, Japan, Nepal, India, Russia, and other Asian, middle-east to far eastern countries, the european countries as well are not voting on it! Even the countries in Africa - they don't argue or vote on what a marriage and family are/look like. They just do it and it's accepted as the way it's supposed to be - and there are hundreds of varied religions spanning the globe, the vast majority, BY FAR all marrying in the same way that MOST Americans marry, and want to continue to, and to keep those values and pass them on to their progeny. All over the world, we can all see that by far, the greatest majority of "intimate" relationships are those between male and female, who HAVE THEIR OWN BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN, BECAUSE OUR BODIES, MINDS AND HEARTS WERE MADE TO DESIRE AND ENJOY DOING SO! How many gay ape or monkey relationships have you seen/heard of, or elephant, dog, cat, frog gay relationships? Duh! Our bodies are made in a way that VERY CLEARLY IS COMPLEMENARY TO THAT OF THE OPPOSITE SEX - NOT THE SAME
-WHICH IS WHY GAY COUPLES CANNOT PROCREATE -IF GAY MARRIAGE IS GOOD, HONORABLE OR NORMAL, IF YOU HAVE YOUR WAY, WE'LL EVENTUALLY BE EXTINCT BECAUSE OF THAT! I hardly think that's good for the human race, do you? Clearly, though there are hundreds of different religions, anti-gay is not rooted in religion, but common sense and bodies working as they were made to!

This country was founded on Judeo-Christian moral principles and the founding fathers new losing those principles and our sense of religion would be deadly. Stop forcing anti-religion on this country.

If that is the case, Nancy, you should not have any trouble producing examples of such thinking in our Constitution. Please show us specific references to and endorsement of Biblical principles and language in our founding documents.

But you will not be able to. That is because the Founding Fathers - with the Church of England very much in their minds - were quite clear that they did not wish any supposed "moral principles" to be inflicted on their new endeavor. Hence the assertion that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".

Hatred is not moral, Nancy. If you choose to live an immoral lifestyle, that is up to you, but we shall not have you forcing your confused phobias on our loved ones and our country.

@ Jim C, don't talk on a subject you know nothing about. I wasn't pushed into loving anybody, however I had a crush on a girl when I was 3. If I had a crush on a boy when I were 3, that makes me coached that way? No, it surely does not. You need to meet my friend David, and quit judging people about stuff you know nothing about at all.

And Jim, I'm not christian, I don't give a damn what God thinks, you're living your life on based on what a book says. And the moral of the book is to treat everyone equal. You're surely not following your book properly with asinine comments like that.

@Mike "Please show us specific references to and endorsement of Biblical principles and language in our founding documents."

The Declaration of Independence was the concept and this concept was manifested in the Constitution. "That all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..." Ninety-three percent (51 of 55 members) of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were Christian. You will read in Article 1 Section 7 of the Constitution that the president of the United States has ten days, Sundays excepted, to return a bill to the Congress. Sundays excepted!

I would agree with you that the Founding Fathers sought to set up a just society, not a Christian theocracy. That being said, the First Amendment insured the liberty needed for Christianity to be a preserving influence and moral beacon for the land.

On a side note, you have not demonstrated that Nancy is acting from hatred. A new law or a vote is someone forcing their moral concerns on others. So I hope you are not saying that because Nancy may have religious faith that she should have no vote or that she should have no voice in public.

How many of you anti-gay folks actually LIVE in New Hampshire? Because the vast majority of us like our equal marriage law very much, thanks, and have no need for out-of-staters with a hateful agenda messing with *our* state laws. Mind your own business.

To Cyndi-- not a very well thought out comment----- You base your moral decisions on some world view that you have adopted. Christians base theirs on what they believe God has laid out for us humans. This may be different from yours but we live in a democracy and have a right to vote just like everyone else. It is interesting that you use the words "false morality" -- you may trust yourself to determine your own moral code or standard-- we call this being your own god, very appealing but dangerous. Christians put their trust in God's view of morality-- that does not mean we live outstanding moral lives, but we know that there is a solid standard that is our measure.

@maggie: You DO NOT, however, have the right to vote away a law that is already in existence in a state you do not even reside in. What nosy busybodies you guys are. Seriously. What you're suggesting -- imposing your "morality" on gay couples living in NH -- is akin to all of us NH citizens strolling down to YOUR state and voting on YOUR marriage. Jesus Christ!

WOW! Just got an update on this debate - it's amazing that a "marriage supporter, protector, defender", whichever one you are - can make public threats by claiming that a vote against changing marriage and making it something it's not is a threat to you and your "family". The fact that you want to set up housekeeping with someone of the same sex is your prerogative - that's true, and not one person here has argued that point - nor have they been using the same threatening and violent speech as you have.

All any of us who are Christians and YES -THERE IS A TRADITIONAL FAMILY - A MALE AND FEMALE MOM AND DAD WITH CHILDREN, OR WITHOUT! - who have taken vows to "love, honor and cherish til death them does part" And by the way, the marriage vows TRADITIONALLY HAVE ALWAYS ALSO SAID "DO YOU,......TAKE......TO BE YOUR LAWFUL WEDDED HUSBAND, AND .....LAWFUL WEDDED WIFE" -those vows have TRADITIONALLY, for as long as man and woman have existed, been said between heterosexual couples, not same sex couples! You can threaten all you want - everyone in this country has a right to vote a law in or out - same with voting in or out anyone in public service who is not doing what the VOTE requires them to do, which is what the MAJORITY has voted! I'm sorry that you're having such difficulty in grasping the fact that you just need to find another name to call your "unions", because they are not,nor will they ever be,in our minds, a marriage, no matter what you want, say, scream or threaten!

WOW! Just got an update to this debate. You're a dullard. It is not a threat you unlettered lummox. Its a promise. Nobody is "setting up housekeeping".It's called living our lives. You are not "Christians", you are a version of "Christian" &you don't represent all.NO there is no such thing as "traditional family" you fascist harridan.You don't define family for me or anybody but your own insignificant self. Learn how to respect other people's families you wrapped up "I'm superior to everybody who isn't like me" reich-y. We take the same vows so your pulp prattle is moot. Again you don't define vows for anybody but your insignificant self. I don't care what your "traditions" are, nor do I have to, BY LAW, adhere to them.NOBODY has the right to vote on my life.PERIOD.I'm sorry you have such difficulty in grasping the fact you fascist benighted troglodyte. We will call our unions whatever we want because that is our freedom of speech &the government will respect it, recognize it, &protect it 100% willingly with NO CHOICE or it will be forced to &you will learn to deal with it whether you like it or not. It IS marriage &it always will be. What your delusional selfish mind thinks, wants, believes in reference to MY life is irrelevant &nothing but detritus like you no matter what you want, say, scream, blah blah blah! You actually believe that whatever goes on in your paltry mind is of any importance to me or any LGBT person or Straight Ally. LOL. GFOYS you arrogant pap. G.U. oIo

SO, who comes here acting like a "dullard", or "unlettered", who comes on here saying that those who don't agree with your lifestyle, or whatever you think best to call what you do? The facts are that when something comes up for a vote, the MAJORITY of the vote determines what is going to be done about your desire to have the government sanction your romances. In addition to that fact is the fact that for millennia, there obviously have been BILLIONS MORE heterosexually married people, who have called their particular, PECULIAR UNION -MARRIAGE. It was named and ordained to be a MARRIAGE by the ONE who created mankind in HIS image, and that being the case,it really doesn't matter what YOUR INSIGNFICANT SELF WANTS. Why is it that we Christians (who are told in the BIBLE to hate what GOD HATES, are being exclusionary, bigotted, and hateful for adhering to the precepts set before us by a loving, all knowing and ALL POWERFUL GOD, yet you are not exclusionary for condemning us for what we believe and do? You're no better than the people you think we are in your minds -actually, you're worse, because at least a Christian can back their beliefs with something besides the fact that they want it to be so. What evidence do you bring to this conversation that says SSM is not harmful? The number of broken families? The number of confused kids and young adults who don't know what's right, seeing so many different lifestyles? I think not. Saying it, it don't make it so, does it?

What you call a "lifestyle" is NOT a "lifestyle" so your unlettered "agreement" is irrelevant. The "majority" has no vote on my life.The gov. has no choice but to sanction our romances because we pay them too.The marriage clerks, bureaus, &licenses are paid for out of my pocket. 3 opts 1)Give it to me willingly 2)Give me my money back 3)Or I will take it.You have no proof of anything/anybody "creating" mankind but that is irrelevant because according to CONSTITUTIONAL LAW &my 1st amendment right I do NOT have to bow down to whatever fantasy world manmade "creator" you do.What I want in reference to MY life DOES matter. What you want in reference to MY life does NOT matter.Your version of "Christian" is being blah blah because you are fundamentally incapable of MINDING YOUR OWN F-ING BUSINESS &staying the F out of any &all aspects of other peoples lives therefore you need to be put in your place.Adhere to whatever you want, but the gov. cannot &WILL NOT demand or force me or any of us to adhere to what you want or believe in reference to OUR LIVES.You can't back up shite w/your selfish fairytale based memes. The rest of your unsubstantiated biased &benighted diatribe is nothing but worthless dross like you, Fascist termagant. No broken families.No confused kids/young adults.They know exactly what is right.You don't have a say in the matter. They are not your children or families.You provide NOTHING for them,you busy-body nosey grubbing bitch.What you say, doesn't make it so.

There is no better seducer then men. The inward sense of guilt perversion induces in homosexuals is ameliorated through the seduction of beguilable heterosexuals. This then allows a false sense of acceptance of their lifestye masking their sense of guilt.
One may ask what is wrong with loving another. As is the method of homosexual "sex", which is to say backward so to is the joining of same sex couples as compared to opposite sex couples, they do it up front. Homosexuals do it backwards. I mean, come -on the colon collects waste, bacteria, you know stinky, smelly stuff. So what is homesexuallity? It is the preversion of childern by adults who pass it through the generations. It is an entity that lives in the mind of those infected. Much like the body snatchers, homosexuals have been infected with the spirits of perversion. My advice is to treat them with common courtesy, don't be friends because you are then enabling perversion. They are really seeking correction not acceptance.

Conjectures, incorrect use words & some that don't exist.I don't feel any guilt,fact. I live 100% honestly to myself, friends,family, etc. You have no way of knowing otherwise. Since ONLY I lived my life,what I say about myself &how I feel is fact .PERIOD. All the rest of your uncouth diatribe has nothing to do w/marriage so it is all irrelevant, will be ignored & has by every court.I have not been infected by anything. The adults in my life taught me real moral values of do not lie, cheat, steal, or harm others (unless you are defending yourself or protecting another), respect my elders, absorb everything from history,math, philosophy &science to sports,adventure, travel,nature &all forms of art &always do for those less fortunate then myself. Awe,you don't want to be our friends unless we live every aspect of our lives how you selfishly want. How ever will I go on w/my life? LOL.I am not seeking "correction", fact.Your meaningless "acceptance" is of less value then a penny flattened by a train.Your "acceptance" can't buy me food, shelter, clothes, healthcare/insurance so it means nothing .Truth be told, take your common "courtesy"& shove it.

See that's where your argument falls off the cliff. This isn't about you or your belief. This isn't about a "lifestyle" or nature. This isn't about sex even. This is about access to legal protections offered to everyone in this country.

Nothing except tolerance is taught in schools - and that goes as much toward people like you who would force everyone into your mould as it does to people who fit no one's mould.

'Separate but equal' doesn't work anywhere, it never has - but 'different' does and that allows for us all to live in harmony, understanding that who you are - and how you choose to live is accepted by law - just like everyone else.

Very good point. It is sad that the LGBT community shows intolerance for opinions that aren't promoting their lifestyle. We should be able to voice our values, whether they stem from values taught in families, formed by ourselves, or taught from our religion. All have equal voice and weight in our country. A major reason why I engage in this debate and participate politically is because of the consequences of allowing SSM. It doesn't simply stop at two gay couples getting married. It has consequences for children, for what will be taught in schools (California has a bill that promotes homosexual lifestyles in schools for as young as 5 years old!), how businesses and people are either being sued or threatened with serious financial loss or death threats for speaking out their mind against SSM. This is real, and will ultimately be a battle between personal sexual freedom and religious freedom. I sure hope we can be civil and respectfully engage in a dialogue where we can find a good compromise, as I fear the results if this does not happen..

Marriage Defender: I'm not interested in what you believe. You are absolutely entitled to whatever belief you like about any topic you wish. What you don't have a right to do is to take away someone else's right to make basic decisions for him/herself and his/her family. No one is trying to stop you from getting married and enjoying the rights, privileges and protections that license conveys. You however are trying to stop others.

YES YOUR RIGHT. WE HATE THE SIN BUT NOT THE SINNER. CHRISTIANS ARE A REFLECTION OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HE LIVES WITHIN OUR HEARTS. MIKE PEARSON NEEDS TO READ THE BIBLE FOR HIS ANSWERS ON MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN & WOMAN. IN GENESIS 2:18-24 HE SPEAKS OF CREATION OF MAN & WOMAN. EVE RECEIVED A RIB FROM ADAM. THEY BECAME ONE FLESH AND MAN WAS TO FORSAKE ALL OTHER AND CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE. THE FIRST INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP OF ADAM AND EVE GAVE THEM CHILDREN, CAIN AND ABEL, THE FIRST FAMILY. NOW HOW DARE YOU MOCK GOD WITH GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES. SATAN IS WORKING TO DESTROY MANKIND WITH THOSE MARRIAGES. MAN WITH MAN AND WOMAN WITH WOMAN CANNOT HAVE A BABY FROM THEIR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP. ONLY A WOMAN'S EGG FERTILIZED BY A MAN'S SPERM WITH GOD'S HELP CREATES A HUMAN LIFE, A BABY. LIVING AS HOMOSEXUALS IS SINFUL AND GOD STATES IN LEVITICUS THESE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE IN HEAVEN UNLESS THEY CHANGE THEIR WAYS AND ASKED GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. ALSO MIKE THE BIBLE LETS YOU KNOW HOW TO RECEIVE JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR AND RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE JESUS PAYED FOR YOUR SINS ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY, (GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER) SO MARRIAGE IS SACRED BETWEEN A MAN & WOMAN AND WILL PROCREATE CHILDREN TO KEEP THE HUMAN RACE LIVING UNTIL JESUS RETURNS. THE SIGNS IN NATURE AND THE WORLD'S WARS AMONG NATIONS INDICATES HE IS COMING SOON. ARE YOU TREADY TO MEET HIM? IN HIS LOVE, RUTH

To Ms. Yenc: I'd like to remind you that one man's deeply held religious beliefs may be nothing more than superstitious gobbledygook to someone else. I support your rights to your religious beliefs and expression. However, I think it most inappropriate that your religious beliefs and biblical interpretations should somehow constitute the touchstone for civil law and civil rights. It may be your desire to live in a theocracy; it certainly is not mine.

Hey -- how about you "defend" marriage in YOUR OWN state, and leave OUR state laws alone.

It may or may not be hatred, but feeling the need to restrict the civil rights of others... feeling the need to vote on said rights.. and treating a tax paying segment of the population as second class citizens.... well it's bigotry no matter how you try to spin it.

Nom likes to whine and complain about how those who "defend" marriage are being labeled as bigots, well don't try to treat others as inferiors and you won't be labeled a bigot.

You guys aren't any better that racists and sexists, furthermore you say we don't respect your views and that makes us just as bad as you guys. The difference is we aren't trying to infringe on your rights at all.. you are trying to infringe on ours... We aren't proposing voting on your equal treatment under the law... that would be you guys with us... We aren't wanting you to pay the same first class taxes we pay and getting inferior treatment for doing so.. that would again be you guys.

So I apologize if your victim complex you guys like to play out is laughable at best.

Yes -perhaps we should - and perhaps we'll bring you our SAT scores to put to rest your attempts at calling us ignorant. Perhaps you are the one who needs to be educated - or perhaps you just need to stop shoving the desires of what is clearly a TINY minority on the majority in this country. There are perhaps some other countries where gay relationships are more tolerated, and gays will receive more "love". Here, I guess those of us who were raised in traditional families and want the same for our Majority children feel that since the vote is supposed to go to the majority and not the minority, the debate shouldn't even be about whether or not those who choose to live a perverted lifestyle are "normal" or not, but more about how democracy is supposed to operate. Things of importance are supposed to be voted on. This is important. The majority vote wins, and then it's supposed to be over for the minority. We're not supposed to have to keep on dealing with the same whining over and over because the loser isn't happy with the results. And I don't hate anyone, just some of the things some people do, especially when it's been my experience (I've had quite a HUGE exposure over a long part of my life to the gay lifestyle, and lots of variations on the theme!) that this is a terrible abuse of the gift of procreation we were given by our Creator, abuse of the body, wasted gifts, talents and potential given to aid in childrearing that won't be used as intended. You're not the same!

There is no such thing as "traditional" family. Your traditions are not other's traditions & the government has no choice but to respect ALL traditions equally. The judiciary was created to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. You vote on politicians, that is your right to vote. I didn't get to vote on whether you should be allowed to marry the 1person you choose to spend the rest of your life with nor would I want too. It is none of my business &who I marry is none of yours. You don't get a say in the matter. LGBT tax paying American citizens have the right to due process & equal protection under the law as we are not how you want us to be. No "lifestyle". Not the correct use of the word "lifestyle". There are no definitive characteristics of a so called gay "lifestyle". The way 1person lives their life is not the same way another does. gay/straight. We're not supposed to deal with selfish fascists like you pushing your way into our personal lives w/o our permission. Who I marry is my personal choice. Not yours. You don't tell me how I was born or define my feelings or life for me. You have used hateful words. You don't decide what is hateful to the person you are offending. The procreation argument is irrelevant because it is not a legal requirement for marriage. My creator accepts me 100% & made me for a purpose that is only known to my creator. I don't care what yours intends & the government cannot not force or demand I bow down or adhere to yours. GOI

I have to agree wth what Rolf says - while Jan says that it 's not about beliefs or lifestyle choices, but about access to legal protections offered to everyone in this country, clearly, that's not true. Those who choose to live a highly radical lifestyle are still protected by the same laws and rights as heterosexually oriented couples. Nobody is going to get away with beating your brains out, just like they wouldn't get away with doing same to me. The only difference is that there are priviledges available to any citzen who chooses to marry one of the opposite sex, and to bring into existence children, who will be here to keep this country going when the parents are gone. They may join the military and protect, they may teach, they may earn a degree in medicine or microbiology, perhaps develop the new form of energy used here to cut down on greenhouse gases - or perhaps find a way to cure cancer that won't send big pharma to the poorhouse. Whatever they do, the point is, they will be a product of a heterosexual union, and the patience, hard work, emotional and monetary investment that goes into 18 years of teaching and grooming into a normal, healthy, loving and productive member of society. While you may be able to point to some anecdotal "evidence" that exposure to a gay lifestyle is not harmful to a growing child, or that being raised by two moms or dads, there is more evidence to the contrary - this is why we fight against 'accepting' your lifestyle -yes -lifestyle

@Mike:
Appreciate those comments. Wanted to enhance what you said by pointing out that in fact if left entirely to the voters, with no judicial input, interracial marriage would have been illegal in at least one state until at LEAST November 7, 2000 - the date on which Alabama voters finally elected to remove a provision - from their Constitution! - forbidding same that had been on the books since 1901. Alabama was the last state to do so after multiple prior attempts.
Unbelievably, the ballot measure got 546,000 NO votes. http://bit.ly/vB81nl Racism, and of course homophobia, are still very much alive and well in many parts of our country. When it comes to basic rights, no minority should ever have to ask permission of a majority to be treated as equals.
Rep Christopher Serlin
Portsmouth

Your arguments are both flawed and for the most part irrelevant to the topic at hand.

FAIL.

And you, Rep. Serlin, will be voted out when your seat comes up for being so utterly out of touch with your constituents.

Where do you draw the line then? It is ultimately the people that decide what the moral values of the country will be in legal terms. There is a line where we each draw in terms of what should be legal or not. Polygamy and other polyamorous relations aren't legalized, though some feel it is their rights. Do we allow anything to be called marriage now, and if not, who gets to decide where we draw the line? Ultimately it is the people.

There is a BIG difference between SSM and the traditional marriage! Having BOTH a mother and a father! How could you not see this. It is important to have both and that is the ideal marriage. I don't think marriage is just a right, but rather it is a privilege with immense responsibilities. Society should promote the ideal marriage for this most basic and important building block.

Also, for Massachusetts, we've seen that Catholic Adoption agencies have had to close because of their refusal to send children to SS couples. This does not help with building families, if you only insist on having your view as acceptable and legal. Even without state funding, the possibility of litigation from suits was a real possibility that caused this closing. Also, when we allow government to intervene in what parents can teach their children, in terms of values, this is destructive as well. Families have been imposed these LGBT values in these states through schools.

Perhaps you're mistaking "social progress" with social, moral decline. We all know that the Bible warns those who listen about the overt filth, corruption, hatred and wandering in the dark that will occur as the time of the end draws near. This whole thing just fulfills the prediction that the "love of many will wax cold', and how more and more, evil and depravity will be the "soup du jour", if you will. SO, that just tells me that I need to do whatever I can to help ensure that my sons and their children are properly influenced in the right direction, loved all they should be loved, and given all the encouragement I can give them to live in a manner that is pleasing to their Creator, and also to encourage anyone else who will listen to do the same. Your "facts" are disputable - they're not facts - it's what you want to believe, but this country was not born of a desire to allow any behavior that anyone comes up with -it was born from a desire to worship GOD as free people, not being told how to worship Him, but it was always with the understanding that the basic building blocks of this society would be "traditional" families. Two men or two women can NOT love and raise a child as a heterosexual couple can - mommy can't be daddy, or vice versa! That's why single moms of boys have so much trouble teaching them to be men! Get over it, and please - seek help, find out what went wrong instead of forcing this perversion on the rest of society!

@Mike
(continued...)

Third, in Massachusetts, the marriage rate rose in 2004 (same-sex marriage from 2003) but then has steadily declined yearly and is now currently stable. As with no-fault divorce, fewer people are interested in marriage when it loses its definition and becomes nonsensical.

Fourth, have you ever considered that it may appear disingenuous to demand evidence from others for their claims but provide no evidence from the beginning for your claims?

Fifth, you really need to show someone is motivated by hate before you attribute hateful motivation to them. Otherwise, this is simple name-calling.

And lastly, "social progress" would be strengthening marriage weakened by liberalized divorce laws and an unhealthy marriage culture. "Social progress" would be seeing that the needs of every child are being met. "Social progress" would not be the advancement of the radical wishes of a small group of adults who already have access to the same laws as everyone else.

@Mike:
First, I think we would both agree that anti-miscegenation laws were a blight in American history, but the issue of interracial marriage does not help same-sex marriage in the slightest for two reasons. One, these laws prevented the purpose of marriage to be fulfilled and were unjustified. Same-sex marriage would also deny the purpose of marriage. Two, same-sex marriage and interracial marriage have nothing in common. There is no difference between humans of different ethnic origins, but there functional, psychological, and physiological differences between men and women. Ethnicity has no bearing on marriage. One's sex is fundamental to marriage.

Second, mothers and fathers offer unique contributions to their children. Stating otherwise is not only counterintuitive, it flies in the face of decades of research that demonstrates children do best when they are raised by their biological mother and father. As for same-sex caregiving, please review:

Adolescent Outcomes in Single Parent, Heterosexuxal Couple, and Homosexual Couple Families: Findings from a National Survey (2007)

(How) does the sexual orientation of parents matter? (American Psychological Review, 2001)

Children in three contexts: Family, education and social development (1996)

(continued...)

Your definition of "sin" is irrelevant since I do not follow your religious belief. The supreme court of the United states has ruled that marriage is a right issued and protected under the 14th amendment. The ability to have children is not a requirement for marriage nor is the desire to have children. Your marriage is only legal if the government recognizes it, not your church. Go ahead and have your religious ceremony all you want unless you have that government issued paper your marriage is only relevant to your friends, family, community & church. The government has no right to limit the religious liberty of houses of worship, religious leaders, etc that support Marriage Equality. Just like it has no right to force anti-gay houses of worships or religious leaders to recognize those marriages. The religious clauses of the first amendment apply to ALL Americans. The first amendment states that government cannot base laws on what your, or any "God" does or does not intend. There is NO law that says that ALL Americans have to adhere to what your version of manmade scripture says. Lastly "marriage" does not create life. Unprotected sex in which both the male and female are fertile is what creates life. Not a legal requirement for government issued marriage.

@Marriage Protector Marriage does have a core feature, spouses always being male and female, and a natural tie to procreation does exist. You are correct that the ability to have children is not a requirement for marriage. However, owning a car is not a requirement to have a driver's license, yet this does not cut off the tie of driving with a driver's license.

Nope, if you can't naturally "procreate" there is no tie to marriage according to your "I need to control the personal lives of every single human being" logic. If that marriage that does not reproduce then it is useless & worthless. Marriage is NOT about children. There are people who get married &never have children. Therefore making the argument that marriage is about procreation is irrelevant & nothing but a joke. Don't compare having children to a owning a car. You don't own children. That is besides the point. It is not illegal for LGBT couples to have children. There are over 200 million children in this country that have LGBT parents. They do not have legal protections or the rights, benefits, &privileges that are issued by the government, NOT the church, through marriage because of who there parents are simply because selfish heterosexist fascist detritus like you. Civil marriage is government issued. The government is run on tax payers dollars out of there hard earned paychecks. LGBT Americans are tax payers. SO in turn, the government has no choice but to issue CIVIL marriage to us as we are. No excuses, no pandering to selfish bigots who have not once ounce of say in how other people live their lives, & no exclusions or give us our money back. I will not allow my hard earned money to fund a heterosexist elitist fascist dictatorship. If the government wants to tax me equal then they are going to treat me equal, as I am. The rest of you better learn to deal with it.

LOL! Had to laugh at that, David! I can't help but agree with Nancy, who stated much of what I have always felt about the whole thing. And, I don't hate gay people, but can't lie about the fact that their behavior is disgusting and nauseating to consider. I can't imagine a spirit truly being happy in a body that is living a LIFESTYLE in total and absolute opposition to the way it was created to live, and to 'love'! I can't help thinking that a spirit inside such a body is screaming inside to be set free. After having been very close for many years to a brother-in-law who was gay and watching how he was always "hooking up" with someone new, or he and his "mate" agreed to be with someone else one night-all the painful times from bad
relationships he had, and then last of all - his dying of AIDS. HE ROBBEDMY SONS OF AN UNCLE THEY LOVED. I think I have seen enough evidence against this LIFESTYLE. Fortunately, when he was around my sons, it was while they were young, before they could really grasp what the difference was between him and other men (none of his "dates" were allowed around them, nor did he discuss any of it unless we were alone). Still, they were hurt deeply when he left them, and so was I, because I felt that I had failed to help him to change his LIFESTYLE. The fact that he was family was the ONLY reason he was allowed to become my friend before I understood who he was. Once I learned, l still loved him, but tried to get him help. It's wrong, he proved it

YOU ARE RIGHT DAVID. THE LGBT ACTIVISTS ARE HERE. BUT TELL YOU WHAT , THEY DO NOT WIN. THE LORD IS NOT MOCKED. HE CREATED MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN & WOMAN. ADAM AND EVE BEING THE FIRST MARRIED COUPLE. ALSO (MARRIAGE PROTECTOR )GOD CREATES THE CHILD IN A MOTHER'S WOMB. SOME COUPLES(MAN & WOMAN) ARE UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN, JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU YOUR POST HAS AN ERROR RUTH

To Nancy Beegle:

I'm sorry about the loss of your brother. It must have been traumatic to lose someone you loved to disease. And you are also certainly entitled to whatever visceral response when thinking about what other people do in their particular bedrooms. I however do not think about what my relatives, friends, neighbors or colleagues at work do in the privacy of their bedrooms. It is something that doesn't interest me. Perhaps you may wish to stop thinking about the bedroom activities of others? Just a thought.

Since you brought up the topic of AIDS as a presumed reason for your opposition to allowing SS couples from marrying, it might interest you to know that the cohort least likely to be infected with HIV is SS female couples. In fact, SS female couples are less likely to be HIV positive than heterosexual couples. So consequently, I would presume that you would be in favor of SS female couples being allowed a civil marriage license?

I might suggest that it's really unwise to make sweeping generalizations about entire groups of people based on your sole interaction with one gay man (your brother). After all you did state that the only reason he was allowed to become your friend was because he was a family member. You also stated that if you had known he was gay you would never have associated with him. In the interest of fairness, you might consider getting to know some of the people from whom you advocate taking rights before you demonize them.

Let's put it this way, the lord doesn't make mistakes, homosexuality, depending on how you translate the Bible, is fine. Who are you to judge another for who they love, you've never been in their shoes.

You people are very bigoted, but that's no surprise, religion causes conflict.

Religion - doing what you're told, even if it's against what's right.
Moral - doing what's right, even if it's against what you're told.

No, David. I'm here because I LIVE in this state, and care about the equal rights of ALL my fellow NH-ites. What are YOU doing here, aside from imposing an unwanted religious-extremist agenda on us?

I think many believe in this, and it may not be apparent for many years to come, as far as what consequences SSM will bring to America. We can't experiment on this and damage the already fragile environment for raising families. Of course we can and should love LGBT and maybe we could find a good compromise where their rights are protected as well, but this does not mean we need to be labeled as racist for having long-held religious values.

Two human beings promising to love, honor, and protect each other for sickness and in health, for good times and in bad, forsaken all others until death do they part. Sharing the household chores, sharing the bills, sharing the trial & tribulations of life as a couple. That's a marriage. My heterosexual sister's union is incapable of "bearing fruit" because she is infertile but that is irrelevant. Her incapable of reproducing union in which the rest of her life with her husband will only be about her & her husband is still recognized. They don't want children, no adoption and no surrogacy. That is their personal choice as a couple and the government has no choice but to respect that same as the government has no choice but to respect by relationship and the personal choices we make as a couple. If the government is not allowed to be involved in your personal lives then the government is not allowed to be involved in ours. Fair is fair.

@Marriage Protector Have you considered that the government endorses even barren dual-gender couples marrying due to the fact that their marriage helps support a healthy marriage culture, while no-fault divorce and same-sex marriage self-evidently do not?

There is no such thing as a "heathy marriage culture" based on your close minded elitist fantasy world. A healthy marriage is when 2people who are soul mates choose to settle down &commit to each other. They treat each other as equal because NOBODY is inferior to anybody. This is not special to heterosexuals only. Comparing 1couple's relationship components to another is irrational. The people involved have different personalities, different upbringings. Their relationships are composed of who they are &how they were raised as individuals & how they connect with each other not their gender. You have no say in how other people form their relationships. You only have a say in your own relationships, thats it. You heterosexists think your so special. Especially you men with your wife beating, & child abusing, adultery, etc. etc. Does this apply to all marriages? Certainly not. But for some reason you heterosexists demand that LGBT couples hold up to a different standard, a higher standard in order to be a member or your little "marriage belongs to me, me, me club". We have to live OUR lives how you want us too in order to get married. When did LGBT people become your property? Denying LGBT marriage, which is an aspect of our life experience, is all about what you want in reference to OUR lives. It's not about you. Get a f-ing life you selfish busy-body. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. And no, NOTHING pertaining to MY life is your business. Get that through your dense benighted skull.

No every human being is not religious... not even close to being the case.

Childbearing has never been a prerequisite of marriage, tired of you guys acting like it is.

In terms of race and sexuality, not nearly as different as you think. A person's race is innate and one would have to be beyond stubborn by this point to not acknowledge that homosexuality is every bit as innate as heterosexuality. Every reputable health and mental health organization in the world says as much, as do millions of gay and lesbian people.. who quite honestly would know a hell of a lot more about it, than what those of you who would use any possible excuse to discriminate would.

The world is changing, you guys can either get with the times.. or be left behind. I have absolutely zero sympathy for those who refuse to evolve with the rest of society.

Leave hate out of this Mr. Pearson it has nothing to do with the issue and as a Catholic Christian the first and greatest commandment is love one another as I have loved- that means to die for the good of the other. I love all people. I do not however love everything they do. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Perhaps you are loving both.
I'll answer your query about the founding fathers with my next commet.

Just curious - so billions of people who are in heterosexual -"traditional" marriages don't know or believe in the true meaning of marriage? Or is it that those who want to force their perverse lifestyles and excuses for them on the majority who don't agree with it don't know -and CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF OUR CREATOR WAS WHEN HE INSTITUTED MARRIAGE HIMSELF? YOU KNOW MORE OR BETTER THAN HE DOES, IS THAT IT? You don't even have to look at Christianity - go and look at any other religion - and take note - every society, present and past has had heterosexual marriages at their core -that's what our whole history has been based on, anywhere on this planet that you look.

I suggest that you go read your ancient history, western civilization, eastern civilization, etc. - and take note of the fact that even where homosexuality was practiced as a sort of "entertainment" or "fun", those same societies were built and maintained by the traditional family with parents of opposite sex raising children and teaching them to do the very same thing - oh - and most of them also taught that homosexuality was not normal, abhorrent, sinful, etc. - and begged their children (if they had been unfortunate enough to be exposed to it in any way) to abstain from it forever!

Those are real facts - you can want things to be different, try to rewrite history, argue with God about how you were made to function- the result is always the same - it's WRONG, don't force it on us!

Nobody is forcing anything on you. You have no control of other peoples public/private lives. What you accept in your home is up to you but in public you have no say in the matter. I will marry who, when, & where I want & you will deal with it because you have no say in any aspect of MY life. I will form my family how I want & you will deal with it because you have no say in the matter. The government takes money out of our hard earned paychecks therefore they have no choice but to accept us as we are 100% or do not tax us. You are the ones forcing your personal religious beliefs &definitions into laws that apply to people that do not follow & BY FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL LAW do not have to follow them. America is not a religious based dictatorship, it is a secular society. Demanding that I live any aspect of MY life how you want &demand according to your theocratic beliefs is Fascist and un-American. I do not pay taxes to your "God", church, religion, or holy book. I pay taxes to the government so it will respect & protect me 100% as I am or it will not take my hard earned money to fund your fascist religious based dictatorship in which I am forced to live MY life how some sanctimonious porcine's with irrational deleterious superiority & control complexes demand. I say who, I say when, i say where, & I say how much & all of you will deal with it. Take your "religion" & shove down your own throats. The government has 2 options here. Give it too us willingly or we will take it.

It has everything to do with hate Mike, don't let anyone fool you.

You are spot on in your assessments. They claim to "love" lgbt people, yet they are perfectly content discriminating against us.

They claim to "love" lgbt people, yet they are perfectly content trying to force their religion on all of us.

They claim to "love" lgbt people, yet they don't feel we deserve equal treatment under the law.

Religious marriage has absolutely nothing to do with civil marriage, something these people need to get a clue about.

@Marriage Protector So if same-sex marriage came up for a vote, you would refuse to participate since you would not want to force your personal beliefs and definitions into laws?

@Tiffany I would agree with you that marriage is not simply a religious issue. There are religious and secular arguments in opposition to eviscerating marriage by creating the new institution of same-sex marriage.

It is not an issue of discrimination. Would you say that denying a man a right to a hysterectomy is discriminatory? Well, if you answer yes, then the movement to protect marriage is discriminatory. However, it is discriminating between the proper application of an institution and an improper one, just as a doctor may not prescribe Viagra to a woman. If you answer no, then you must have realized that whether one is able to marry or not has nothing to do with their sexual orientation but has everything to do with their sex.

I would have no choice but to vote because selfish people like you are trying to control an aspect of my personal life, limiting MY life experiences to what you deem suitable to give me according to what you want in reference to MY life. I would never demand a vote on who you get to marry, how you get to form your family. Those are your choices to make & nobody has a say in the matter. Do heterosexual couples go around asking ALL of their neighbors for permission to marry each other? NO, they don't. Yes some couples ask for their parents blessings but that is not a legal requirement in order to obtain a marriage incense, it is more or less out of respect for the parent(s). My rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, due process, equal protection under the law, free speech, free expression, freedom of religion including freedom to go against the religion of others, & freedom to assemble with the man I choose to spend rest of my life with him & use the words "marriage" & "husband" as I will is not forcing my beliefs & definitions on anybody or into laws. My money pays for those laws to be enforced. So they will apply to me as I am or the government will give me my money back & if they don't give me my money back then I'll take it. My money pays for the upkeep of public parks & other public spaces so I will walk hand-in-hand with my boyfriend/husband/fiance (which ever he is at the time) & the rest of you will deal with it or give me my money back. It is that simple.

Okay, "Marriage Protector" - your statements are the ones that are spewing hatred -for heterosexual citizens, for traditions that have been followed since the beginning of time, you and your "seven generations.....", etc. Your seven generations back, paying taxes that pay for the upkeep of parks,etc. And? We all do, and you can't seem to keep in mind that the MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND ON THIS PLANET do not agree with or approve, or appreciate or even care that you choose to defile yourself with another man, go against the very nature of your body, defy God, deny that there are male and female humans, plants and animals for a reason. This planet has operated with a certain sense of order because of the fact that in EVERY society, not just ours, there are MALE AND FEMALE PARENTS WHO ARE MARRIED AND CREATING FAMILIES ACCORDING TO THE PLAN AND INSTRUCTION OF HE WHO CREATED THEM! We who are hetero are NOT TRYING TO FORCE A THING ON YOU - YOU ARE TRYING TO FORCE DECENT, LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WHO ALSO PAY TAXES AND HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS YOU ARE CLAIMING, BUT WITH ONE BIG DIFFERENCE-THEY ARE THE MAJORITY, YOU ARE NOT! You keep whining about how this is a democracy - well, guess what? In a democracy, there are votes, and THE MAJORITY RULES! SO, just as marriage has ALWAYS BEEN A CONTRACT BETWEEN GOD, A MAN AND A WOMAN, A DEMOCRACY is ruled, whether or not you can accept that, BY THE MAJORITY, WHICH IS UN-GAY, UN-DEFILED, HETEROSEXUAL HEADS OF FAMILIES! LUMP IT! :)

Nope, my statements are not spewing hatred for hetero citizens. They are denouncing anti-LGBT people. Plain simple. It has nothing to do w/heteros. I have no problem w/Straight Allies who support Marriage Equality. Over 200 of my family members are Straight Allies &I love them. I have a problem w/people like you. I don't have to like, nor adhere to anybody's traditions If I don't want to. I respect your right to practice your traditions but I will not be forced to adhere to them. There is no proof of any traditions being here since the beginning of time. I do not care what you or the so called "majority" agree with, approve of, appreciate &/or want in reference to MY personal life. I did not choose to defile anything &that is a fact &my truth. You don't define my truth &the facts of MY life. I'm a decent law abiding citizen &you have no say in the matter. Your are forcing us to marry how you demand or not at all. You are forcing your selfish religious beliefs into laws that apply to people who do not follow them. There are over 1400 government (NOT church) issued rights, benefits &privileges that heterosexual couples receive that gay couples do not. That is not equal. My taxes pay for those rights as I am. . You voted on the politicians, that is your vote but you don't get a vote on my life. The "majority" does not rule over me. NOBODY does. Marriage has never been a contract btw "God" & a belief in "God" is not a requirement for CIVIL marriage. DWI you Fascist termagant.

Furthermore, I certainly did not say anything hateful towards heterosexuals. You are the one throwing around hateful words &phrases such as "not normal", "unnatural", "disgusting","abominations","nauseating", saying that only people like you are "decent", saying that our families are not "normal" trying to define hetero anti-gay "Christians" as "normal citizens" only, trying to justify controlling an aspect of our personal lives w/o our permission, telling us that we can't be in public unless we do things how you want because our existence is somehow shoving things in your face. I don't think of straight people marrying each other,walking down the street holding hands,playing in the park w/their kids, dating,have a picture on their desk, talking about their date to a game around the water cooler,or appearing on TV as shoving/forcing something in my face. LGBT human beings are doing the same & it is our right to do so. That is life in a world in which you control nothing but yourself. We exist. Deal with it. No acceptance from you is required you arrogant harridan. I do not lose sleep at night knowing that Nancy Beegle doesn't approve of my mere existence on Earth. As for my "lifestyle"? I'm a fashion designer. My "lifestyle" (this is the correct use of the word) Is a blend of fashionable, bohemian, preppy, earthy, &extreme jock. My lifestyle is defined as Alexander McQueen meets A&F. I know straight people &gay people who fall under that "lifestyle". Sex is not a "lifestyle".

Regarding NancyC's comment at 4:45pm:

Of course this would be referring to NancyC.'s supposed "God" and the particular interpretation of "His Word" that Ms. NancyC believes in. And if you don't agree with Ms. NancyC and her religious views, so sorry but the government won't recognize your marriage. So if you attend a Reform Synagogue where the Rabbi performs SS marriages, too bad. If you're an Episcopalian and your Bishop wishes to bless your marriage, I guess you're out of luck again. Same thing goes if you're a Quaker or Buddhist or Anglican or certain Lutheran sects or a member of some other non-Christian sect, your religious beliefs don't count. And as we all know, if you're non-religious or (gasp) atheist, you certainly have no rights in this matter unless your views happen to coincide with the religious dictates of NancyC and her supporters.

Religious freedom and liberty is something that we as Americans all have a right to enjoy. We do not have an official church in this country. My rights to a state issued civil license should not to be held hostage to your religious beliefs or to the religious argumentation of this or that particular religious faith. For people to keep citing their particular religious beliefs (as has occurred up and down this thread) as a basis for civil law and denying rights to other people is downright un-American, in my humble opinion.

It is not un-natural, it is actually very common in nature. Do your research before you make false statements.

@Bryan I think you may have misread Robert's statement. Yes, animals of the same-sex may mount each other due to confusing stimuli or a conflict between two or more instincts. However, the reproductive instinct among animals is always directed towards an individual of the opposite sex.

And it does not follow that if something is "natural," then it is morally and ethically desirable. As someone once said, "The differeince between 'doing what comes naturally' and principled self-restraint is called civilization."

There are no true "Christians" under the law of the Secular United States Government. Anybody who identifies as "Christian" is a Christian under the first amendment hence why there are so many different denominations & they are all entitled to their 1st amendment protections. You do not define religion, "God", or anything for anybody but yourself. You do not define family for anybody but yourself. I have friends who consider me their family because their biological families abandoned them & I was there when they needed me. Your version of family is not superior or more important then any form of family that does not look or is not formed like yours. Anybody who thinks otherwise has an extremely deleterious superiority complex &does not live in reality. ALL forms of family are special & should all be treated as equal. You are not superior to ANYBODY no matter what "God" you follow. As for "I am tired of this being thrown in the faces of people wanting to raise their children in a good, clean atmosphere, & avoid seeing or hearing about this". Too bad, get over it. You don't own the public arena. Your house is the only space where you are the boss but when you are out in public learn to share because you have no say in the matter. Don't want to see gay couples &/or families in public? Too bad, get over it. Don't want to see them on TV? Change it or turn it off.

Read about the effects of overpopulation, that's not a good thing for the human race, and we're headed there. The majority of straight couples practice sodomy, look the word up if you don't know what it means. Homosexuality, is, and always was common with other species of animals, along with human beings. Look into the Ancient Civilizations, they had sex parties, males with males, females with females, and males with females. The Bible is just a book, you translate it however you like, but some people can translate it in a different way.

It is a persons right, as a citizen of America, to marry whomever we wish. You shouldn't judge people that you know nothing about, and before you begin teaching me of the Bible, learn who put the book together, King James was a corrupt man himself.

You are being very bigoted here, you're not being punished, or hurt in any way by same-sex couples having the ability to marry. It's sad that people cant see things morally.

@Marriage Protector "ALL forms of family are special & should all be treated as equal."

So you support polygamous, incestuous, and other such forms of families?

If there was an equal way of forming polygamous marriages. In which women can marry as many men as they want, the women are married to each other, & everyone has the exact same legal protections then I have no problem with it. But polygamous marriage is religious marriage in which the man is married to each woman separately. Therefore the mother of this child has no legal protection for the mother of that child. If the husband & wife number 2 die that child is left with nothing. Regulating polygamous marriages through legality is difficult & nobody has tried to organize it. We are talking about legal CIVIL marriage. Polygamous marriage can happen all it wants in their church, in their private homes. Religious marriage is not illegal because they have the freedom of religion but unless they have that paper they are not married in the eyes of the law. As for incest, that is moot. Based on the fairytales of "Adam & Eve" & "Noah's Ark" incest had to take place multiple times in order for the human race to reach over 7billion people today. If the entire human race was endangered say for 1man & 1women who happen to be brother & sister, fingers crossed that they are both fertile. incest would have to take place in order to replenish the human population. Oh, but wait, do hypotheticals, irrational metaphors, & offensive dehumanizing comparisons only count when your selfish "marriage belongs to me, me, me" side make them? I respect all families because I have no say in the matter. EOC

THIS ONE IS FOR TIM, regarding his HALF-BAKED reply to my post about my dead BROTHER-IN-LAW. First, it would behoove you to read thoroughly any comments on which you wish to remark - get the writer's facts straight in your mind, and then perhaps you'll be better able to comment intelligently.

Next, let me make something very clear - while my brother-in-law was alive, I went to a lot of gay bars with him, met every guy he went out with (except for the one-night-stands that popped up quite often), I sat and talked with him nearly every day for several years - went on outings, shopped, modeled for him to be my make-up artist, encouraged him in his drawing, which was most magnificent, and definitely would have made him a very good livng. I was there for him when he was hurt by one of his partners, or shared the excitement he felt at meeting his next new partner. We took my young sons out for pizza, walks on DC's capital grounds, walked every museum of the Smithsonian together. This man was a beautiful, kind, but very tortured, mixed up spirit, who even admitted to me more than once or twice that he wished he could stop living the lifestyle he was stuck in, but felt somehow unworthy or unable to live a "normal" life, despite his pain. Don't for one moment assume that I don't know more than I'd like to about this subject - and while we're on the subject of thinking about what gays do in their own boudoirs - it's a bit difficult when that's basically what gay is to us.

And since we have a limit on the amount of characters we can use, TIM, this comment is an addendum to the one below.

So, about thinking about what SS couples do in their bedroom - since I know more than I'd like to know about it (my brother-in-law and I having been very close, and actually he had said that if he were straight, he would have married me before his brother did)-it's a bit difficult when one who knows such detail to not think about what they know when this subject comes up. It's the reason you're gay and not straight, right? SO, if gay means perverted in the bedroom, then that's what straight people automatically think about when the topic comes up. Not that any of us want to DWELL on it - but it does come up, simply by virtue of what it is to be gay. Now -as far as your fallacious (wishful) comment about the female cohort being the least likely to die of aids - check the facts. I did the research for my website which also has information on a possible cure for AIDS. Check it out at http://theresourcegroups.com. Its a work in progress still, but I think you'll find the videos on AIDS very interesting. Anyway, the fact is that there are thousands and thousands of AIDS cases here in the US that go unreported, not to mention in all other countries. Take a look at the AIDS quilt - see how many of those squares are a woman's. Don't try to make it seem that I am misinformed - I make my choice from the real facts of the gay lifestyle, a miserable one!

"Don't for one moment assume that I don't know more than I'd like to about this subject - and while we're on the subject of thinking about what gays do in their own boudoirs - it's a bit difficult when that's basically what gay is to us."

Gee, Nancy, the first thing you think about when you see a gay person is sex? Really? Man, you fundies are funny -- trying to call THEM "perverted." This might be a newsflash to you, Nancy, but there is more to life than sex. You say that you're married with children? Has anyone ever butt into YOUR life uninvited and proceeded to lecture YOU about YOUR sex life? No?

Then, mind your own business. Jesus Christ, do you even LIVE in New Hampshire?

Ms Beegle: And at the end of the day you still only knew (by your own comments) your deceased brother-IN-LAW (thank you for your edification) and superficially his bar-fly friends. You know nothing of my life or the countless other gay men and women you demonize. Yes, your brother was a troubled soul. Don't extrapolate those particulars onto others who you've never met.

PS-Your link provides no validation for the claims you make.

There is no such thing as a homosexual "lifestyle". That is not even the correct use of the word "lifestyle". Goth, Preppy, Jock, Bohemian, & Geek; those are "lifestyles". You personally don't have to accept anything in your own personal home but in public you need to learn to live with it. The public belongs to EVERYBODY, not just you & those like you. If I want to hold hands in public with my boyfriend, you need to deal with it. You don't have a say in the matter. I'm not your property. As for the government & its employees. They work for the people, ALL of the people. Not just who they feel like working for. If they accept money that came out of my paycheck they will respect & protect me 100% as I am whether they like it or not. Those adoption agencies accepted state funding so they work for LGBT tax payers also. Don't want to serve us then give us our money back. I'll give it to a homeless shelter for LGBT youth who have been thrown out of their homes or ran away because their parents threatened to kill them just for being gay. You want to live in harmony? Here's a solution, when it comes to other peoples personal & public lives, MYOB. Don't disrespect our relationships or families. You do not put food on my table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, pay my bills, healthcare & insurance,or provide any of that for my future family therefore you have no say in any aspect of MY life. Your private acceptance is irrelevant but the government has no choice.

I don't think many gay, leasbian and transgener Americans care what you think on a personal level Jo, your side is entitled to believe whatever you choose.

You are not entitled to control how others live their lives and to control what they can and cannot do. SSM wouldn't affect your own lives in anyway shape or form period.

@Marriage Protector Is not government of the people, by the people, and for the people? Yet you seem to be saying that the people should have no vote or voice when it comes to government policy.

Actually, Rolf, a University of New Hampshire poll has established approval ratings of our equal marriage law to be 62%. We ACTUAL New Hampshire citizens like the law very much, thanks, and don't need the opinions or approval of fundie out-of-staters.

When it comes to my personal life? You're damn right. You don't get a vote. You don't get a say in how I dress. You don't get a say in how I raise MY children. You don't get a say in where or how I live. You don't get a say in any of my healthcare or dietary plans. You don't get a say in my religious beliefs. You don't get in what college I go. You don't get a say in what car I buy. You don't get a say in what career I choose. You don't get a say in where I go on vacation. You don't get a say in my wedding plans. You don't get a say in who I fall in love with. So who do you think you are when you think you have a say in who I marry? NO, you don't get a vote or to vote on other people's LIVES. LGBT people are the people also & our Constitutionally guaranteed rights to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness should not be put up to a vote of people who a selfish desire to control every single aspect of another human beings life. We are NOT your property. When it comes to any & ALL aspects of MY life. As long as I am not killing, lying, cheating, stealing, molesting, or raping, I will do what I want, where I want, when I want, how I want, with who I want & you will deal with it. Those are my rights as a human beings. Don't like it? Too frikin' bad. I don't have to do anything, ANYTHING (that includes who & how I marry), in my life according to what you do & do not like. You are not my boss & I am not your property. The same goes for the government. Deal with it.

LESLIE: First, you're the one who said there's nothing to life but sex. :) Anyway, I've had MANY gay friends and love lthem like brothers or sisters. I have had them living in my home, actually - because I do NOT HATE anyone, and will help anyone who needs help - whether it be someone to talk to, a loan, food, or a hug - it's not about hate,and it's not just about sex.

However, don't try to tell me that it's not your sexual preference and lifestyle that helps to define who you are, and since I only know you by your name and your ill-thought out comments here, I don't have much to go on, other than what you're here for, now do I? And why are you here? Because you want to force all heterosexual people in this country to accept you as you are - that's fine -as I said, got no problem accepting you as a human being. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I AGREE WITH YOUR LIFESTYLE OR CHOICE IN PARTNERS, NOR DO I HAVE TO - AND I DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH MY CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN BEING TAUGHT THAT IT IS NORMAL TO BE GAY, OR THAT MARRIAGE IS A UNION OF ANY TWO HUMANS, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SEXES ARE! FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS MARRIAGE WAS BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN! I'm not butting in, you are bringing it up yourselves, throwing it in our faces, FORCING us to think about and discuss it. Stop trying to HAVE WHAT STRAIGHT PEOPLE DO! Yes, you're human, but there's a big difference! It's not our fault, it's your choice, so don't expect to be rewarded for your errant choice!

Nope. Your meaningless "acceptance" in your private homes are not desired nor required but the gov. has no choice. The public belongs to everybody, not just heterosexual anti-gay people only. Our existence is not forcing anything in your faces. We have the right to live as much as you do as we are. If you don't like it too frikin' bad I'm not on this planet to do everything &anything how you want according to what you want to see in public. You want your children &grandchildren taught certain things then home school them or send them to a private school but you don't have the right to control what children of other parents gay/straight are taught. This is all about what you want in reference to other peoples lives. You have a dangerous control complex &you need to get in touch with reality. We are here &we are not going anywhere. You are going to deal with us. You are going to face us. I will not go in the closet to make you comfortable. I am not required to live my life for you. I am only obligated to myself, the man I choose (that is the only choice) to spend the rest of my life with, my future kids &taking care of my mother in her later years. You do not &will not provide anything for me so STFU & MYOFB. Nobody is asking you to personally agree but we certainly do not have to tolerate you disrespecting, degrading, &demeaning us, our relationships &our families. You want us to respect your life you better do the same to us or the gloves are off. Do onto others.

"LESLIE: First, you're the one who said there's nothing to life but sex"

Nope. I didn't say that once. YOU are the one obsessing about/frothing at the mouth over the sex lives of other people. Yeah, nothing pervy about that!

Regarding the hate vs not hate issue, you're completely missing the obvious. So, let me repeat my earlier clarification: no one gives a flying eff whether you "hate" gay people or not. As long as you're imposing yourself on their weddings and lives - without their consent - you're no different than anyone from the Westboro Baptist Church. You intrude into gay people's lives and pillage their freedom and security with no empathy or remorse. That's not the behavior of a loving individual. That's the behavior of a thug. Live it, own it, and love it, because that's what you anti-gay bigots are. All of you.

If I walk into your home, rip up your marriage certificate, and nullify all the 1100+ federal protections that go with it, would you consider me "loving?" I don't think so. Why do YOU get the special privilege to do that to other Americans?

Regarding your ridiculous rant about me, who I am and how I live my life is something that you will never, EVER be able to vote on. Since you're one of the most illiterate bigots I've ever come across, though, let me repeat two things: 1) I LIVE in this state. What's YOUR business here? 2) I'm straight.

Word of advice: READ the posts you're responding to - lest you look like an even bigger moron.

You know, Tim, whether or not you like it, and "Marriage Protector", Leslie, Mike - especially you, "protector" guy/girl - I forget which one of you said 'or whatever he is at the time"- who's ranting? And who's trying (AGAIN!) to force something on someone else? SO,THE MAJORITY VOTE, (WHEN THIS IS PUT TO THE VOTE), is what will prevail. It's got nothing to do with being childish, it's how this country is run. You rant about democracy- have you forgotten about the vote -AND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A MINORITY AND A MAJORITY -not my rule, the Constitution, I Believe.

Anyway, there's no point in trying to get anything across to any of you, because you're so angry that so many refuse to accept and give in to your demands to change what has been a heterosexual union for thousands of years, and what WAS INSTITUTED BY GOD - (AND THERE'S ONLY ONE, and only one TRUE translation to the Bible)! The fact that you continue to accuse me of hating you just because of your sexual preference just proves that anything I've said here has gone ignored, other than the fact that I disagree with changing the institution of marriage and making it something it was never meant to be. Also, Christians already know (because it's also in the Bible) that the world - society - is going to continue to go downhill, becoming more and more Godless. You all may be "gods"unto yourselves, but nothing you say or do will change the truth. Also, I have had very close gay friends, so don't tell me what I know!

You may want to retake Civics 101, Nancy. NO majority is allowed to impose its will on a minority group. Period. The Constitution is designed to protect them from that. How do you think all the state-wide interracial marriage bans became illegal? The "kindness and generosity" of bigots like you? No way! Those *unconstitutional* laws were overturned by the Supreme Court for violating the 14th Amendment.

Contrary to your barely-coherent ravings, this is not a democracy. This is a constitutional republic. You DO NOT get to trample all over the rights of other Americans and have your bigotry codified into law. Not only is our equal marriage law in New Hampshire NONE of your business - you don't even live here - every statewide equal marriage ban will ultimately meet the same fate as the old interracial marriage laws. You are NOT the authority of this nation or any of its citizens. The Constitution is. No law that violates the Constitution will ever prevail in this country.

If you don't like it, tough. That's the way we do things here in the secular US. You're more than welcome to move to Iran.

Nope, not "angry". Just trying to survive & defend my life against selfish people like you who wish to control certain aspects of it. Funny how we have to accept & give in to what you want & demand in reference to OUR lives but you are incapable of returning the gesture. Because it is all about you & your heterosexist elitist, fascist irrational superiority & control complexes. Nothing was instituted by "God" & there isn't only one. There are thousands & those who follow them are protected under the 1st amendment. Freedom of religion applies to EVERYBODY not just who you decide it applies too. There are multiple translations of the manmade "Bible". Not all Christians believe what you do. There are Christian religious leaders etc. that support the freedom to marry &are LGBT affirming & that is their 1st amendment right. There are Evangelical "Christians" led by a priest in Uganda who want to legally kill & are killing gay people. A "Christian" pastor in the south ordered his deacons to bash his own son & his boyfriend over a month ago. Another minister in Minnesota advocates hanging gay people. So why should I trust you when you say you are a "Christian" & spout out "abomination" this & "not normal" that? The gay friend meme is subjective & holds no water. People like you confuse kindness & respect for friendship. As for "don't tell me what I know!" DITTO!!!.

Fail! Hello, I do believe that when a heterosexual couple marries, they are at least agreeing that they're ready, willing and able to do the work that is necessary for rearing our next generation of productive, society-building and strengthening human beings. A gay couple cannot say that they're ready for the woman to become pregnant and give birth to another person, now, can they? Whether or not a couple ends up being able to have their own children, it's not for a lack of trying - and then they can adopt some of those children that gay couples are so eager to get their hands on. I'm no homophobe - I don't hate anyone, but I do hate the fact that SS couples are gung-ho about adopting those "poor children out there who need love..." or however you worded it! There are enough heterosexual couples out here who are unable to have their own - there's no need for a SS couple to take up their cause - we've got this - I think that we'd prefer that you not adopt any children and expose them to such perversity, and leave them to grow up learning what it is to be loved by someone of the opposite sex, and have a chance at a good, wholesome, normal life, and a trip to Heaven when they leave this world.

Whether or not you like it, there is a God who created all of us - and whether you want to believe that there are gay animals..wanting it don't make it so. Sorry -quit being ridiculous about separating people over stupid insignificant things -gay is not a small thing to anyone!

Wrong again, Nancy. When I get married (to a man, as if that's even any of your business), I will not be having children. There are too many people in this world already -- and too many children who are ALREADY alive and needing homes. If a loving gay couple is selfless enough to provide such a home, what right does a bigot like you have to stand in their way?

Stop imposing YOUR perverted, hateful "values" on everybody else!

LOL "We've got this". Over 400 thousand children living in the orphanage system & over 100 thousand LGBT youth living on the streets. Yeah you got this. Except you don't. What is in between your legs is not what rears nor is it necessary for rearing the next generations of productive, society-bulding & strengthening human beings. Education, the basic raw values your parent(s), family, friends, community & mentors instill in you is what rears productive society. It is not who you do but what you do that makes human productive. You are actually saying that human beings who do not, can not, or will not reproduce children are useless & unproductive. Shame on you. Like I said you have no say in the matter. How I form my family is none of your business. You provide NOTHING for me. Worry about you own family & mind your own business. Eventually, if you do not back off, we are going to get to the point where we stop asking & start forcing you to back off. We are not a "thing" we are human beings &you will respect us as such whether you like it or not. How dare you say that we do not love our children or are incapable of providing love to those children. WTF do you think you are making that generalized judgement about people you don't even know? You're insignificant to EVERYONE in the world other then your friends, family, & community. You do not have the right to limit or control ANY &ALL aspect of OUR lives. You have no say. Deal with it you repugnant fascist harridan.

You will, if I remember to check this website again, never win an argument of this sort against me. You may as well give up now.

There need not be any other argument than that it's not normal, or that it's a sin -each of those alone would be enough for a person who was really concerned with finding out the truth of the matter and doing what is right. The fact that you don't like that it's not normal doesn't change a thing now, and it never will. We Christians already know that Satan has been taking over here and causing a lot of defilement, and it really is no surprise that the defilement of the institution of marriage is part of it. Still, God created this institution, and blessed the first MALE and FEMALE marriage - He didn't give Steve Adam's rib - He gave it to Eve. You can't be a logical, reasonable person and think that it had no significance, and that it's okay to just throw in a Steve in her place, and call it a marriage. You might be able to get away with calling it some type of partnership, but marriage has always been, and always will be, in God's eyes, and no matter what happens with this vote, between those of opposite sex, who intend to have children unto God - who says that they're a blessing to a man and his wife - not to man and man or woman and woman. Face it - billions of people on this planet think it's wrong - even Buddhists, Hindus, Native Americans, and hundreds of other religions -they're not all wrong, so perhaps it's time to face the truth, and ask God to help you find your way back to Him-He will, if you let Him, but you can't force your way on the whole world!

And, you can't force YOUR bigotry onto the residents of New Hampshire, Nancy. If you don't like OUR laws, you are more than welcome to move here and vote in one of our elections. Until then, kindly shove it :)

The native Americans actually allowed 2men to marry until heterosexual white, "Christians" forced them to denounce their spiritual beliefs as folklore. Your "Adam & Eve" fairytale is just that, a fairytale &not historical fact. Fairytales are not logical. The laws of this SECULAR country are not based &by law cannot be based on your "God's" alleged "eyes", rules, etc. Religion is made by humans to control humans &has changed over &over again throughout human history. There are religious leaders, houses of worship, congregations &individuals of ALL faiths who support marriage between 2men or 2women &that is their 1st amendment right. You have no right to limit their freedom of religion &the free exercise thereof because you don't agree with their interpretation of religion &neither does the government. You do not own the word "marriage". Nobody does. There are no copyrights &no patents to the word "marriage". "God" did not create anything & there is no proof of it just theories &hearsay. But that is irrelevant because by law I do not have to adhere to what your religion says about marriage, family, sex, life, anything everything. That is not "defilement". That is not "heresy". That is not "blasphemous" & it certainly is not illegal. That is my 1st & 14th amendment rights as an American citizen & a human being. You don't have to like it but you damn well better learn to deal with it. You can't force your way on the whole world either but we can force you to leave us alone.

Funny! You keep saying straight people "have no say' but we do - it's called a vote! And as I said, if YOU weren't forcing the issue, there would be no debate, right? Why do you all feel that YOU'RE entitled to YOUR opinions, beliefs, choices, etc., but if anyone expresses an opposing position, you have a temper tantrum and call names. Who's acting childish, honestly?
Now, as I have said already, I don't hate anybody. I have no "list" of race, color, creed, religion, denomination, sex - anything of the sort, that I just decided not to love as human beings.Truly, it doesn't hurt me that you don't care if I love you or not -or about what I think. I'm a human being just as you are, and also entitled to speak my mind.. I think that all of you have been getting a bit out of hand over this -what is supposed to be a healthy, "adult" debate, or so I thought. Perhaps I was mistaken, and this is only for gays to share their love of being gay and anger at the fact that they can't stomp their feet and call people filthy names to force a radical change to an important, sacred institution, shared by man and woman for milennia, and make it something we know it was never meant to be. Regardless of what you want, the cursing and name calling isn't the answer. The VOTE will determine what is done, and not threats (protector)and filthy language. How dare YOU talk about LOVE, when you can't express it to someone unlike you? You threaten to "just take it" if you don't get your way?Mature!

"Funny! You keep saying straight people "have no say' but we do - it's called a vote!"

No, Nancy, you DON'T get to vote on the marriages of other people. Not in MY state. I'd be more than happy to come down to YOUR area and vote on YOUR marriage, though :)

Stop whining over the fact that the world doesn't revolve around you. Gay Americans are marrying everyday, and there's nothing you can do to stop it, just as no one else has ever had the right to stop YOUR marriage. If you don't like marriages between gay couples, you're more than welcome to decline the wedding invitations you doubtless receive from your slew of "gay friends."

It's a free country :)

I keep saying it because you have no say. PERIOD. I didn't say straight people. I said ALL people. I said you. Your right to vote is on politicians, that's it. You have no vote on other peoples lives.

"Why do you all feel that YOU'RE entitled to YOUR opinions, beliefs, choices, etc., but if anyone expresses a blah blah blah" 1)Because its MY life 2) I do not have to tolerate your opposition to any &ALL aspects of MY life, because it is MY life. You're entitled to speak your mind but you are not entitled for me to accept it & demand that I can't denounce it as hate if I feel it is hateful &offensive. Marriage is not an important or sacred institution & it was never meant to be anything. You don't decide who I share that with. I do. Get that through your dense benighted skull & deal with it. The world is not going to end. The human race is over 7billion strong. So humans will never be extinct but several other species on this planet have completely disappeared due to human interference. You don't use filthy words to demean, degrade, &disrespect LGBT human beings &we will not have to use or freedom of speech to return the gesture. Works both way, sweetie. How dare I talk about love when I can't express it to someone unlike me? LOL 1)DITTO! 2) Don't tell me what I can & cannot speak of. I never expressed "love" for you. You mean nothing to my life.You think you're a human being then act like one &start respecting others as they are not how you want them to be. Until then.GFYS

Now who are you to say what is right, and what is wrong. You are basing that on how you've translated a book. This book was translated into English un-properly, because English didn't have as many words as it does now. Some of that could not be translated.

There are preachers that can translate the Bible in other ways. Why are they any more right or wrong than any other person that translates the Bible.

You can call the Bible "just a book" all you want-that has no effect whatsoever on what it really is,now does it? You can argue til you're blue in the face, but when it comes to the truth and you're standing before your Creator, you're not going to be able to convince Him to accept your lifestyle (and yes -it IS a lifestyle, like it or not!). God is real, and your not wanting to believe in Him doesn't make Him go away. You're like a child putting his hands over his face thinking it makes someone disappear! While you state that there are gay animals,Native Americans (watch it - you're talking about my ancestry now!), and other stories you've created, I'm quite sure that deep in your heart (as in many others' like yourself), you question yourself from time to time, and wonder if you're doing the right thing. You can't say anything about the orphanages, either - things happen to parents and yes -there are children who need families, but there are also thousands of heterosexual couples on waiting lists for adoptions. Blame the system, not the parents waiting for a child.

We base our beliefs in right and wrong on the most published book in history, printed in more languages than any other. Hmmm..... wonder why? Maybe because billions of people know it's not a fairy tale or a myth. I'd hate for you to find out too late, and that's why I keep trying -I CARE. And I'll thank you, Leslie (no I wasn't talking to you earlier), to-I forgot I don't speak that way. Have a great day :)

"And I'll thank you, Leslie (no I wasn't talking to you earlier), to-I forgot I don't speak that way. Have a great day :)"

You can say whatever you want to me -- I'm a big girl :) But, no, I won't be "having a nice day" (ie. shutting up) because this is a deeply personal issue to me, affecting people who are important to me, and the state in which I've spent my entire life.

You can kindly piss off, however :) It's obvious that you don't even live here.

I won't need to convince my creator of anything.My creator accepts me 100% as I am. Just because you think otherwise doesn't it make it so.Respect my religious beliefs if you want me to respect yours. Other then that, STFU. Nope, no "lifestyle", like it or NOT!,you benighted troglodyte.Your "God" is real to you &only you. Native Americans revered &honored their two-spirit tribe members. I don't question myself ever &I know I'm doing the right thing. That is a fact &only I can know that &it so because I say it is.You know nothing about what is my heart, mind, etc.Those are the harsh realistic facts about orphans,orphanages &adoptions. Pick up the slack or we will. I base my beliefs in what is right &wrong on how my mother, extended family, mentors, coaches, etc. raised me.I don't hide behind a manmade fictional book w/holes in its fairytales that were pieced together less then 2000 years ago by arrogant self-righteous males w/control complexes throwing out what they don't agree with.It is printed in many languages because there are people of many languages that read it, simple,&it doesn't mean they all interpret it the way you do. Its a fairytale because there is no proof.A myth plain &simple. I'd hate for you to find out too late but that's the gift of life after death. Its a wonderful surprise &I can't wait. I'm going to pack for the clouds &pack for the heat. Don't worry, the best things about being a fashion designer is that I now how to be prepared for ALL types weather.

And not to mention all of these children that need a loving family, if a same sex couple is willing to take a child in, and love them; I feel they're making the right decision. Children deserve a family.

I can answer that - we don't hate, but it doesn't make sense that SS couples, unable to do the work of a heterosexual couple (and no -we don't want you to adopt and raise any children, teaching them that it's okay to live the way you want to live!), should have the same government benefits and protections as a heterosexual marriage. You're right - we don't want that, because it minimizes the uniqueness and the special status that married couples have always held. It's the same way all over the world - billions of people are NOT gay - only thousands of you are, so please - don't expect to be rewarded for trying to turn the institute of marriage, (in the vows,called a "holy estate"), on its head and change its meaning and importance.

One of the mysteries of marriage is how two people of opposite sex are able to set aside their differences enough to be able to work together as a team, bringing children into existence, and raising them into normal, productive, contributing members of society. You cannot do that, because you're not heterosexual - plain and simple. If you want the same blessings and benefits of an honorable state, then do the honorable thing, and marry someone not your sex. Sound ignorant? Too bad. Don't like it? You get over it, because even if it is voted on again, and you win, there will be just as many against it, ALWAYS, because it's not a marriage. We don't dislike you -some of my best friends were gay, but not "married"- it's that simple!

"I can answer that - we don't hate, but it doesn't make sense that SS couples, unable to do the work of a heterosexual couple (and no -we don't want you to adopt and raise any children, teaching them that it's okay to live the way you want to live!), should have the same government benefits and protections as a heterosexual marriage."

Sorry, Nancy, but you are NOT allowed to dictate the lives of other people. If a loving, committed couple decides to marry and raise a family in New Hampshire - where it is perfectly legal to do so - that is none of your damn business. I certainly believe in God. And, I believe in karma. Watch out for the cruelty and discrimination you inflict on other human beings, Nancy. You may have to experience them for yourself - first-hand - in your next life. Wouldn't that be poetic justice? :)

Sorry,TIffany - I've already explained that I (nor other Christians) do not hate any human being, but I sure do hate some of the things they do. And why does there have to be an alternative that wolud provide the same benfits, let alone the recognition of the "marriage"? It is NOT a marriage, and therefore cannot be recognized as such! That being the case, it is simply not eligible for the same benefits as those who are in a legitimate, HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE - THE WAY IT WAS INTENED TO BE FROM THE BEGINNING - THE WAY IT IS WORLDWIDE, EXCEPT FOR A VERY SMALL MINORITY who want things to be different, because they choose to live in a way that is aberrant, against nature, and flies in the face of every human being who recognizes that nature itself speaks out against homosexuality. There are male and female of every animal and plant in creation, except for a few, and those few were created with both sperm and egg, so that when they reproduce, they still do so by the joining of opposite parts -male and female! That being the case, it is baffling to the rest of us that a homosexual cannot (or will not) see that nature itself cries out against what they do! I wonder if anyone recalls the verse in the Bible about nature crying out to be returned to its original state? I'm sure that this is part of the reason. You can't do differently than society does, and expect to be treated the same as everyone else, or get what they have worked for by making that commitment-that simple

Were you replying to me, Nancy? Well, maybe if you'd stopped frothing at the mouth long enough to actually READ what you're replying to, you'd see that my name is Leslie. What, does God condemn literacy, as well?

You've been trumpeting "the truth" over and over again, without any kind of facts or compelling rationale to back it up. It's pretty feeble, not to mention pathetic. You want to know the truth? Here it is: no one gives a flying eff whether you "hate" gay people or not. As long as you're imposing yourself on their weddings and lives -- without their consent -- you're no different than anyone from the Westboro Baptist Church. You intrude into gay people's lives, and pillage their freedom and security with no empathy or remorse. That's not the behavior of a loving individual. That's the behavior of a thug. Live it, own it, love it, because that's what you anti-gay bigots are.

27pm on Saturday, October 29, 2011

I hate to disappoint you, but cowards don't stand up for what they believe in. I can only speak for myself, but I'd be willing to hazard a guess that the others here who stand with me in opposition to legalized, government sanction SS marriage are not "hiding" behind anything.
It is our belief and faith in a loving God who created man in HIS image, male and female, that guides us through life, and no matter how much older and more experienced we become, no matter how much filth, porn, anti-God, anti-moral crap is thrown at us throughout our lives, it's that same faith that keeps us from turning off the path which we are to travel. It is not our "rule" that being with someone of the same sex is an abomination,but God's, and since He created man, I think He has the right, intelligence, and the powers of reasoning to do so. I think that it makes more sense to live the way my Creator says that I should, than to try to make up a way to get around it so that I can do something different and exciting and see how it works out. Also, the gay lifestyle is not a happy one, and no matter what you say to differ with that, it just doesn't make it so!
Has anyone ever heard the analogy of the person who doesn't want to have a fever breaking the thermometer? He still has the fever, is still sick, nothing changes. Same with SS marriage -not what God blessed, not what He created, not a marriage, but an abomination, and that's just the truth, You deal!

If you don't like "filth and porn," Nancy, you're more than welcome not to watch it. I'm not a huge fan myself - too much distraction from the real thing imo - but it's easy enough to avoid. Good luck trying to ban the porn industry, if that's your next giant fundie goal :)

Oh, and by all means, continue frothing at the mouth over gay couples marrying in NH. Your frenzied rantings are only getting funnier. Just don't expect NH gay couples to delay their wedding plans on your account - however important you are ;)

"the gay lifestyle is not a happy one, and no matter what you say to differ with that, it just doesn't make it so" Oh so because you say, that it makes it so? LOL. Self-righteous harridan. No, sweetie, what I say about MYSELF makes it so. PERIOD. There is no such thing as a "gay lifestyle". Take a demographics class &maybe you'll be capable of comprehending that. Businesses form by studying what attributes are a part of the "lifestyle" they are marketing to. Ralph Lauren built his career around a specific "lifestyle". The "lifestyle" of a gay man in Miami is very diff. from 1in NYC &both are diff. from a gay man living in a trailer park in mid-America. You got a nerve speaking for LGBT people you don't even know. You don't define other peoples emotions, feelings, thoughts, &lives for them. You know nothing about anybody other then those that are dancing around in your dense head. Nothing anti-god or anti-moral about my life. I'm anti-your "God" &your inhuman superiority complex you disguise as "morality" &that is my Constitutional right.Your use of the word "abomination' means nothing to me, because I don't bow down to you, I mean your "God", religion, &holy book. Take it/leave it, I really don't care. I don't give a flying mile high fruk what your heterosexist elitist inhuman "God" blesses. He/she/it can keep those hallow meaningless blessings but the government has no choice. I pay them to respect &protect me 100% as I am, not you or your version of "God". You deal!

In addition, anyone who stands in opposition to any & all aspects of MY life, my friends lives, my family's lives & my community's lives is a threat and will be dealt with accordingly. You don't have to accept us into your homes or houses of worship but you are damn well going to learn to share the public world with us in this country whether you like it or not. You have no say in matter. You can suck it up & learn to share or you can GTF out. I am a naturally born, seven generations strong, hard working, tax paying, educated, law abiding, openly gay American citizen & I WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED by you, your "God" or the government because of your selfish desires to control any aspect of MY life & force me to live how you demand according to what you deem suitable. Your "God" is not making these fascist, anti-American, inhuman, unconstitutional, discriminatory life limiting laws. It is you & you alone are the ones that will pay for the way you have chosen to treat other human beings. That's bank.

Nope. Not radical. I'm not anti-marriage. That would be you. I'm pro-marriage as it is protected under the 14th &guaranteed to ALL American citizens as they are not as you want them to be. The gov. works for me as much as it works for you. It issues you marriage rights, benefits &privileges as you are therefore it will do the same to me as I am. No excuses or do not tax me. There is no such thing as "revealed/natural law". Nature is undefinable &ever changing. Evolution is subjective. &"etc."? What is that Cinderella's talking mice? LOL. There is no unique purpose of marriage. Marriage is about 2people committing to each other &sharing their life with their friends, family, &community. Their community, NOT yours. Everything else, from sex to forming a family, is optional a personal choice The only thing unique to Jenny &Dave's marriage is that theirs is inter-faith compared to Sue &Bob's marriage which is non-denominational. The only thing unique to Adam &Kyle's marriage is that their marriage revolves around their deeply held religious convictions compared to Mike &John's marriage revolving around their common interest in world travel. NOBOY'S marriage is more unique then others. A heterosexual couple who is bi-national can get married &the American spouse can sponsor the citizenship no questions asked. A gay bi-national couple is an automatic no. Anti-gay heterosexuals, because NOT all heterosexuals are anti-marriage, want the special privilege to own the word "marriage".

Well said Rolf. I am finding it hard to believe that so many supposedly 'normal', 'intelligent' people are having so much difficulty in understanding that it's not just any pairng of two people that is eligible for these particular benefits offered by our government for married couples. It has always particularly been for heterosexually joined (it's a legal and binding contract) couples, and it was never intended that those benefits be given to any two human beings who decide they want to set up housekeeping together. That's why most states don't even allow common law marriages the same benefits. Marriage is something that is sacred and special - and an honorable undertaking for a man and a woman, who at least Plan, or HOPE too be able to bear children and raise them to be normal citizens who appreciate the institution of marriage and what it means, and to demand a vote on things which are of greater import than the "odd couple' stomping their feet because they chose to live in a manner contrary to both nature and society - leaving out religion-and they can't have the same things as those who are living as they should. I agree that this is not something that can be "recreated", or changed to suit the minority. Majority rules - it's that simple, and SS couples are SO the minority! I don't get it, but thinking back on what I've seen of the lifestyle and their flawed reasoning in general, I'm not surprised that they want to be like other couples - but they're not!

"Majority rules - it's that simple, and SS couples are SO the minority!"

Gee, Nancy, I think you missed your calling. Had you been born 30 or so years sooner, you'd have made the perfect klansman. I don't know what kind of twisted, perverted "values" YOU are carrying around, but MY country and MY state are NOT governed by mob rule. You are certainly NOT allowed to impose your will on a minority group solely by being "the majority." You sound like some petulant 3-year-old in a sandbox, having a tantrum over sharing your toys.

Grow up.

ALL Americans deserve equal rights under the law, and you will NOT stop that from happening. Ever.

So now LGBT human beings, their children, Straight Allies &their children are not "normal citizens"? Then why does the government tax us as if we are "normal citizens"? Oh wait, our hard earned money is important but we are expendable. There is no such thing as a "normal citizen" &the only people (who do not deserve to be called people) who categorize certain groups of people as "normal" while the rest are deemed inferior/less than are Fascists &Dictators. The so called "majority" does NOT rule over me. NOBODY does. The Gallup polls have been used for years in legal issues about Marriage Equality. When that poll said the "majority" was against Marriage Equality, opponents loved it, heralded it, praised it to "lord" on high. But now that the Gallup poll says that the "majority" supports it, all of sudden opponents say its biased. "Biased" is another word for it doesn't say what I want it to say so I'm not going to accept it. What are you going to do when you are in the "minority"? Are you still going accept the "majority rules" meme? I really don't think so, because you people are not happy unless you are usurping your heterosexist, holier-then-thou, superiority &control complexes on those who do not live how you demand. Unless everybody looks, breathes, acts, &lives etc. etc. exactly like you then they are considered as "not normal/natural." Humans do a lot of things that aren't "normal/natural". Oh wait it benefits you so its ok. Hypocrites.

Marriage is NOT an institution ordained by your "God" or any "God". There is no historical fact. Judges, religious leaders of ALL faiths anti-gay & LGBT affirming, mayors, ship captains, governors, even every day civilians who are ordained online can legally perform marriages. They are not "God". My marriage will not mean nothing. It means something to me &my my boyfriend. It means something to our friends, family, &community. You know nothing about the "truth". You are trying to define "truth" for people who do not &by Constitutional Federal Law do not have to follow or adhere to your religious beliefs &definitions. You want to talk about broken society? Over 400thou children are either homeless or in orphanages with subpar healthcare, education, &nutrition. They have no parents &no family. They age out of system, become homeless, forced to deal drugs, commit crimes, or become prostitutes just to buy a piece of bread &water. Over 100thou LGBT youth are homeless because either their heterosexual biological parents abandoned them or threw them out of the house or they runaway because they do not feel safe in their homes or communities. They fear for their lives from their own families. All of this because they are LGBT. Over 200million children with LGBT parents have no legal protections. Yes, you heterosexist elitists are doing a fine job at fixing society. Except that you have utterly failed at protecting millions of children all to sustain your superiority complex. GAE.

AMEN, Paul!

Mr. Tottah: I can guarantee you that when I receive a state issued marriage license I am not receiving a sacrament or ordination. I am receiving a state issued license, nothing more, nothing less. In this country, churches issue sacraments; governments issue licenses. Please stop trying to turn our civil government into an arm of your religion.

Simple concept.

Keep your religion out of secular society, doesn't apply to me and doesn't apply to countless others.

Religion has absolutely nothing to do with civil marriage, not sure why that's so difficult for you guys to understand.

AMEN, Tim!!! Hallelujah!!! Praise (enter your high power or whatever here)!!!!

Marriage actually predates your religion by thousands of years... so no it's not ordained by God, not to mention same sex couples want to take part in civil marriage which has absolutely nothing at all to do with religion.

Tell you what if your so convinced that marriage is primarily a religious institution, next time you or a friend get married tell them to try to go to a church and get married, while pledging zero government involvement.. then tell them to go to a court house or their local city hall and get married while pledging zero church involvement.

See which one actually gets a person married...

and for those who feel they have some right to vote on the civil rights of a minority, each and every one of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

A lot of you belong in a different era, you can't stop social progress no matter how much you want to. There is a clear cultural shift in the direction of LGBT rights, especially amongst the so called Millennial generation of those 30 and below, who as a group are overwhelmingly supportive.

They have gay brothers... lesbian cousins.... their favorite uncle coming out as being transgender and so on and so forth and they want their loved ones treated with the same dignity that they are.

They can see right through your rhetoric and won't let it cloud their better judgement, if history has shown anything it's that the majority can only hold down the minority for so long. Society is evolving and leaving you guys behind in the process, by all means continue to remain social dinosaurs, the rest of civilized society will join this century and you will all be left wondering what happened.

You're right, Marriage supporters are not against progress. Anti-marriage supporters like you however are &you are on the wrong side of history.

Nobody has a desire to "weaken the core institution of society". There is no such thing. Nobody is denying a child a father or a mother in the home. You have NO say in how other people form their families neither does the government. The government is BY LAW obligated to protect &respect ALL families 100% NO CHOICE. There is no such thing as a "healthy marriage culture". Those who support Marriage Equality are the ONLY Marriage supporters &the ONLY supporters of true progress. Nobody is taking the knowledge &wisdom of all of human history &throwing them out the window. It is are all still there. We are a part of human history so your memes are nothing but moot trash. Your "drug & free blah blah blah" is nothing but speculative selfish biased "I'm 'morally' superior to everyone" bullshite, like you. Yes Marriage supporters are on the right side of history but you however are NOT a marriage supporter.You don't support society, you hinder it when you think you have the fascist right to control ANY aspect of OUR lives. Like I said BACK THE F OFF or you will be forced to BACK OFF. Any organization, bill or law that limits, encroaches, or imposes on MY life is a threat to my life, my friends lives, the lives of my family & community & will be dealt with accordingly. MY life, MY marriage. MY family. MY rights. NOT YOURS!!!! Deal with it!

You guys have still failed to show any link to marriage equality and "denying a child a father or mother in their home"

If you are referring to same sex adoption and same sex parenting, it's going to exist either way.. the truly moral thing would be wanting those kids to have the same protections that other kids have, something they don't have currently.

I'm also still awaiting any evidence whatsoever that this would weaken the institution of marriage, Countries and states that have allowed same sex couple to marry have done just fine and marriage is no weaker than what it was before.

Marriage supporters.. meaning true marriage supporters, not exclusionary heterosexual supremacists are the ones who promote progress.

SSM opponents, please stop trying trying to defend the indefensible and come up with better material while your at it, people are seeing right through your rhetoric at an increasingly high number.

Nope, no propaganda. That would be your Fascist ilk. You're the loon."Natural order & for truth": ROFL. Read the PEW reports simpleton, One organization within the religious-reich spent $138,000,000 dollars to attack LGBT human beings in 2010 triple what the HRC has spent. SO FAIL. No diatribe & no hate from me. Self defense is justified. You don't agree. All well, GaySeraSera. You are the bigot. Go home to your paltry termagant, leave us alone. You demanded plenty in refrencece to OUR lives. Well not anymore. I will not live MY life to make you or any anti-gay pap happy. You will learn to deal with it & if you don't, too bad. You have no say in the matter. Me marrying the man I choose to spend the rest of my life with whether you like or not, in no way what-so-ever intrudes on you & your pathetic insignificant to everybody other then your family, friends, &community, relationship. You are the one that has forced us to bring out the truth about your disorder, the long term implications of such disordered conduct towards human beings on you &on society. The constitution applies to LGBT tax paying American citizens &the gov. agrees. Too late, Too bad for you. GET OVER IT. Try to end that & I promise you that one of my lower numbered amendment rights will be put to good use.

I will have a life as long as my higher power means for me to live. When it is my time to spiritually leave this planet then it is meant to be. I am not afraid of what happens next. I welcome it because that is a part of life. There is no such thing as homosexual "practitioners. It is not a fencing lesson, or a tennis lesson, or a form of art like Abstract Expressionism or Bauhaus. LGBT human beings have already been legitimized by the government & the government has come to the conclusion that we are entitled to ALL of the protections, rights, & benefits of the Constitution & ALL CIVIL laws as LGBT people, not as heterosexuals. Too late. GET OVER IT. The word "marriage" belongs to NOBODY & legitimizes nothing. All well, GaySeraSera. CIVIL marriage, & all of the rights & benefits that come with it, is issued by the government NOT the church. Keep your churches religious marriage. I don't want it. I don't need it. I don't care about it. It means absolutely nothing in the eyes of CIVIL law. Ok, so, moving on, TTFE.

"Such rights, however, need not include the right to the legitimacy conveyed by the the word "marriage."

why is this because you say so?

Give me a break... marriage equality is a foregone conclusion and when it arrives the world won't magically end. Opponents need to first and foremost get over themselves and stop trying to dictate the rights of others and what they can and cannot do with their own lives.