Hellobee Boards

I've been trying to think of an example of why I think that basing law on your religious beliefs is a bad idea. Here's what I came up with.

If your religion said that eating pork is morally wrong (as some do) you would just abstain from eating pork. It would seem preposterous for the US (or a particular state) to create a constitutional amendment banning the sale and consumption of pork products for everyone. Maybe this is done in some middle eastern countries with Sharia law, but I believe even there in most cases non-Muslims are exempt from certain restrictions like eating pork.

I think that most religious people who abstain from eating pork are ok with just avoiding pork products in their everyday lives. No one is forcing them to eat pork, and if there are other people out there in the world who are eating pork, it doesn't make their faith any less pure or true, because they are still abstaining.

Not to compare gay marriage to pigs (haha) but the same should be true in that case. No one is forcing you to enter a same-sex marriage, or even officiate or attend one. But if there are people out there in the world who are in same sex marriages, it doesn't make your marriage or faith any less pure or true, because you are still following your religious principles in your own personal life.

ETA: I agree with everyone else that the civil and open-minded nature of this thread is so refreshing! I hope that the people who are in the minority here feel the same way.

@mrbee: Haha good point! I get all my prohibition-related information from Boardwalk Empire these days, but it sure didn't last too long (relatively, that is - 13 yrs) Let's hope for the same with these SSM-banning amendments.

I don't oppose gay marriage. I understand why religious people are against gay marriage, but I do not understand why that means it should be illegal. Others are going to "sin" by being gay / having gay relationships whether or not gay marriage is legal.

I think the argument might be that by legalizing something, the state/country is endorsing it. I believe that those who vote to ban gay marriage are really voting to ensure that their state maintains a culture they agree with. This is unconstitutional, but those who believe "America is a Christian nation" believe that trumps separation of church and state.