Protecting the true meaning of marriage.

[Zoiderman]

So much easier to get a bonk too, none of that expensive restaurant and trying to sound amusing/deep for hours.

Shaunyboy tells me he just has to take himself for a walk to the park and it's on. He's even taking to pretending he doesn't want to for 10 minutes in the name of shaking a few pounds off too.

[northernladyuk]

Shaunyboy tells me he just has to take himself for a walk to the park and it's on. He's even taking to pretending he doesn't want to for 10 minutes in the name of shaking a few pounds off too.

And in that time, I've earned his 20 quid, double fisting you through the glory hole.

[xoggoth]

Why not leave gay marriage as a civil matter and religious marriages for those who comply with whatever rules the religion concerned lays down. In fact there is a business opportunity to set up a "functional religion" whereby one can hire a church and have whatever ceremony one wants

I think that's the proposal anyway, a while back some had concerns that equality laws would force churches to hold gay weddings but according to the DT the Scottish secretary Michael Moore has ruled that out, so it's only about the legal undertaking made in registry offices. In other words all this fuss appears to be about use of the word "marriage", absolutely nothing in other words.

Ah well, since when were the religious ever rational?

[xoggoth]

Actually, it would make more rational sense to insist on marriage for heterosexual couples because they make up the overwhelming majority and (can't be arsed to look for the link) they are statistically more likely to raise well behaved kids.

Ah!

http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/5632

[TheFaQQer]

Surly marriage was around before the Christian church so why do they have a monopoly on its meaning?

In my experience, most marriages are pretty surly.

[Old Greg]

Ideas about marriage evolve with time. Under Roman law, a couple were married if they considered themselves to be married. There was also a strict form of marriage that did not permit divorce.

Maybe the answer is to ban marriage between straight couples for a year and allow it between gay couples and then see how that looks.

[PorkPie]

Maybe my wife is more like a child than I realized. Despite her assertion that I am a child ("The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys").

Bought one of these bad boys today:

Big Green Egg - The Ultimate Cooking Experience

COME ON!!!

[d000hg]

Why not leave gay marriage as a civil matter and religious marriages for those who comply with whatever rules the religion concerned lays down.

That sounds a better idea to me.

Ideas about marriage evolve with time. Under Roman law, a couple were married if they considered themselves to be married. There was also a strict form of marriage that did not permit divorce.

We still have common law marriages don't we, though how they work I can't be bothered to look up. Divorce is much less easy to obtain in other countries... how easily you can get divorced appears to be part of how we judge how enlightened/modern/civilised a country is

[SueEllen]

We still have common law marriages don't we, though how they work I can't be bothered to look up.

Common law marriages don't exist in England. It's a common myth that it exists which is why people get shafted if someone they have lived with for decades dies without making a will or they split up.

Oh and not all Christian denominations believe exactly the same thing. Some have more modern liberal views then others and have no problem with homosexuality.

Another problem in the UK is that heterosexual couples even if they are non-religious have to say religious things in the marriage ceremony by law.

Ideally civil partnerships should exist for all, and those who want a religious aspect can get married in the Church of the Christian denomination that accepts them.

[shaunbhoy]

Ideally civil partnerships should exist for all, and those who want a religious aspect can get married in the Church of the Christian denomination that accepts them.

Good point well made.