Replies

Start with a challenge to the current concept of marriage. Marriage isn't really about love. Marriage is about sex and children. Marriage establishes consent for the sexual act and provides for the children that may result from that act.

Countless studies have shown that children from single-parent homes are at a disadvantage in the world. They are more likely to grow up in poverty, less healthy both physically and mentally, more likely to join gangs, commit crimes, drop out of school, etc. The marriage contract sets up the two parent household in advance.

When marriage is skipped and children are produced as a result of an unmarried sex act, then the courts have to step in after the fact in a messy process to establish paternity, child support, visitation, etc. in a method that seldom leaves the child in as much of a loving, stable enivironment that a good marriage affords. In the worst situations, the state becomes responsible for the care and support of the children.

The State has an interest in supporting the method that leads to the most stable, productive, healthy citizenry, and the method that works best (and has for centuries) is an exclusive marriage between one man and one woman. Married partners are much more likely to raise healthy, productive and responsible children and less likely to require welfare or other forms of state aid.

With homosexuals practicing non-procreative activity, the possibility of producing children doesn't exist and the state doesn't have to do anything to protect and provide for their offspring. The state does not have a compelling reason to encourge or sanction homosexual unions.

Good.

However, I'm going to get the argument back about gay adoption. People who say that it is better for a gay couple to adopt the kid than for the child to be bounced around from foster home to foster home.

BTW, don't get me wrong, I do see the argument about heterosexual marriage providing a mother and a father, which is obviously in the best interests of the child(ren) involved. But there are counterarguments, including:

(1) Homosexual couples usually provide for one to be the male and the other to be the female (this argument is quite weak, but I have heard it before in debate);

(2) Many single mothers and divorced couples exist in hetereosexual marriages even... are the children not hurt in this situation as well? How do we sanction or improve that situation? (My response would be something along the lines of "we can't fix everything; this is just a start.")

FWD: Bryan, lentulusgracchus