Marriage is:

[Ansgar Seraph]

You accept flawed studies, only because they conform to your preconceptions.

And there's where we differ, OtherCheek; I read the studies, look hard for what the evidence actually points to, and adjust my biases as best I can to fit reality. If the studies were considerably different, I'd have a different opinion. My preconceptions, whether you believe it or not, didn't start out with the bias that same-sex families were just as healthy for child development as opposite-sex families. But that's where the studies lead and so there I must go.

—Sam

[pancreasman]

You accept flawed studies, only because they conform to your preconceptions.

This a pretty lame attack at someone's character with an impugned motive. You've just said Ansgar lacks integrity. I expect better from you.

[Nathan Poe]

But a private agency should continue to receive federal funding even if they are slaughtering thousands of unborn children?

As long as the federal government says it's legal, yes. Federal funding, federal government, federal rules.

[OtherCheek]

As long as the federal government says it's legal, yes. Federal funding, federal government, federal rules.

Morality is determined by the government?

[Nathan Poe]

And if, after 50 years, longitudinal studies show that same-sex parenting has been harmful to the normal development of children who have now grown up, would you then support stripping same-sex couples of that right?

If the reason it could be shown was due to people such as yourself, would you?

[Nathan Poe]

Right.
I would strongly prefer to preserve this term so that it can be held up as an "ideal" for at least some in generations to come.

How much of an "ideal" is it really when there's no longer any incentive to do it? You want to sacrifice the legal realities of "marriage" in order to preserve the fantasy which too few people live up to as it is.

Reminds me of Denis Leary -- he once said that Elvis Presley should've been shot in the head back in 1957, just so the rest of us today could remember him in a nice way, instead of the fat, drug addled weirdo who died on the toilet.

[Nathan Poe]

Morality is determined by the government?

No, but who gets their money is.

[Nathan Poe]

Fun fact:

gay marriage = legal in six states.

having sex with a horse = legal in 23 states.

I'm sorry, you were saying something about morality?

[rogue06]

Fun fact:

gay marriage = legal in six states.

having sex with a horse = legal in 23 states.

I'm sorry, you were saying something about morality?

That Matthew Broderick has to remain celibate when he's in 27 states?

[OtherCheek]

Fun fact:

gay marriage = legal in six states.

having sex with a horse = legal in 23 states.

I'm sorry, you were saying something about morality?

Proving that the government is lousy at defining morality.

[Nathan Poe]

That Matthew Broderick has to remain celibate when he's in 27 states?

... and the District of Columbia.

[Nathan Poe]

Proving that the government is lousy at defining morality.

So maybe you shouldn't expect them to.

[OtherCheek]

So maybe you shouldn't expect them to.

Don't assume that everyone is a cynical as you when it comes to teaching morals for the next generation, and preserving words to teach them by.

[Jaecp]

You can teach your morals all you want, last I checked you guys had massive tax free institutions for just that purpose

Why do you want the government to be in the business of enforcing christian religious doctrine?

[Vivian]

This discussion reminds me of Acts 15 when the Apostles argued among themselves regarding the preservation of morality for future generations.

The lesson learned is that man's ideas of morality are something that is hard fixed in stone - eg the traditions of men, and God's ideas of morality are something that is evolving as man's heart softens, as he learns to functioning increasingly according to love.