Well it was a well made movie with some good acting and all, it was just terribly boring.

Back on topic....

Massachusetts is now allowing same sex couples to marry there. Yay for them!!! Shocking as it might sound, all of society has not collasped because same sex couples can marry. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/nyregion/02gay.html

I'm pretty sure Massachusetts allowed gay marriage for a while. What? Did they ban it again? And whatever happened in California? Did gays take over and wipe it off the map?

Ooops! I phrased my post wrong. Residents of MA have been able to marry for 4 years. Before now, non-residents weren't able to marry there. Now they can. I can't find the statistics but I'm pretty sure that divorce rates are down in MA, even though the number of marriages has risen.

As far as I know, CA is still there and kicking. Gay marriage hasn't destroyed it yet. They could just be waiting till people stop thinking about it though.

Don't let your guard down, CA!

Bud (and other new people), I know you think being gay is a sin but would you go so far as to legislate that into marriage law, adoptions, etc. Is it ever okay to place legal preference of one (or a few) religion(s) over others?

first, i think you are asking, would i revise the law to include gays into marriage, adoptions, etc. and my answer is no. we are subject to the laws of man, and the laws of God. the Triune God is the most important factor in life. He has absolute dominion over this world, and deserves to be held in that ultimate level of esteem. we can only really know Him and His desires for us by His Word. if His Word says this is a rule or that is a law, then it is. and i will admit, sometimes i dont understand why He has the rules that He has, but i know they are for the ultimate good. His Word says that being actively gay is a sin. some people ( or even churches) feel that have right to react as though this sin is directly pointed at them. it is not. it is a sin against God. His laws are to keep us from doing sinful acts that will seperate us from Him or how to mend the seperation through repentence. God will not be in the presence of sin. His Word, rules and laws are designed to keep us from the self inflicted wounds of sin, and must be followed for our ultimate good.

there is a difference between legal preference, and foundational beliefs. most, if not all, countries are built upon some religious foundation. this country, despite the claims of the Anti-Christian Lawyers Union, is built upon Christianity. and that was a known fact in our society until somewhere around 1960. unless a law breaks the foundational tenets of Christianity, it should only be subject to the constitutional guidelines or legal precedents. predjudice has no place in Christianity or in the law.

Why is your religion more important than anyone else's? Why not have laws that allow everyone to follow their religious beliefs without restricting them?

my religion, to me, is probably no more important than some one else's to them. i didn't mean to leave you with that impression. you asked me about my opinion of situations that are, at least in my mind, both legal and moral. my morality, and legal beliefs are a direct reflection of my Christianity. and up until a few years ago, so where this country's. 52 of America's 55 original founding father's (george washington and friends,) were Christian. if you read the Constitution, you can see the evidence of that. the predominant reason for the foundation of America was for people to gain freedom from the 'Christian' tenets of the church of england, and the roman catholic church. their reasoning is that the doctrine in the New Testament, not the rules of men, (religions) should be the ultimate authority. did you know that the main text book in public schools, until the beginning of the 20th century, was the Bible. even non-Christians, like thomas jefferson, were adament that this be the case. i have said all that so when i tell you that the foundational beliefs in this country are Christian, this is why. Christianity is the most freedom based "religion" in the world. and, over the last 2,000 years, always has been. since this country was based on Christianity, it should be easy to understand why that America has the most freedom, as well.
Christianity is the only religion in this country on the defensive. God has been kicked out of the public schools. especially the Son of God. if a teacher, or a student, brings a Bible to school its a national disaster. the media, the Anti-Christian Lawyers Union, and police are called in immediately for arrests and suspensions. sometimes even jail. i am not exaggerating! check out the public schools in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. this teacher had the audacity to have a Bible on his desk. he never had students read it, he never preached, and he certainly never taught from it, in the 20 years he has been teaching kids. a school board member even made up a story that this teacher was burning the symbol of the Cross in the students arms. of course, this has been proven to be a lie. but the teacher was suspended anyway, and they have yet to decide if he should be fired. just think what would happen if that was the koran, or torah. not only would this case be closed before there was any type of legal action, the teacher would have sued the school system for infringement of his civil rights, and won millions.

"Why not have laws that allow everyone to follow their religious beliefs without restricting them?" we, as Christians, would love that. the only group of people in America that are allowed to persecuted, are the Christians. hang with me on this, i know it's going to sound like "woe is me". try putting up a cross, or a manger on pulic property. however, no other religious symbol would even be addressed. how about Merry Christmas? it is now happy holidays to be politically correct. and how come p.c. only applies to Christianity? have you ever heard, even once, of any other religion forced to change their expressions or symbols on their Holy days in this country?
in my opinion, the two main groups spearheading this attack are the Anti-Christian Lawyers Union, who claim to champion the rights of civil liberty. ( the opposite is true. no other group has attacked the civil liberties of Christians as much, or as succesfully, as they.) and the courts. want to see something funny? dover pa. recently had a court battle, which, of course, the decision was against the Christian stance. read the release of the aclu, then the release of the judge's decision. they are word for word, with even the same typo's. why is the aclu allowed to dictate our laws?
Christians are not trying to be more important. we are trying to keep a place in this country by reminding the public that this truly was a Christian nation, and remind others that civil rights apply to us too. and, in truth, we are losing.

So because the nation's founders were Christian (considering some of their actions, I use the word lightly), no one else gets religious freedom?

Why is your view of Christianity the one that's legalized and not more moderate (or stricter) views? My religious views state that people should stay the fuck out of other people's bedrooms and mind their own business. My view allows you live according to your views. Your views violate my rights 6 ways till sunday. I have the right to pursue happiness. If my happiness is marrying the woman of my dreams, why shouldn't I be allowed to do that? Whether or not it's morally wrong according to you makes not one iota of difference to my life. I don't think it's wrong and it is not harming you so why should my rights be restricted because you don't like what I do in the bedroom?