Verbal Games - Marriage and Civil Unions
June 25th, 2007 by Richard CockrumI really only have a question today.
States in the U.S. have begun giving legal status to same sex commitment contracts, only calling them civil unions rather than marriage. Assuming this is the road we want to travel, can anyone tell me the real difference between a civil union and marriage in Western society, other than marriage also has the approval of a church. Even this condition only began to be required by the Church in the 16th century with the Council of Trent and was a tool to reinforce the Church’s hold over the social shape of the culture. It is still not required for the recognition of a marriage by the state.
Will the value of marriage be destroyed by applying the term to same-sex couples? Commitment contracts between homosexual couples or heterosexual couples have no legal standing unless recognized by the state anyway. Does using two different names really aid the social contract?
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June 26th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Rick,
I prefer that the state stays out of private contracts. Marriage is contract between two people and I really don’t care what sex they are. The state shouldn’t have ever recognized marriage any more than it recognizes baptism or confirmation. I don’t even understand given the history of marriage how state involvement is even constiutional.
Just my opinion.
June 26th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Steve,
The community has always had an interest in marriage customs. Now our community is more formalized than it was a few hundred or thousand years ago, and we call it a state. As things stand, property rights, medical care, and inheritance are all affected by marriage. This is one of the reasons people have fought for same sex unions.