Gay Marriage

[Leggetron]

Another consideration: Where do adoptions made by a single person fit in?

[accidental]

Good point! Are they even possible? It is my understanding that adoption in New Zealand is a real minefield.

[Leggetron]

I don't know if it can be done in New Zealand, to be honest. But I understand that you can in some countries - you just have to make a stronger case that you can provide a healthy environment.

[Tel Prydain]

Actually, gay couples can adopt as individuals, but not as a couple.
But my understanding is that then you’re stuck in a weird situation where (in the case of a lesbian couple) one parent is a legal mother and the other isn’t.

Hence the argument that they should be able to adopt as a couple.

[accidental]

Yeah that sounds bizarre for sure.

[Tel Prydain]

Disclaimer: That's what I think the story was and a quick google can't prove it one way or another. I'm not 100% sure that's correct.

[Tel Prydain]

Okay, so that second argument (gang members, reproduction, etc) is bad. Also, I’m sure being compared to gang members would offend my gay friends, thus rendering me guilty of the crimes I only just accused my brother of – making me a bit a hypocrite.
I officially apologise and retract it.

How about this – morally and biblically homosexuality is on par with other sexual sins. As such, a child being raised by a homosexual couple is at no more ‘moral’ risk than a child raised by an unmarried heterosexual couple or a divorced-and-then-remarried heterosexual couple. In all three cases those couples are living in a state of ‘sin’, and all three situations there is the probability of that worldview being passed on to the child.
More to the point, it is very easy to dispute the idea that homosexuality is a sin, however there is no doubt at all that divorce is a sin. Many mainstream churches will happily remarry someone who has been divorced, despite the fact that biblically speaking it is definitely a sin.
And most churches would support the right of divorced-and-then-remarried heterosexual couple to adopt.

[accidental]

I'm not even thinking or concerned about the religious side of the debate to be honest because it doesn't affect me but you bring up good points.

The other thing is that even if you can argue that a child raised by homosexual parents is negatively affected by it in some way, is that enough to deny them the right to adopt? Only in a world where all upbringings are otherwise equal.

[Maucrephy]

The scriptures seem to indicate that the only justifiable reason for divorce is where there has been adultery that involves the physical act of illicit sex or "sexual immorality" adultery takes many forms: sex by one married person with someone other than their spouse ,sex (fornication) by two non-married people, homosexuality ,polygamy and incest
It all depends on the circumstance's of divorce I suppose.

[sock merchant]

I find it incredibly weird how civil the discussion of this topic is compared to the one celebrating the awesomeness of landing a big as robot on another planet

Just an observation. As you were.

[Newsboy]

LOL Good point sock.
and Acci, yeah I understand your point. It's the same that I'd feel uncomfortable around two gay people making out in front of me in the same way that I'd feel comfortable with a straight couple making out in front of me. Different people find different things uncomfortable and I accept that.

I started off angrily because I'm so used to ravenous hatred on the matter, but it's great to see this being discussed the way it is.

[emetic]

edit: wow there's like... a lot of posts here. I meant this "Yeah! Thank you! " as a response to Wugga's interest in my questions. Gotta go read the thread now.

I've also been wondering about whether, considering that having sex with a double down burger would be considered masturbation and thus normal and acceptable in a private situation, having sex with a dead chicken is thus acceptable. Or whether the chicken needs to be prepared into a burger for it to be acceptable.

[Tel Prydain]

I... do not want to see your google search history.

[emetic]

Well, it won't have any searches for takeaway brides.

Hey, if the double down burger is made from breasts from two different chickens, wouldn't marrying it be a sort of polygamy?

I think polygamists are discriminated against legally, actually. Why can't someone marry more than one person?