Same Sex Marriages

SAME SEX MARRIAGES
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SAME SEX MARRIAGES
Introduction
Same sex marriage is universally defined as the union in marriage between any two people who are biologically of the same sex or have similar gender identities. The term is often used interchangeably with other words like equal marriage and same sex marriage. The recent past has seen many sovereign states allowing the same sex marriages and creating laws to protect or incorporate couples of the same sex (Evan, 2004). However, since this is a new trend that has only received heated recognition of the media in the past few years, it has received mixed reaction from persons all over the world as to whether same sex marriage should be considered legal or illegal.
While the differences in opinion is a thing that must always exist, people still stop to wonder which side is on the right, is it the proponents side who figure that same sex marriage is a personal choose, orientation and a birth right, or the opponent side who feel that nature itself is defied when people engage in same sex marriage? This discourse intends to study the advent of same sex marriage in the world and the reactions from several dockets of the many nations, including the government, the church, the leaders, the non-governmental institutions and the rest of the world (Daniel, 2006).
Same sex marriages and the church
The church has in the recent past taken part in same sex marriages, some supporting the act while others defying it as an act against all the biblical principles as laid out in the Holy Bible (Evan, 2004). Churches that have come out publicly to support same sex marriage include the Church of Christ United, also in the list is United Church found in Canada, and some other parts of world, and conservative Jews, among others. The following is a short overview that looks at a few selected religious institutions and their stand in the debate of the same sex marriage.
The Catholic Church in America opposes same sex marriages on the ground that it is not fitting to their definition of marriage. According to the catholic Bishops explanation marriage is a "union between a man and a woman" (Michael, 2008). Another argument was that these marriages between man and man or woman and woman were "inherently non procreative" and therefore against God`s will of procreation (Daniel, 2006).
The American Baptist Churches openly declared in the year 2005 that they do not support the same sex marriages whether between two men or women. According to them, God had a purpose for creating man and woman and that plan included marriage between man and a woman. They further asserted that homosexuality is not part of the teachings of the bible and would not be entertained. This claim even resulted in the splitting of the church when in the year 2006; the national head could not condemn same sex marriages that were starting to happen publicly between members of the church (Evan, 2004).
The church of Mormon which is also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does not for its part, support or practice same sex marriages. According to this denomination, marriage is an act of union between a man and a woman. Their teachings stipulate that the marriage between man and woman is "an act that is ordained by God" (Michael, 2008).
The Buddhists denomination have never for their part stated clearly their stand on the topic of same sex marriages. This makes them only try to in temperate sections of their teachings such as the part which teaches that sexual misconduct is a non virtuous deed which leads to suffering (Louise, 2011). This misconduct traditionally meant adultery but is sometimes overstretched to cover same sex behavior (Michael, (2008)". It is therefore left unsure as to whether they officially deny or accept the issue of same sex marriage.
The Episcopal churches have been on the public forums supporting, uniting and blessing couples of the same sex. This began in 2012 in their general convention and was approved by the leaders. The law that was approved in their liturgical statements Their new liturgical writings were planned to take effect as from December 2012 and was claimed not to be a marriage, they said that the blessing ceremony was just a routine blessing ceremony though it was related to any conventional marriage in more ways than one. First the ceremony is composed of the exchange of vows like in any normal marriage (Web citation, 2012)." The ceremony also has a session where the gay or lesbian couple commits to a lifelong relationship and swearing. However, this church holds that such a ceremony will not be compulsory for all the church denominations.
The Episcopal Church leader suggested that any branch church leader has the choice to make whether they want to allow the blessing ceremonies in their local churches or not. The evangelical church which is also known as the Lutheran church of America has defined marriage as a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman. The Lutheran church however allows the blessing and permission of same sex marriages. The Lutheran assembly of 2009 also agreed to allow the families headed by same sex couples.
The Hindu religion, like the Buddhists, does not have a clear stand as to whether they rebuke or condone the marriage between the couple of the same gender. In the Hindu culture there exist people or groups who disapprove of the same sex marriages whereas there are other groups which practice stuff like Kama sutra. The Kama sutra is a practice that seems not to disapprove of same sex marriage (Evan, 2004). The Islamic community is known to refute homosexuality strongly. And they oppose it in their strongest terms possible. In fact in the Islamic religion, homosexuality is both a sin and a criminal offence that is punishable by law. Some of the countries in which homosexuality is a crime are countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Jewish communities hold that they support the same sex marriages and relationships. The church leaders of these denominations such as the conservative Jewish movement support the marriage of man and man or woman and woman. They however do not make it mandatory for their church pastors to have to stand in the ceremony and unite the couples intending to marry (Michael, 2008). They have the power to decide whether they want, as local pastors, to wed the couples or not.
What the supreme court of the says about same sex Marriages
The supreme court of was seen to come out on the clear about same sex marriages when it decided to finally handle some two rulings that were made by lower courts concerning gay marriages. Over the many years in the past, people have taken to the courts over the issues of same sex marriages demanding to be given their rights (Evan, 2004). In the year 2003, when the supreme court of the state of Massachusetts allowed the marriage, of the same gender, there arose more people marching to the courts to seek the same ruling.
The courts hold dear a marriage document called the Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA which was made to be law in 1996. In the DOMA, the states that do not approve of same sex marriages have the power to reject same sex couple who were joined in other states. The document also give the definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman and therefore fails to recognize the union of man and man or woman and woman as marriage.
In one case, the Supreme Court was challenged in the legibility of proposition number 8. Voters cast ballots that challenged proposition number 8 and resulted in the amendment of the former law. The Supreme Court the decided to pass a ruling that the since the U.S. laws do not give people of the same sex the right to marry, it should be in order to amend Proposition number 8 (Jonathan, 2004). This ruling has also been adopted by other many nations globally.
There are known rec...