Polar Opposite

[sleigh]

Orson Scott Card on the horror of same-sex marriage.

Almost needless to say, we don't agree. Card's bottom line: same-sex marriage is the end of democracy, and justifies violent overthrow of the government. "Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn."

Marriage has only one definition, and it is in Card's personal dictionary and nowhere else.

Comments

[bram452.livejournal.com]

The thing is, it's not his dictionary that he's reading from, it's his bible (whether his bible actually says that or not).

There's some confusion in that marriage is both 1) a civil contract and 2) a religious ceremony. He'll bring down any government that doesn't honor and respect his religious convictions, and I'll fight one that doesn't recognize that 1) != 2).

[maiac.livejournal.com]

"There's some confusion in that marriage is both 1) a civil contract and 2) a religious ceremony."

This is a large part of the problem when dealing with theocrats. They don't make that distinction. Everything is defined by their religion, including the government. The role of government, in their view, should be to enforce the laws of their church.

[spaceoperadiva.livejournal.com]

Everything is defined by their religion, including the government.

Getting away from that was the reason we have a United States of America. No divine rights of kings, separation of church and state, all (hu)mens created equal and all that.

Why do these people hate America?

[rmeidaking.livejournal.com]

And the part that always gets me is that Judaism, the religion they're basing this concept on, says that marriage is a secular contract first, and a religious ceremony second. The signing of the contract is a notable step in the process. (Yes, today they sign both the Hebrew document and the state papers at the same time.) The same section they're quoting also allows for multiple spouses and other things that most folks like Card conveniently ignore.

Working out the house rules for one's Judeo-Christian-Islamic sect is a lot like working out the house rules for one's favorite RPG, from what I can tell. Is that good or bad? :-)