Anytime the words senate vote and marriage come up in the same sentence, I get concerned. My concern is that I don’t want the government regulating my private life. I don’t want them legislating my choices either. However, the biggest issue I have with the marriage legislation is that it opens a potential can of worms that may cause far more problems and injuries to the nation than it protects values.
The Value of Marriage
I wrote a blog months ago that indicated that the greatest threat to marriage wasn’t same-gender marriages, but rather divorce. When our government focuses time, money and effort to meet on a constitutional amendment that requires a minimum of 67 votes to pass that they likely do not have they draw a huge line in the sand. They divide the nation down the center of what we hold to be most true and valuable to ourselves.
Our personal choices, our personal beliefs – these cannot be legislated. One amendment to a state constitution in the Midwest indicated that marriage should be a state that exists between one man and one woman. The wording here is cagey, because without some caveats – that sounds like once you’ve made one marriage – you cannot make another one.
Legislating Marriage
We have a separation of powers in this country for a reason, we have a country that has a lot of issues confronting it. I’m more worried about kids growing up without a good work ethic. Kids who have the convenience of life laid out for them on a royal, plush carpet and no understanding that just because it’s not on the Internet it isn’t true.
I’m more worried about discovering how to handle the rising costs of gas prices that are likely to never go down below the 2-dollar mark again and more. Marriage is a social, emotional and psychological commitment between two people and the last people who need to be deciding are a handful of elected officials.
The Meaning of Marriage
Ultimately, the meaning of marriage can be defined by your faith, your beliefs and your philosophy – not by your government. While there are many who believe that legislating marriage will protect marriage, I think it will endanger it further. It will set a limitation and eventually that limitation will be legislated further and further. It only takes one step – and legislating marriage is like legislating happiness or career choices. No one else can tell you who you love, what you enjoy or where you will be – and they shouldn’t be starting on it now.
Okay, off my soapbox and back to your regularly scheduled marriage blog!
Related Articles:
Some Interesting Marriage Facts