Wednesday, December 10, 2008

I am clearly the laziest blogger ever, what with the never updating. But today I had something to say.

So I was reading an article over at Newsweek re:gay marriage and the bible/religion. It's basically a really long version of President Bartlet's speech from 'The West Wing'. You know, along the lines of how Leviticus has all kinds of outdated rules and they don't fit into modern society. That sort of thing. I've heard it a million times since then, but it's still a valid point. I just kind of wish people would get it already, so we can hear a new argument.


Anyhoo, that's totally not the point of this post. While reading that article, I can across this sentence - "...and by the 1970s most states had gotten rid of their "head and master" laws, which gave husbands the right to decide where a family would live and whether a wife would be able to take a job." MOST states?!? MOST?!? I'm terrified at the implication that there were states that kept that as a law. Also at the implication that there are possibly still states that have law. At least, that is the impression I was left with after reading that.


Also, I really really really wish that more people would be talking about separation of church and state. It's all well and good for Jack Black to sing about it, but I think it needs to be said in a more serious tone. The church (any church) can define marriage however they want, but that shouldn't be standard that's legally enforced on everyone. It's something that should only apply to the people who follow that religion/belief system. I read somewhere, and I totally forgot where, that every couple should just have civil unions in the eyes of the law. Gay, straight, whatever. And then if they would like have some sort of religious ceremony, that would be up to their church as to whether or not it's acceptable. And the more I think about it, the better it sounds.


In this same vein (of separation, not marriage) I saw this quote from Bill O'Reilly on The Daily Beast today - “If you can get religion out,” Bill O’Reilly warned, “then you can pass secular progressive programs, like legalization of narcotics, euthanasia, abortion at will, gay marriage.” Umm......NO. Religion should have no bearing against these things. Maybe I'm just not paying attention, but I seem to hear all these crazy right-wing nutjobs spouting off all kinds of shit like that, but I don't really hear anyone stepping up and saying 'hey separation of church and state, pal'. My hope is that people are saying that, and I'm just looking in the wrong places. Also I really hate to quote Bill O'Reilly, because repeating anything that comes out of his mouth means someone was paying attention.

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