Popular Culture (either secular or religious)

The institution of marriage is being redefined in the secular world Today , the issue of same-sex marriage has become a national debate , as the secular world exclaims the universal rights of all citizens to pursue equality under the law and the Christian world cites the sanctity of marriage as being between a man and a woman . While equality is preferential to oppression , the moral issues raised by same-sex marriage include direct opposition to Bible teachings , as well as a redefining of marriage and gender roles . Same-sex marriage challenges Christian beliefs and popular

family values , and the potential legalization of same-sex marriage could create a precedent that further devalues the institution of marriage , leading eventually to many problems within society

The most-often quoted Biblical passage on homosexuality and the possibility of same-sex marriage comes from Leviticus 18 :22 , which states : Thou shalt not lie with mankind , as womankind : it is an abomination (Robinson . While this translation is popularly accepted as a main reason why Christians oppose homosexuality and same-sex marriage , the translation deserves more scrutiny . Translated literally from Hebrew , it states : And with a male you shall not lay lyings of a woman (Robinson . While some Biblical scholars claim this interpretation to be directed towards ritual homosexual sex performed between males in pagan rituals , some have expanded the meaning to include all homosexuality . Because this verse from Leviticus is directed at men , lesbians are not included in the original translation and same-sex marriage is never mentioned . Along with the story of Sodom , and a limited number of other vague Biblical references to homosexuality , Leviticus provides an unclear view on how Christians should react to same-sex marriage . Christians must take from their knowledge of the Bible and the teachings of the Church to help decide whether or not they should tolerate the union of same-sex couples

Jesus Christ preached love over hate , and good Christians must remember that loving their neighbor takes precedence . However , they maintain the right to oppose any secular law that may clash with their Christian beliefs , and same-sex marriage clashes with Christian morality . Author John Stott concludes that the Biblical proof texts against homosexuality are not that significant and that Christians should not reject same-sex marriage on the basis of these few ambiguous biblical passages . Rather they should discard the concept of same-sex marriage as unbiblical because it is in conflict with the positive teaching in Genesis 1 and 2 about human sexuality and heterosexual marriage ' Otherwise Christians ' perspective on the homosexual question is bound to be skewed (000000 . This viewpoint makes the moral argument against same-sex marriage more clear , as homosexual couples cannot produce offspring , failing to meet the most fundamental requirements for sustaining life and civilization . If everyone were to be homosexual humanity would die out in a generation , as they cannot be fruitful nor multiply . However , with the options of adoption and artificial insemination , the potential exists for same-sex couples to start and raise families . The new scientific advances in reproduction as well as the...