Here's what marriage is

by Rich Miles

You people are beginning to annoy me.

You claim things about the Bible that simply ARE. NOT. TRUE.

Jesus never said one word about homosexuals or same sex marriage. I already ranted on about that.

But - BUT - it seems some people need a little remedial explanation of what marriage is in the abstract.

Marriage IS mentioned in the Bible. Not sure what-all the book has to say about it, but it's mentioned. BUT...

It is NOT an institution of god. It is, purely and simply, a way to try and prove who the father of any individual baby is, so that inheritances may be determined more fairly and equitably. If a man could believe that his wife had sex only with him, then he could believe that her offspring is his child, and would feel better about leaving his entire estate to that (usually male) child. Never mind the bastards he fathered, and usually KNEW he fathered, never mind the daughters he needn't leave anything to.

Marriage is for that purpose and that purpose alone - to (try to) ensure that a woman stayed faithful to her husband.

Of course, we know now, as they knew then, that it didn't always work. Ever hear the expression "Her baby, his maybe"? No man EVER knows for certain who fathered his wife's baby. We can only trust. I'm fairly certain that my father really WAS my father, because we looked almost exactly alike. But I don't really know, now do I? Nothing against my mom, she was almost certainly faithful to my dad. But I don't really KNOW, do I?

And within the above definition, it doesn't matter that gay marrieds can't reproduce - in the traditional sense anyway. Lots of straights who marry can't have babies, or choose not to, or have miscarriages and never a live birth. Should we deny them the right to marry? Should reproductive status have anything to do with the question? I say no.

But in fine, marriage is a social construct, dressed up and tricked out as an institution of god. But it ain't really so.

I mention all this to try, probably futilely, to get the radical rightwing anti-gay marriage morons to get off their high horses, and shut up about same-sex marriage. I am farting in a whirlwind, but it's worth trying, I guess.