marriage = unification

Isn't marriage just the unification of a man and a woman in loving bond?

i think about love a lot. there are so many degrees of love..but to me, romantic love is an important aspect of love since it traditionally represents the attractive force that can eventually bond two sets of human genes to produce offspring. Once in love, a man and a woman can marry and commit to each other and to the common good of their relationship.

Gay marriage and the entire concept of homosexual romantic love has always been foreign to me. I can't understand the underlying forces behind romantic attraction to one you can't reproduce with. I used to be against the idea of gay marriage because it does alter the common conception of marriage and romantic love. Now I have accepted that as culture changes so does the meaning behind words. But this also allows that while religious cultures remain relatively static, they can maintain the meaning behind their terms and not recognize same sex marriages. while this can be the case, as a whole, our culture is changing and the powers governing legislature and society shouldn't be influenced by the cultural standards set by religious institutions, but should rather support its people - offering protection and the ability to pursue happiness respective of the rights of others. this means that if two people love each other enough for the commitment that marriage entails, then they should have the right to make that commitment and reap its benefits.

The fact that the concept of marriage has always been defined in a religious context makes me uneasy about calling the committed relationship a marriage, but i know it shouldn't feel that way. All of the benefits and unity should be allowed. A marriage in a synagogue results in the same type of relationship as a marriage in a chapel - this should hold for a marriage in a courthouse. One problem with this idea is that a key tenet of marriage is that the united couple then has the backing of the church and commits to more than just each other, but to an overall ideal. Marriages are becoming more and more flaky and they will continue to as the concept loses its religious connotation unless people find something another common purpose to relate on in forming the terms of their marriage.

There is nothing wrong with homosexual attraction. Each of us expresses homosexual love, but only a minority experience homosexual romantic love and attraction. All people deserve the same rights to happiness. There is no reason to inhibit that happiness because of a persons sexual tendencies (unless their like a pedo or necro or something).

So i guess the answer to my question is, "no..not anymore"