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Originally Posted by kg_veteran
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first, there are health reasons to outlaw incest. the fact is that reproduction by closely relatted family causes genetic defects.
as for the reasons for gays to be free to marry, it is about equal rights. there are legal benefits to a recognized marriage and those benefits should be extended to all adults who wish to enter into a consenual committment.
kurtz writes "The taboo on homosexuality protects marriage". that is a circular argument and is not logical.
he also concludes "And it's not surprising that, as a consequence of our changed understanding of sexuality, the rates of divorce and out of wedlock birth have dramatically risen." no, the rates of divorce and out of wedlock births have risen due to the relaxation of the laws allowing for easier divorce, and women being able to support themselves and not rely upon the husband as the sole breadwinner.
kurtz concludes with "Gay marriage would set in motion a series of threats to the ethos of monogamy from which the institution of marriage may never recover." however, while it is difficult to say with assurance as the timeframes and number are low, there is the same incidence of monogamy in homosexual couples as there are in heterosexual couples.
imo there are no reasons outside of religious doctrine to prohibit homosexual marriages. if one agrees that our laws should not be solely based on religious laws, that person should also conclude that the ban on homosexual marriage should be removed.