Stop interfering in gay marriages

I HAVE never felt the need to speak out on the issue of same-sex marriage. However, having read some outrageous letters in newspapers, I feel there are a few points to address.

We no longer live in a society where religion governs everyone’s daily lives, therefore the issue of whether you recognise same-sex marriage should be up to individual opinion. Many non-religious people such as myself (and even religious people) do not have any moral objection to same-sex marriage. I worry about the implications for society if organised religion is able to dictate our laws to the government based on their personal opinion. Where do you draw the line? Will we all be forced to remain abstinent until marriage just because that is what some religions believe?

Indeed, while key religious organisations such as the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church oppose same-sex marriage and do not wish to conduct them, some religious organisations such as the Quakers and non-religious organisations such as the 
Humanist Society of Scotland wish to do so.

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In addition to the religious arguments made, I have also heard the “continuation of the species” argument. If these people believe that marriage is purely for the reproduction of human beings, then does that mean they believe heterosexual couples who are incapable of reproducing or have no desire to reproduce should not be able to marry?

While proponents of keeping the definition as it is warn of dire consequences if we let two people of the same sex marry, they have failed to outline what these consequences will be. As a heterosexual male, I have no desire to enter into a marriage with another man, but if a homosexual man wishes to do so with another homosexual man, how on earth would I be affected? I feel we need to stop interfering in the private lives of other people and leave the decision over whether to conduct same-sex marriages to the discretion of each individual organisation.

Just because some groups do not believe in something, that doesn’t mean the rest of society should be forced to conform to their views.

John Lind, Aberdeen