Originally Posted by
Yawn
Actually, your history of marriage is completely mistaken. Marriage has historically been, and still remains for most people, a means of gaining wealth, status, and/or power; as well as creating offspring to carry that legacy on ad infinitum. Historically, taking one or more lovers onthe side has been completely acceptable as long as you keep it a secret. That way, you don't dishonor or embarass your spouse. In fact, the concept of monogamy is relatively new. ,Marriage is not even a religious thing. Religions use marriage to their own ends, but marriage itself is all about the above.
As for Asians finding homosexuality (or gay marriage) laughable, that is completely untrue. In most of Asia, homosexuality was often called the purest form of love since it was a love that could not give offspring, wealth, or prestige. In fact, homosexuality was widely accepted throughout even the United States until the end of World War 2.
If, as you say, life is about more than sex you should focus on the idea that gay people just want tax breaks. Marriage, for most of its history, has never had anything at all to do with sexual desire or love. Henry the 8th even created his own religion just so he wouldn't have to keep killing his wives off when they wouldn't give him legitimate male heirs. History is full of people who used marriage AND religion for their own selfish designs. He was not an exception. Just look at the concept of a dowrey. If a woman's family was not wealthy enough she could not marry a man. That was true even for peasants. Publicly, we villify the idea. Our entire history as a race is filled with this ,though.
Modern media has actually changed most people's concepts of love and marriage. Shakespeare and Hollywood have done a lot to romanticize the idea of love over responsiblity to one's family. Perhaps this change in the overall view of marriages as an institution of love is exactly the reason same-sex marriages should be allowed.