I can't understand this. Marriage is a religious concept which has suddenly, for no good reason, been brought into civil law.

If people want to believe in God and move into the rubbish moral assumptions that brings, they should obey such regulations or stay out of the silly game.

But religious restrictions ought never to have influenced laws or taxes.

JK for me gay marriage should be a right

For me it has nothing to do with religion- I am a practising Buddhist, but believe that gay people should have all the rights straight people have, and if that means marriage, then so be it.

If it has nothing to do with religion, why go through a stupid ceremony?
I agree with you, nobody should have more or less rights due to sexual orientation or colour of skin or other superficial differences - but why is "marriage" necessary?

If two people love each other and live together they should have the same legal and tax advantages as anyone else.

Why this phony "marriage" word?

ah ok I get your point.

Think I'd be happier if we had a secular constitution rather than this miss mash that veres between god and the queen on one hand,and political correctness on the other.

Solihull Exile wrote:
Think I'd be happier if we had a secular constitution rather than this miss mash that veres between god and the queen on one hand,and political correctness on the other.
Couldn't agree more, SE. We need a visionary like Ataturk who removed the evils of religious influence from Turkey (though sadly they are on their way back now.) I'm never sure what political correctness is supposed to mean though.

I believe anything that is available in this society should be accessed by all-which doesn't mean I believe in the concept of marriage..but if it's there it should be for all.

There is the important legal side of "gay" marriage as well. One of my closest friends who lives in Asia and is aged about 65 and not terribly healthy has just married his 35 year old boyfriend at the Wembley registry office (most un-romantic and which we all
sent him up endlessly for-particularly as he's anti-marriage)as he wants to leave his considerable wealth to him.

Most of his family gave him a hard time when he was young for being openly gay.

Strangely a similar situation this has just occured with the sudden death of an Australian record company identity Peter Ikin who you may have known JK.

Peter died suddenly of a heart attack in a Paris hotel 2 weeks ago after he had just married his on/off 40 year old French lover in a civil ceremoney.

With the lover ensconsed in Peter's Chelsea house it looks like there is going to be a real ding dong legal battle over Ikin's $20M estate with his family claiming no knowledge of the boyfriend.

Sad to hear about Peter Ikin, a real character who I met several times in the 80s.
As I recall he was very overweight. Did that contribute to his death?

Died of a heart attack aged 56 and I guess weight had something to do with it. Always overweight but enjoyed fine food and drinking to excess.