[Sean]

I think most religious people also tend to forget that many of the religious teachings from 2000 years ago when the New Testament was being written were based on specific needs of the time. I mean let's face it - we just don't have the same problems with leprosy today that they were having back in those days. And in my personal opinion, the rules and laws surrounding marriage are an example of this when you look at them from a practical point of view. As one example, marriage used to be more about procreation because numerous hands were needed around the home/farm/family business to survive. That's simply not the case today. At this point in history, what I personally find to be important is that marriage, be it between a man and a woman, or two women, or two men, needs to be founded on love and mutual respect, and taken seriously. As I've said before in this thread, it serves a huge and important social purpose, and I just want to see it, as well as the people who wish to take part in it, treated with the thoughtfulness they deserve.