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→"The word's definition": Removed section that was an unsupported personal essay
Having received no answer, I am citing "the marriage services of Christian denominations" as a source for the definition, and specifically citing the language of the Episcopalian prayer book. I'm also noting that this definition was written into Federal law. Since marriage laws are primarily a state matter, I'm further noting that a few states permit civil unions and one allows same-sex "marriages" under that name, while noting that the Federal government does not recognize these marriages. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 18:43, 8 June 2007 (EDT)
Having received no answer, I am citing "the marriage services of Christian denominations" as a source for the definition, and specifically citing the language of the Episcopalian prayer book. I'm also noting that this definition was written into Federal law. Since marriage laws are primarily a state matter, I'm further noting that a few states permit civil unions and one allows same-sex "marriages" under that name, while noting that the Federal government does not recognize these marriages. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 18:43, 8 June 2007 (EDT)
=="Line-drawing & Gay Rights" section==
I'm moving this here, because although I think it's an arguable point, this section is, as noted a few weeks ago, basically a personal essay, and since that time it hasn't been changed. It doesn't cite or quote what opponents of same-sex marriage actually say, it doesn't cite or quote what gay rights workers actually say, and so forth.
It shouldn't be reinserted unless supporting material can be added clarifying these points. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 20:39, 10 June 2007 (EDT)
== Line-Drawing & [[Gay Rights]] ==
Opponents of same-sex marriage suggest that allowing same-sex marriage will place society on a "slippery slope" towards allowing bigamy, incest, and other moral "wrongs." The argument rests on the idea that the only legal or moral "line" preventing same-sex marriage is morality, which is also the only "line" preventing acceptance of bigamy ''et all''.
Gay rights workers suggest that such argumentation downplays the danger, though, of the evils at the bottom of the slippery slope, and society's interest in preventing these evils. The state has a compelling interest in preventing bigamous relationships, which are (1) a burden on state funding, since marriage triggers social benefits and (2) have a higher incidence of spousal abuse. These "lines" are not predicated on morality, but on facts. Similarly, incest is an evil that society has a factual interest in preventing, since incestual relationships often (1) entail abuse, and (2) result in unhealthy offspring. Since there are non-moral reasons to reject both of these "horribles", gay rights workers insist that acceptance of same-sex marriage (by abrogation of a legitimate state interest in preserving "morality") does not entail acceptance of bigamy or incest.