Changes

United States law forbids any kind of marriage other than "one man, one woman". This specifically rules out [[polygamy]].<ref> There are also laws to protect children from being exploited (see [[statutory rape]], incest, [[child molesting]]).</ref> These laws enshrine the scriptural teachings of [[Christianity]] and have the support of [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]].

United States law forbids any kind of marriage other than "one man, one woman". This specifically rules out [[polygamy]].<ref> There are also laws to protect children from being exploited (see [[statutory rape]], incest, [[child molesting]]).</ref> These laws enshrine the scriptural teachings of [[Christianity]] and have the support of [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]].

The primary purpose of marriage is to bring joy to society as much as to safeguard the development of happy families. It is not for individual glory. Unrelated people living together (in sin) make each other miserable and harm society. The battle over this issue is starting to look as large as the fight over slavery in 1860, [http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653/page/1] with proponents of [[individual freedom]] claiming that the rights of any one citizen must always trump those of society.

The primary purpose of marriage is to bring joy to society as much as to safeguard the development of happy families. It is not for individual glory. Unrelated people living together (in sin) make each other miserable and harm society. The battle over this issue is starting to look as large as the fight over slavery in 1860, [http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653/page/1] with proponents of individual freedom claiming that the rights of any one citizen must always trump those of society.

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Social conservatives regard same-sex marriage as immoral, and argue that use of the word "[[marriage]]" is a misnomer, because the [[Form of Solemnization of Matrimony|marriage services]] of Christian denominations define marriage as the union of a man and a woman,<ref>E.g. In some Christian marriage ceremonies,the wedding will begin with a statement along the lines of: "Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony." ''The Book of Common Prayer,'' Episcopal Church, The Church Hymnal Corporation and the Seabury Press, 1979: "The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage," p. 423</ref> a definition which was also written into United States federal law in 1996.<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode01/usc_sec_01_00000007----000-.html US Code - Title 1, section 7]</ref>

Social conservatives regard same-sex marriage as immoral, and argue that use of the word "[[marriage]]" is a misnomer, because the [[Form of Solemnization of Matrimony|marriage services]] of Christian denominations define marriage as the union of a man and a woman,<ref>E.g. In some Christian marriage ceremonies,the wedding will begin with a statement along the lines of: "Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony." ''The Book of Common Prayer,'' Episcopal Church, The Church Hymnal Corporation and the Seabury Press, 1979: "The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage," p. 423</ref> a definition which was also written into United States federal law in 1996.<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode01/usc_sec_01_00000007----000-.html US Code - Title 1, section 7]</ref>