Marriage as Cultural Identity

I am fundamentally opposed to same-sex marriage for the following reasons:

• My personal evangelical faith

• Western Civilization has been build upon the foundations of family and procreation. Marriage has historically and philosophically defined society.

I will not address the first aspect in this posting. Although theology is immensely important to me and underlies my worldview but, it is not the sole thing that informs my opinion. If we move backwards in the makeup of society we go from nation-states, to regions/counties, cities, neighborhoods and then families. Families are at the heart of societies. The ability to reproduce and further a culture is the fundamental base for all of the West.


Marriage is meant to be the bringing together of two people with the purpose of procreation. Bringing up children and molding them in their culture was very important for the people who philosophically shaped the Western identity. Even the ancient Greeks (who had significant homosexual relationships) realized that marriage between a man and a woman was the foundation of society. One would only need to look to Aristotle to realize this.

I am not opposed to civil unions, where same-sex couples receive legal rights that married couples receive. However, there should not be a recognition or equality of institutions. The two definitions must remain separate. Is this discriminatory? No, it is not. The same rights are given to the couples while Westerners remain true to the moral and cultural underpinnings of society.

I will close with an argument from an ethicist and academic, Margaret Somerville .

The reason for excluding same-sex couples from marriage matters: If the
reason for denying same-sex marriage is that we have no respect for homosexuals
and their relationships, or want to give the message that homosexuality is
wrong, then, the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage is not ethically
acceptable from the perspective of respect for homosexuals and their
relationships. It is also discrimination.

On the other hand, if the reason is to keep the very nature, essence
and substance of marriage intact, and that essence is to protect the inherently
procreative relationship, then excluding same-sex couples from marriage is
ethically acceptable from the perspective of respect for them and their
relationships. And such a refusal is not discrimination.

It is not discrimination. It is cultural identity.