Firstly, Obama's support of gay marriage is sound as a policymaker since, as the previous poster acknowledged, the first amendment prevents any policy from being driven by religious belief. The United States was founded on the premise of a freedom of religion, but upholding that tenet requires a freedom *from* religion; that is, anybody can believe whatever they want and practice their faith however they like, *as long as it doesn't encroach upon the liberties of others.*
Second, the "Christian" groups that voice opposition to gay marriage tend to be a fundamentalist minority. I think you will find that the majority of Christians likewise support gay marriage, if for no other reason because there is really no liturgical passage to support any opposition. (Fundamentalists will quote you passages from Leviticus to support their claim, but these are the same passages that tell you that you should be put to death if you cut your hair or that it's okay to sell your daughters into slavery.)
Third, gay marriage is a civil rights issue, meaning that it is unconstitutional to grant rights to some without granting them to all. This is not something that can be decided on democratically. It is a right. Consider what Thomas Jefferson said in his first inaugural address:
"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."
In this country we believe in the separation of church and state, so it's not a contradiction for him to support gay marriage. I once stopped going to a church that I was dedicated to and really liked because of something the minister said in the pulpit. I'm a christian and I believe the President is right to support gay marriage and I'm not gay. This is a civil rights issue and people should not be voting on it because they disagree with who some people sleep with. To disenfranchise a whole segment of the population because you disagree with their partners is dangerous and ignorant. Did you know that we have a large population of muslims in this country; people who were born here? Keep asking questions; it's the only way to learn.
I am doing this to make people like you feel good about yourselves ( "very Conservative republican" ) I agree with everything you repeat without giving any of your own personal thought into a subject. It must be nice to be always right in your own mind because you have been lucky enough to be born white well off have never had any of your children starve to death or go without clean drinking water because your God preordained that you would be born one of the very lucky 'very Conserative republican"
congradulations on being picked as one of the chosen to be better than than the rest
he supports gay marriage because i think he got a lack of attention. so wants the votes of gays too. that's the way it is man.
Obama supports gay marriage, but he claims to be christian, and Christians dont support gay marriage. And Obama observed an Islamic holiday and Muslims also don't believe in it. So what is Obama? Agnostic?
