Marriage a choice, just like religion

Gary Sylvester, North Las Vegas

Thursday, April 23, 2009 | 2:03 a.m.

I am writing in regard to Rob Gardner’s Wednesday letter to the editor, headlined “Gay unions opposed based on Scripture,” which was a response to Frank Rich’s column on same-sex marriage.

Mr. Gardner says people who support gay marriage are simply missing the point, that point being that Mr. Gardner knows God opposes homosexuality, and he backs up that proclamation with a couple of Bible verses.

Hmm. I guess my point would be whose God? Mr. Gardner’s? And how does he know his Bible is the word of God? Just because?

I will defend to the end Mr. Gardner’s right to base his assumptions on Bronze Age dogma. But the real point here is not what his personal religious beliefs are or whether he can impose those beliefs on others. No, this is a matter of equality and rights for all people no matter how they are oriented.

This country was not created as a nation for Christians or for any other religion. On the contrary, our nation’s principles were based on freedom of (and from) religion as well as a separation of church and state.

Gay people who want the rights of marriage are not looking for the blessing of Mr. Gardner’s God. That’s a matter between Mr. Gardner, his god and his church. Same-sex marriage is a legal matter, a matter of state.

In closing, I was divorced after 22 years of marriage. So to all those gay couples out there looking to walk down the aisle, be warned. Rights of marriage come with the rights of no-fault divorce. Ah yes, a slippery slope. Good luck!