What I want to convey is if it is a sin according to their church’s beliefs.

Churches should have the right to turn down marring anyone for any reason. They should not be forced to marry anyone. Especially when doing so would be a sin.

We agree! Just add on “in their denomination” to the end of that.

“Any non-profit religious organization that may refuse to marry gay couples or adopt to such couples would lose funding with the government and be forced to go private which is extremely expensive.

Too bad, that’s the free market at work. Right, Dave? ”

Perhaps you mean they would no longer have tax exemption. I am not aware of churches that receive federal funding but I could be wrong.

Get rid of the income tax all together and that would fix that problem.

Churches should have the right to turn down marring anyone for any reason. They should not be forced to marry anyone. Especially when doing so would be a sin.

What cognizant part of man allows him or her to be conscious that one thing is not right over another thing. Please explain this to me. Where did these laws come from if not from God?

We’re carrying this conversation on in: http://www.truthmission.org/2009/11/07/more-about-jesus/#comment-904
I won’t comment on that here, so we can keep that topic contained.

Even further Andrew is that this new definition of marriage does and will continue to infringe on other people’s rights.

What rights, specifically?
Watch this video regarding the changing definition of marriage. Dan Savage raises some good points.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tM0Pg_KKV8

Any non-profit religious organization that may refuse to marry gay couples or adopt to such couples would lose funding with the government and be forced to go private which is extremely expensive.

Too bad, that’s the free market at work. Right, Dave?

Any churches engaging in political action should not be tax-exempt. Churches should be allowed to turn down marrying couples not in their denomination. That’s their right. I don’t think gay couples would want to get married in a church that has different beliefs anyway.

was a long break but something snapped. i see we’ve been progressing, nice topic too.

I like to remember the state of sin, as we grow more engrosed in it, we will do crazy things like, take a mans life. its the nature of sin to destroy.

The distance from God is critical to understand these things, in so much the same way being close to Him brings change.

Our inner most aim is always to bring a peaceful being. America in its self was formed as the setting of a peaceful nations where people were free to serve God.

but independence for all, brought independence from God, where we can saftly say the state of mind to be free will only bring destruction, for its when we surrender, and surrender to God that we truly live.

After we have learned as much as we can, psychologically, from criminals, I also don’t have a strong opinion either way regarding the death penalty.

The death penalty does not deter crime. Also, our system has a history of convicting innocent people. However, I also do not think it makes much sense spending money keeping some crazy criminals in prison (e.g. Charlie Manson). From what I’ve read, Manson enjoys being in prison.

I don’t have a strong opinion either way when it comes to the death penalty.

@Billie
I identify myself as “liberal” though I am not against the death penalty.

I understand where you are coming from, but I do disagree because studying brains has made huge contributions to the field of psychology. We have actually learned quite a bit from studying the brains of murderers. For example, wrestler Chris Benoit’s brain was studied and it was found that he had brain damage, including damage to the part of his brain associated with decision making (the prefrontal cortex).
http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/PSY307-Left_hemisphere_dysfunction

There are still many mysteries about the brain left to discover. For a fascinating book on the subject of decision making in particular, read How We Decide.

I know that understanding why crimes are committed may not prevent them all. But, it is still important research and could save lives and also have other applications.