Many liberals believe that civil partnerships represent a separate-but-equal segregation of gay people, but some are willing to accept it as an intermediate step on the road to marriage equality.
No. Some states recognize civil unions as civil unions, some as marriages and some as domestic partnerships. Many states do not recognize them at all.
They disagree with some Christian views and agree with them on other views. Refer to question below for more information.
Donnie Yen's religious views are not known. Some believe the cross which he wears in "Flash Point" is some indication that he is a Christian.
No. Marriage is defined as the union between a man and a woman and therefore by definition a gay couple cannot be 'married' either in church or out.However, in the Uk, for example, there are available civil partnerships - which are the homosexual equivalents, in law, of a traditional marriage. I know of no equivalent in any official Christian Church in the UK or anywhere else.However, depending upon the diocesan bishop's views, and the views and integrity of the local priest, some more 'progressive' parish priests have offered gay couples a blessing service - usually a service after a civil ceremony. In the UK this has happened on several occasions, although it is still very controvertial in some areas.Yes. Metropolitan Community Churches and Unitarian Fellowships will marry same sex couples.
At least some of them do so because the best guidance the Bible has to offer on the issue is that gay people should be killed and this mandate is among those that modern Christians are unwilling to accept. Some Christians find civil partnerships more acceptable than same-sex marriages because the change in vocabulary makes it clear that it refers to a civil law and not to the sacramental right of Christian matrimony. Still many other Christians are unwilling to accept any legal recognition of a same-sex relationship, regardless of the vocabulary used.
Yes. Just to be absolutely clear, we're talking about civil marriage here, not marriage in the religious sense.In some areas, "civil partnerships" are defined differently than civil "marriage.'' For example, a married person cannot be compelled to testify against their partner. A person in a civil partnership might not have that protection. Also, a marriage performed in one state is recognized in other states, but states usually do not recognize civil partnerships granted in other states. Further, the federal government does not recognize "civil partnerships" as equal to marriages.Another problem is that no legislature can "bind" a future legislature. Even if a civil partnership is defined by one legislature as perfectly identical to a civil marriage, there is nothing to prevent a future legislature from changing the definition of civil partnership.
Some people disapprove of civil partnerships as a form of segregation or apartheid in which minorities are forced to make do with "separate by equal" second-class citizenship.Some people disapprove of civil partnerships as a way of incrementally and irreversibly eroding the prohibition of same-sex marriage.Some people disapprove of the existence of homosexuals and any recognition of their relationships both of which they say are an abomination.
Yes, civil unions and even some domestic partnerships (the ones that are substantially equivalent to marriage) are recognized as legal marriages in the District of Columbia.
It opened their mindset to a new teaching of jesus christ.
David Cameron is a fervent Anglican Christian with some evangelical beliefs.
In most countries in Europe that have civil partnerships, they are legally identical to marriage. However, in some countries, civil partners are not allowed to receive government-funded fertility treatments and/or jointly adopt children.