Is Love Subjective: Marriage

     The key to understanding the issue of homosexual marriage and the controversy that is presented is to realize there is a distinction in what qualifies as marriage. To the Church, marriage is sacred and symbolic and must be between a man and a woman. However, the state's definition of marriage is not and should not be determined by religion. America has the belief that religion and state should be kept separate, and this is significant, as not all marriages are Catholic. It is possible for two persons of age to simply go to a courthouse on a specified date and be declared married by law. Many marry with the hope for receiving the benefits that come from being a legal dependent of another person. The Church doesn't claim to have authority over this aspect, and nor should they. Therefore, as long as it is kept separate from the sacred Catholic union of persons, marriage shouldn't be defined by religion alone.