Obama approves of gay marriage

[Mighty NorCal]

I personally have no problems with gay marriage. However I am interested that as a Christian do you just pick a choose which bits of the Bible you believe and which bits you do not?

A wise decision given that is has been re-written and revised about 110 times since its original writing, and the writing itself occured 100s of years after the events and teachings took place.

The main tenants of Jesus and christianity are kindness, truth, tolerance, faith, and mercy.

Anything which QUITE obviously contradicts these things was likely added or skewed to fit the whims and views of whomever was writing or re-writing it at the time. You know, like human beings whose influence and riches are intertwined with faith and following, as they were at the time.

I find it humorous that this way of thinking, while so obvious, seems to escape 98% of people on both sides of the Bible thing.

 

[Davi323]

Quick question: What does President Obama actually think he accomplished?

The President of the United States is virtually powerless when it comes to this kind of thing. The ability to issue marriage licenses is a right that is and always has been reserved for the states. It's why individual states have been voting to either allow it or not. Further, the power to recognize or not recognize same-sex marriages at the Federal level (for tax benefits, etc) resides with Congress, not the Presidency. Barack Obama does not have the power to do anything about it besides complain. He can't repeal DOMA, any such measure would have to go through Congress before it got to his desk, and he doesn't have anywhere near the support in Congress to repeal it. All he can do is continue to tell the Justice Department to continue to ignore prosecuting violations of it, which he was already doing.

This was a token gesture, nothing more than political grandstanding, as he is ultimately powerless to actually change anything.

 

[JGlass]

Quick question: What does President Obama actually think he accomplished?

The President of the United States is virtually powerless when it comes to this kind of thing. The ability to issue marriage licenses is a right that is and always has been reserved for the states. It's why individual states have been voting to either allow it or not. Further, the power to recognize or not recognize same-sex marriages at the Federal level (for tax benefits, etc) resides with Congress, not the Presidency. Barack Obama does not have the power to do anything about it besides complain. He can't repeal DOMA, any such measure would have to go through Congress before it got to his desk, and he doesn't have anywhere near the support in Congress to repeal it. All he can do is continue to tell the Justice Department to continue to ignore prosecuting violations of it, which he was already doing.

This was a token gesture, nothing more than political grandstanding, as he is ultimately powerless to actually change anything.

If the president of the United States supports gay marriage, surely it can't be THAT bad. Hopefully he stands as a beacon of light to the ignorant and uninformed. Whether he is or not is anybody's guess.

 

[Slyfox696]

Quick question: What does President Obama actually think he accomplished?

I suppose the same thing Mitt Romney felt he accomplished when he took the position of marriage being between man and woman?

At least that's my guess. The only difference is the office of the President holds much greater sway than the presumptive Republican nominee.

The President of the United States is virtually powerless when it comes to this kind of thing.

The Justice Department's stance on DOMA begs to differ.

The ability to issue marriage licenses is a right that is and always has been reserved for the states. It's why individual states have been voting to either allow it or not. Further, the power to recognize or not recognize same-sex marriages at the Federal level (for tax benefits, etc) resides with Congress, not the Presidency. Barack Obama does not have the power to do anything about it besides complain. He can't repeal DOMA, any such measure would have to go through Congress before it got to his desk, and he doesn't have anywhere near the support in Congress to repeal it. All he can do is continue to tell the Justice Department to continue to ignore prosecuting violations of it, which he was already doing.

This was a token gesture, nothing more than political grandstanding, as he is ultimately powerless to actually change anything.

Spoken like a true Republican. "The President has come out in support of equality of all people and what a bastard he is for it!"

 

[klunderbunker]

As for what Obama has accomplished, he's put out the potential fire from Biden's statements that he (Biden) was ok with gay marriage. This also puts Obama in line with the majority of the party, meaning that there won't be a platform battle going into the election this November.

 

[Барбоса]

How dare "the leader of the free world" speak his mind?

 

[Davi323]

I just don't think a lot of people really get that not much is going to change from a policy standpoint. He can be in favor of it all he wants, but unless he gets re-elected AND gets a sympathetic majority in both Houses of Congress, same-sex marriages still won't be recognized under Federal law. Then, even if he gets all of that, it's still up to the individual states to choose to recognize them or not.

It's not like he has a magic wand he can wave to make same-sex marriages legal in all 50 states.

The thing about Romney's position is that ultimately, it's really a futile gesture as well. If Romney gets elected, he can't ban same-sex marriages anymore than Obama can legalize them. I am thrilled that Romney is pro-life, or at least claims to be, but it's not why I will be voting for him. It's not a deal breaker either way. The President can't ban abortion either, so whether I agree with Romney on that or not, ultimately, I know it doesn't really matter, because he couldn't do much about it even if he wanted to...it's useless to dwell on stuff that you can't control.

Both candidates need to focus on issues that they DO have the power to make a difference on. The same-sex marriage issue is just a distraction.

This also puts Obama in line with the majority of the party, meaning that there won't be a platform battle going into the election this November.

Somehow I doubt that since he is running for the Democratic nomination completely unopposed, that this would have been a big issue anyway.

 

[Slyfox696]

I just don't think a lot of people really get that not much is going to change from a policy standpoint.

And I think you've become too jaded by watching to much Fox News.

Will anything happen tomorrow, or even before the election? No, it won't, but it's all part of the process. It's all about breaking down the barriers between our current discrimination and true equality. This is just another step in the right direction.

Both candidates need to focus on issues that they DO have the power to make a difference on. The same-sex marriage issue is just a distraction.

I'll paraphrase a quote I read earlier this morning (because I'm too lazy to look up the actual quote): Social issues won't turn the election, but it will fire up the fanbases.

That's all both guys are doing.

 

[Davi323]

I'll paraphrase a quote I read earlier this morning (because I'm too lazy to look up the actual quote): Social issues won't turn the election, but it will fire up the fanbases.

That's all both guys are doing.

This statement I completely agree with. It's posturing...from both camps.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

I personally have no problems with gay marriage. However I am interested that as a Christian do you just pick a choose which bits of the Bible you believe and which bits you do not? My reason is that it clearly states that a man lying with another man is not the right thing to do.

Again I am not judging the many gays on this forum I am just questioning someone calling themselves a Christian but only following the bits of the religion that he wants. I also like Lee (Nick) to, just curious of the answer

You seem to be gloriously uninformed about the coexistence of sex and marriage

 

[The Big Gunnzbowski]

I think the Christian double-standard is hilarious. All of the shit that talks about Homosexuality being an abomination is in the Old Testament, which apparently (as I have been told by Christians) only applied to specific people. Just as in the Old Testament it is an abomination to do the following:

Lying
Divorce
Adultery
Bestiality
Shaving
Eating Pork
Associating with women who are on their periods
Wearing clothing that is of 2 or more fabrics
Working on Saturday
Eating Lobster

and various other ridiculous bullshit... I'm not saying that adultery and bestiality are ok, but look at what else is on the list... But that's the double standard! It's ok to do most of this shit but not ok to do some of it? Fuck off and fuck you! Politicians are already guilty of half of this shit...

If you want proof, I'm sure a quick google search can point you towards the verses these are all from. They're there!

Choke on that, ya two-faced bastards!

 

[nve316]

I'm proud of Obama for finally having the balls to be the first president to endorse gay marriage. He's not perfect but I'll give credit where credit is due.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

"Let's kill God!"

Don't know if I quoted Butter's dad correctly.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

The majority of those who oppose gay marriage/civil unions will be dead soon enough. They (the gays) will still have to deal with those educated/mentored by those mopes, but the majority will be in the dirt.

See ya later.