On the Subject of Marriage

Hello again.
I'm going to try to stay on the topic of marriage and its role as a subject for political debate. While this will necessitate bringing religion into the discussion to a degree (because, let's face it, there's no getting around the fact that marriage is a religious institution), I am attempting to focus mostly on the political issues at hand. With this being said, let us begin.

I want to start by saying that I am personally opposed to homosexual, or same-sex, marriage on the principles of my religion. As a Christian, I cannot support a union that flies in the face holy doctrine. That being said, I would not support a Constitutional ban on any form of marriage, be it traditional, homosexual, or polygamous. I don't want the government involved in any way, shape, or form. In fact, they are too deeply involved now.

Amendment I of the U.S. Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Because marriage is at its core a religious establishment, nothing pertaining to it should be regulated by Federal Law. Now, stay with me, because here is where things start to get complex. The government began getting involved because of the Federal Income Tax; married people fall under a different tax code than single people, and for good reason - two incomes are going into creating a stable home for a family unit. So the government cuts the couple a bit more slack on tax day to help them out with raising children, who (unlike roommates) would be unable to provide for themselves without their parents' money. Here then, lies the basis for a claim to allow same-sex marriages. If married couples are treated differently in the tax code, and homosexuals are not allowed to marry, then it is discrimination on behalf of the government, because you are denying them the possibility of getting that tax break ever.

This is why I am a supporter of the fair tax. With some other issues, it basically boils down to a national sales tax. With the people paying taxes on consumption, and not on income, there is no need for the tax code, or even the IRS. And if the Income Tax is abolished, the need for government to be involved in marriage at all will be eliminated. Marriages can then be based solely upon the doctrine of the couple's religion.

These are my opinions based on the political aspect of the issue. Now, based on my admittedly limited religious knowledge, outside of my own, I cannot offhandedly think of a religion that actively supports gay marriage. Judaism and Christianity do not, nor does Islam.