ALGOREisRICH that is strawman argument. It is irrelevant what you have stated and an entirely different topic. Pedophilia and child sexual abuse is about power and control it is not about sex of anyone consenting and it is irrelevant to this topic of same sex marriage.

Many people who do not understand about pedophilia try to use this one and make a connection.

Oh Lordy, is that a recognition that homosexuality may have a biological basis by, of all people, TRUTHNOW78?

My word, the world is just full of miracles.

TRUTHNOW78, I am sure GOD does not care if someone is homosexual or not. God is accepting of all people is he not? the god you talk of sounds more like a representation of satan than a all loving and forgiving god.

Gothesca....that's the point...I'm NOT making the connection.

I'm saying that the same ARGUMENT applies....and if you are an 'inclusive tolerant' person..by reason alone you should exercise that tolerance and inclusiveness to Paedophiles who always ensure they have only 'consentual' relations with children.

The point is.. 'born this way or that' is not the issue. If it WAS the issue, you have to legalize Intergenerational Sex/love.

The ISSUE is *normality* and.. protection of children from ABUSE..and the abuse does not have to be physical or sexual, it can simply be 'to live' in an environment of un-natural, contra nature parenting.

Do you really think that a child can grow up KNOWing it has a real biological mum and dad, but that "huh" how come I have to mums or 2 dads is not going to gnaw away at the childs mind? You can probably offer some lame, biased 'study' which supports your view...I'm plain not interested, in the end it boils down to votes.. if your view gets up... away we go.. the fight will never end.. and don't expect that if you view DOES get up at some stage it will not be contested at another.

Algore...
If you draw up a list of all the types of people who would be perceived by mainstream Jewish society of Jesus’ day as sinners, unclean, socially inferior and insignificant, you’ll see the gospels showing Him going out of his way his way to reach out to them all. This includes lepers, prostitutes, an adulteress, Samaritans, the disabled, gentiles, tax collectors, roman soldiers, the poor, children, the sick, the disabled and the mentally ill. The beatitudes, the Song of Mary, and the parable of the sheep and the goats make it perfectly clear that Jesus’ mission was to reach out to those his society despised, and that we as Christians are to be judged by how we follow this example and extend compassion to those on society’s margins. As to a wider universalist message, see Romans 8 or second Isaiah (40-55).

The list of socially marginalised and despised people of modern society is somewhat different – gays, Moslems, refugees - but the principle is the same.

The reason we now regard the self-righteous and exclusive attitude of many first century Jews as distasteful is that our values have developed to recognise the fundamental dignity and value of all people regardless of race, religion, health, class – or sexual orientation. I believe that our values have evolved in this direction in part because of the influence of Christianity on our ethical and cultural development over the centuries, though I’m sure many will disagree.

I have no idea whether the data you cite on paedophilia are accurate or not, but in any event they do not support your argument. You acknowledge that homosexuals are no more inclined to paedophilia than the rest of us.

And, as I certainly wouldn’t say that paedophilia is harmless, your extrapolation of my argument to paedophilia is invalid and irrelevant

Dave, you can't just set up two questions, and then, when you think those questions are answered adequately, assume you've proved your case.
I don't think you have adequately addressed the issues even on these two questions - same-sex relationships don't add to the stability of society and endorsing them doesn't help nurture children. You don't justify why you came to those conclusions.
Then there are all the aspects you didn't consider... not least what the Bible has to say!
As Christians, that should be the place to begin - not just left out altogether!