Uncontrolled population growth is a tremendous problem. Sustainable growth is nonsense. The earth and its resources are limited in extent. Homosexuals can breed but are less likely to. Possibly all or most people have have tendencies toward both heterosexual and homosexual orientation. It makes good sense from the standpoint of the world's limited resources to encourage homosexuality.

//Homosexual men were useful to society in the past, as soldiers, sailors, herdsmen etc, men who lived on the perimeter of society but acted as guardians to the farmers and their families. Western man has been neutered by Christianity, particularly since the 19th century, gays haven't been immune to this process either, put 'em back in uniform and let 'em loose on ISIS I say.//

An interesting perspective. Homosexual bonding was encouraged within Spartan society, as it was believed that a soldier would fight harder to protect those he loved than for any other motivation. What better way to encourage team bonding than to have your soldiers love one another - and hate the other guy.

Frankly, I see a lot of similar behaviour in televised football. They've turned down the violence a lot, but the gay is still turned up to eleven.

Dear David,

I thought that this thread was about freedom of religion, not about homosexuality or its (undeniable) possible benefits to society. Most of those who advocate gay-marriage today do it purposefully in order to crush what-they-perceive-as-religion, rather than due to having any real feelings for homosexuals or even the planet.

Take your suggestion: "It makes good sense from the standpoint of the world's limited resources to encourage homosexuality": I wonder whether your friends in the gay-marriage movement would similarly embrace: "It makes good sense from the standpoint of the world's limited resources to encourage monasticism"?

//"It makes good sense from the standpoint of the world's limited resources to encourage monasticism"?//

Yeah, I'm up for that. As long as the monasticism doesn't have to involve religious devotion.

Dear Yuyutsu,

You wrote: "Most of those who advocate gay-marriage today do it purposefully in order to crush what-they-perceive-as-religion, rather than due to having any real feelings for homosexuals or even the planet."

How do you know why those who advocate gay-marriage today do it? What verification is there for your statement? I can't read anybody else's mind. How do you do it?

Toni Lavis, I laughed at your version of the Bible quote with Jesus and the adulteress.
Very clever : )

I have already expressed my thoughts on marriage equality many times on this forum, and still no one can really tell me how allowing gays to legally marry will affect anyone else at all. It certainly won't make one iota of difference to my life.

One of the best discussions on this issue I have heard was on Q & A on the ABC TV on Monday night. The PM's well spoken Gay sister Christine Forster was discussing her hopes to marry her partner.
A really interesting 'alternative Christian', Cornel West, was saying he lived by the basic philosophy of loving his neighbours and his enemies, and did not find any reason not to allow gays to legally marry.

The host Tony Jones went on to ask him:

"TONY JONES: Cornel, some Christians are going to quote back at you. I know you’re a sort of Biblical scholar as well, but some Christians are going to quote back at you Paul's epistle to the Romans.

CORNEL WEST: Yes. Yes. And Paul’s got much to say about other things.

TONY JONES: Yeah.

CORNEL WEST: Absolutely but Jesus, of course, is silent on the issue.

CHRISTINE FORSTER: He was a good guy.

CORNEL WEST: I mean, you would think if it was such a pressing issue, he would have dropped a word here or there."

Lol!