From the views and behaviour of some on this thread they would condone what they believe a human right to adultery, prostitution, group sexual orgies and bigamy as socially acceptable behaviour to be within what they believe of marriage. These persons are incompetent to give a socially responsible policy to the betterment of Australian society. They destroy loyalty, integrity and purity for self gratification which is not a basis for social health the raising of family and stability. We have too much hurt and hostility now in society with the cheap way many treat marriage.

onthebeach,

My initial "deposit, as you so graciously put it, was directed at Josephus, on the subject of social versus biological mechanisms

You then launched into a diatribe towards me, ascribing all kinds of views and opinions to my good self with absolutely no foundation.

Far from becoming angry, I'm more than fascinated by your apparent need to cook up an atmosphere of antagonism based solely on your own imaginings of what I represent.

I have no intention of responding to your "question". My initial contribution was to Josephus. The rest of my experience on this thread has been to address an extended and belligerent rant, built on nothing but your own creative imaginings.

You don't deserve a reply.....

........

Banjo Paterson,

Interesting points.

Have you read Camille Paglia's "Sexual Personae"?

(For the benefit of onthebeach and his fertile imagination, it's the only "feminist" book I've read a lot of - and she's a feminist who extols the the virtues of men and their contribution to civilisation)

Banjo - she discusses (particularly in Chapter 1) exactly the points in your post.

Cheers : )

Poirot,

That is just more of the same bluff to hide your refusal to answer two simple questions:

- Are you or are you not a supporter of gay marriage? Yes or no.

- If you are, then it is only reasonable to ask you to define what marriage means to you.

onthebeach,

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=5746&page=0#160986

I'll leave you blustering away to yourself.

Perhaps you'll have better luck in provocation with someone else...I've got better things to do.

Banjo has really hit on something here; marriage is scary, for men as well as women - though much more scary for women in some cultures, where extensive means are employed, often with State sanction, to dis-empower women. No need to go into detail in this, we are all aware of child-marriage, FGM, restrictions on movement, education, employment, etc, and all the patriarchal trappings.

In our society women have power, and rightly so; they can say NO, refuse to get pregnant, have access to contraceptives and abortion, can choose to work, or not, and can entertain all manner of aspirations for and from marriage. However, this power is not absolute (and arguably still doesn't go far enough - particularly regarding domestic violence), but there are significant Family Law protections, some of which scare the hell out of men.

Hence the prenuptial, on either side (and reluctance to fully commit). Self-preservation. Powerful psychological and material forces are at play in a conventional 'marriage', particularly, and much more so, where children are involved. Marriage was never meant to be a 'lottery', but the odds against success have been increased over time by more liberal attitudes towards 'relationships', and their meaning, diminished commitment towards 'keeping only unto', and 'until death us do part', and liberal attitudes towards 'opting out'. Pros and Cons on both sides, but sad really in the end result.

There is nonetheless a strong fundamental attachment to this traditional, and perhaps most complex of all human relationships (genuine heterosexual marriage), many aspirations for improving the odds for its successful continuation, and an extreme reluctance to having its past success, value and virtue scoffed-at, besmirched and devalued by attempts to apply its inherent covenants to other forms of 'relationship' which it was never meant to encompass. Such would be akin in another setting to converting 'Lest We Forget' to 'Tough Titty'. Irreverent and obnoxious.

Some things are indeed 'sacred' and worthy of preserving as intended.
Look to the stars, not the street-lamps.

I have no wish to denigrate homosexual or GLBTI relationships, but a fish is not a fowl.

Saltpetre,
Well said. Totally in agreement.