Catholocism and Gay Marraige... To me

One of my friends brought this to my attention:

This is one of my student's words...respond to her and I will make sure she gets your response. She is a good kid...I love her, but damn it, I just want people to resond to this shit.

okay sorry i just feel the need to say this
feel free to respond i dont care

but gay marriage,
people say it isn't about religion
its about equality

well im catholic
and we have these things called sacraments,
which basically commit your faith to god and stuff like that
you start with baptism, then reconsiliation, then confession, then confirmation, then MARRAIGE ((or you chose to become a priest/nun)) then last rights before you die.

that might not be the right order and stuff but its pretty damn close
marriage is a religious sacrament
not a government policy
it is a RELIGIOUS commitment

yes its about love for sure i mean you fall in love and get married
thats the dream
but the practice of marriage is a RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY
so if your gay and you dont believe in god
..you dont get married
and if your gay and believe in god
then you should respect the fact that in our religion marriage is between a man and a women.

marriage is so abused these days

i mean if your gay you can come up with your own religion and your own marriage process i dont care you have the right to believe what you want
but my religion doesn't support marriage between gay people
so how can you say thats your religion
if you dont blieve all of it?


but dont try to change my religion
and dont you dare say marriage isn't religious
becasue the whole practice is done at a CHURCH and with a PRIEST
and different religions do it different ways
and its not your place to change the policy

so in a policital aspect
since thats what most people think it is
you respect my right to religion
and i'll respect your right to be gay

end of story.

Here was my response:

I am Catholic as well. I understand the frustration that marraige is viewed as a government bond, and not a religious one. Yes, it is very religious, but it is often exploited far more between heterosexuals than homosexuals. There are men and women getting married every day, by religious officials, that haven't stepped a foot in church in their lives. Also, even to get married within the church, there must be a marraige liscense, and it becomes a legal, government thing.

Marriage has dual meanings. It has the government meaning, where it is called marraige. Two straight people can get married at the courthouse, with a judge, and without God present. They still call it marraige. Gay people should be afforded this union as well. They diserve the same legal beneftis we do.

In an ideal world, everyone that wants the legal benefits of getting married should have to get a marraige liscense. They can get married religiously without the liscense. It is between the couple and God. That sounds most similar to what gay couples experience now. Then, if gay people want the religious aspect of marraige, it is up to them to find a priest, it is up to them to work things out with God. We don't really have a say in things between the couple and God.

You seem to have a bit more firm of a grasp on the aspects of Catholicism than most. You're honestly trying not to judge what you believe to be wrong, and you are defending what you find important to you. With that in mind, I just have to ask you a simple question. You've surely by now heard all of the arguments about divorce between heterosexual couples, people marrying for monetary sake, and even couples like Brittney Spears who have the shortest marraiges. With that given, I don't understand how two people who love each other and remain faithful are making a mockery of the Sacrament. Sure, we are taught that homosexuality is wrong. But, how many priests do you know? With how many people who study have you spoken? There always seems to be a grey area, and We, nor any church official, can pretend to know exactly how God the Father is going to view a situation. We don't know all of the facts, and only He can.

I just refer you to your Catechism.

2358: The number of men and women who have deepseated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectivly disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrfice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

Now, I know if you look this up, you will see that the next one mentions homosexuals being called to chastity. That, however, is not the issue here. And, I think that this day in age, it is almost a joke... Think of how many heterosexuals have sex outside of wedlock. Why judge the homosexuals more harshly?

But the Point:

They want to be married. They don't want to be discriminated against legally because of whom they love, whether they are physically expressing that love or not. If the Church itself can understand that, why can't our Government... the one place where it is Not viewed as a Sacrament, or so sacred?

And, either way, how is their marraige effecting what you profess, feel, and live before God? People always have and always will make a mockery of things. Is it more right or more wrong to deny an entire group of people even the attempt to live and honor it just because they are different?
I think you'd be suprised by the number of Homosexual Catholics that could be sitting in church right next to you. I know I was....