Traditional Marriage?

In the wake of New York breaking away from it's bigoted religious background there has been a lot of talk about marriage and what it entails. I have heard many conservatives advocate traditional marriage and they will appeal to the idea that marriage has always in the Judeo-Christian culture been between a man and a woman. I have multiple problems with this.

• The first and foremost problem is the it is a blatant appeal to tradition which is in itself logically fallacious. Just because that is what we have done in the past does not mean it is acceptable to continue the practice
• The second problem I have is we are a secular nation not run by the dogmas of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Our nation's law is governed by enlightenment principles not dark age tripe.
• My third and final problem with this is that today's institution is nothing like the traditional institution of marriage and for good reason it is out dated. Marriage has been redefined several times to fit our societal needs.

Just so you don't accuse me of justifying the redefinition of marriage with the fact that we have previously done so, I'm going to explain why these changes were for the best and why the change I advocate would be for the best.

First I would like to describe what the institution of the past, it was an institution inseparable from the church and subject to many stipulations. Not just that it must be between a man and a woman, there was a dowry that was required, marriages were often arranged and the women rarely got to choose who they were marrying, woman were to be submissive and more or less slaves,(Colossians 3:18) and in the bible it describes instances when  fathers sold rape victims to their rapist for continued abuse(Deuteronomy 22:28-29) , women had absolutely no rights in this institution the list goes on. Now I for one am personally glad the traditional institution of slavery sorry marriage has became a consenting contract and partnership between two individuals. I am glad that the institution no longer oppresses women as subhuman.

I think now you can see here why it is silly to appeal to tradition and why it was best to change the definition f marriage and why it was best to stop viewing women as property. Marriage today has become a legal contract for all intents and purposes which has made it easier for couple to live together. Married couples can visit each other in the hospital, file joint tax returns etc. all of these things make it easier to be a couple and denying certain groups these rights is a simple act of oppression. It is a way for the religious to more or less slap the gay community in the face and to treat them as subhuman. It is time that the religious know that they do not own or have a say over the lives others. It is sad to see that in the 21st century that the dogmas of a bronze age religion still oppress the nation. It is sad to see bigots advocate traditional marriage without knowing what it actually entails.