What about the recent discussion in the news media of gay marriage? Should it be legal?


In my view, yes. The government may have a right to decide who marries whom in civil ceremonies but not in religious ceremonies. For a government to interfere in these matters would constitute a human rights violation.


In the case of a religion (any religion, no matter how small), it is the religious community (or its administration) which should make this determination. Since membership in a religion is, in Western countries, a matter of personal choice (not demanded by a government), religions can, in this respect, do what they like. If a member does not like the religious law, she or he can choose to ignore it (and incur whatever penalties may be imposed) or to leave the religion.

It is not for one religion to impose its own religious law on those who are not members of that religion.