 Most of the controversy surrounding gay marriage,‭ ‬is the fallacy that allowing homosexuals to marry would destroy the sanctity of marriage,‭ ‬and eventually cause the complete break down of our society. I intend to present both sides of the argument,‭ ‬and prove that such beliefs are unfounded.

‎	‏One cannot even fathom the conflict over gay marriage,‭ ‬without looking at the religious aspect behind the issue. It is no secret that most Christians and Muslims believe that homosexuality is a deadly sin. ‭“‬For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women:‭ ‬ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.‭” ‬ “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman,‭ ‬both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death‭; ‬their blood will be on their own heads.‭” ‬Granted,‭ ‬with all of the translations that these books have undergone,‭ ‬to become what we read today,‭ ‬there's no doubt that some religious verses and entire texts themselves may be open to interpretation,‭ ‬via what can become lost in translation,‭ ‬or mistranslated all together. However,‭ ‬with the majority of the country being either Muslim,‭ ‬or Christian,‭ ‬there is no doubt that many religious citizens have taken these texts to heart. Why is this relevant to the topic‭? ‬Well,‭ ‬with the majority of the population being one of these faiths,‭ ‬the religious connotation definitely factors into what the majority of Americans,‭ ‬and American families defines as marriage. 

	According to dominant religious ideals in this country,‎ ‏gay marriage isn't even valid. So it makes sense that a large population disapproves. In fact,‭ ‬I'd go as far as to say,‭ ‬that gay marriage is a threat to their definition of family. However,‭ ‬is this a compelling enough argument to flat out decide that gay marriage is a threat to the American family as a whole‭? ‬Absolutely not. The great thing about this country is that it's so culturally diverse,‭ ‬and allowed to be‭! ‬This country's founders were smart enough to separate Church and State so that certain religious ideals couldn't control ever culture,‭ ‬and every individual. Therefore there is a religious aspect to many marriages,‭ ‬but there doesn't have to be. In fact,‭ ‬marriage in the United States is nothing more than a contract with the state. A family isn't just what Christians and Muslims define it as,‭ ‬there is a much broader spectrum of cultural diversity‭; ‬if one were to ask ten different people what their definitions of a family is,‭ ‬one may get ten completely different answers. By allowing dominant religions to declare gay marriage as a threat to the American family,‭ ‬their definition of family anyway,‭ ‬we're completely overlooking not only a huge population that doesn't think like that,‭ ‬but the idea of religious freedom itself.
‎	‏Next is the idea that gay marriage would bring selfishness to society,‭ ‬and therefore the institution of marriage itself. 
