All this Bs about god and the bible - people trying to put their religious beliefs on others. Which btw was what 9-11 was all about

Shairia law. which is about as hateful to gays as some xtians.

And I suppose you kmow how to read and understand Hebrew? b'seder?

The Bible also indicates that Slavery is acceptable, Daughters can be sold into Slavery, People who work on the Sabbath can be executed and people who plant two types of crops side by side can be stoned to Death. I can't stand people who only read and quote the parts of the Bible they agree with with and forget about the rest.

If we are going to quote the Bible let's be accurate. Joe's comments are not wrong. Marriage is clearly defined in Scripture and then there a lot examples of how mankind has messed it up in the Scriptures. The moral issue of homosexuality in particular...and all sexual immorality for the matter are not condoned in Scripture. I understand the culture will embrace sin, but we should not condone it. There are some areas of Scripture that have been abused in the past. Sad reality, something all Bible believing Christians need to acknowledge and humbling as God to lead us forward in His truths. Marriage however is not an abuse of Scripture. It is clearly laid out as the origin of civilization and the foundation of society...the home and community. Systematic Theology is an approach that views a topic in Scripture in its entirety. This keeps us from making mistakes or abusing Scripture. It allows us to form doctrine and fully understand the wisdom of God about a particular topic. Marriage is God's way and it was His design. From us to vary from that is wrong. Let's keep this positive. As a Christian this is more about what I am for - Marriage, than what I am against - homosexuality (or any other sexual sin or sin). God wants us to live right with Him...so our focus should be on His ways that our good for us. Marriage is one of those (even though we mess it up all the time because we are sinners.)

we dont believe in your bible.

And if you want to rant, why dont you talk about the immoral people who have children out of wedlock. We can save 10x easy of the cost of covering gay domestic partners re insurance.

So cute how you forget conveniently about the sins of so many str8 people.

Peter Grossetti,
I notice in every post where someone uses just their first name, you reference the Patch TOU. I might be misreading it, so could you please direct me to the part of the TOU that states first and last names must be used. Thanks.

I know that some where they "the Patch People" ask you to leave you first and last name. I could not find it quickly though for you Barbara. For me, putting your name is a good policy. It keeps the discourse civil,

Mine also. Some xtians are anything but xtians.

BTW keep your multi thousand year old scripture to yourself.

Or I'll be glad to form a stone brigade to solve the problems of your daughters not being virgins on their wedding days.

Ted, I've looked everywhere in the TOU, and nowhere did I see that using a first and last name is required. Perhaps in the registration they require first and last name, but they must understand security issues and NOT require that your full name be displayed. My...and my family's security is the reason I choose to use only my first name.

just ask Sunny Simon how much this would benefit her and her...She wants full benefits for gay couples.

Not sure where you are coming from but I'm all for gay marriage rights. what your church does with its marriage RITES is their biz and you can bar the door to gays with my blessings.

Because our church will perform marriage rites for gays, and find them the best of parishioners. - sometimes adversity makes better people

bulls eye Laura. And I bet the people most opposed to gays getting eg medical beneifts for their partners are the same who talk about protecting life.

Hypocrites

maybe we should nt call the bigots bigots. lets try busybodies -

you can buy health insurance for your pets. its available commercially. woof woof

I'mJustRight, You'reJustWrong. At many times throughout the sacred 'human history' you talk about, marriage was between a man and many women. And apparently at times between a man and his beasts - apparently the Israelites needed someone to tell them not to get it on with their pets. Look it up in your fancy bibles.

So your argument is deeply flawed.

Why do I get the feeling that many of people making comments want everyone to 'mind their own business' yet feel the need to stick their noses in places they don't belong? Hypocrites.

Alex V.,
"Why do I get the feeling that many of people making comments want everyone to 'mind their own business' yet feel the need to stick their noses in places they don't belong?"
Because we are being asked to pay for it through taxes. Someone is sticking their fingers in our wallets and we have a right to sound off on this issue.

James - we all have the right, thankfully!

My point is that far to often, those that tell us to leave them alone can't seem to leave anyone else alone. Which one is it? Leave you alone, or don't? If I leave you alone, can you leave me alone?

The nature of taxes is that they go towards things we don't always agree with or need ourselves. I don't have kids, yet I fund Lakewood schools. I don't believe in foreign wars to defend oil, yet I funded that. I don't use public transportation, but I fund that. You can find thousands of examples. Yet these issues specifically get people excited when there are MUCH larger issues out there.

I'mJustRight - "Gays actually CAN marry... They have the same right to marry someone of the opposite sex, just like everyone else."

I thought marriage is supposed to be between two people who love each other. If you're married to a woman, I'm sure you didn't get married to her just for giggles and grins. You got married to her because you are attracted to and loved her enough to make that kind of commitment. So you're telling me that you'd prefer for two people of the opposite sex to get married to each other just for benefits? Isn't that fraud and doesn't that violate the so called "sanctity of marriage"?

lets see - half of western Europe has gay marriage. As does canada, mexico, argentina and columbia

And nations as diverse as israel, Nepal, Repub of south africa etc.

Want to stop the fraud I'mjust right - let gays marry.

BTW how do we know that you and your wife are legally married? We' can prob save 10x what giving the small number of gay couples bennies by tossing off the hetero marriage fakers.

I've been married 44 years and never been asked if I was married? thats where our county can save a fortune - kick off the hetero fakers.

and dont give us the marriage has always been the same blah blah.

We no longer sell our daughters into slavery of a man she has never met for a dowry and to cement biz ties etc.

As for gays having the right to marry someone of the opposite sex, lets see you go marry someone of hte same sex........

Re tjhe procreation biz, lets make marriages conditional on children happening and kill off all marriages when the last kid reaches the age of majority.

dont you get tired of throwing out the same old back of the bull arguments?

Not if your a Woman, Peter... ;)

Winston...you are on target. It is unfair and should not stand. I thought some positivity was needed. There is not a like button if there were I would push it.

Yes, Winston....
I DID get off topic, but I felt it important to have my opinion posted re: someone else's rant.
BTW....NORMAL couples??!! Unfortunately, I do believe you are serious.
So bigoted, so sad.

Dear Winston, I find your comment quite offensive. It was 'physically impossible' for my parents to have a child, so they adopted me. Are you suggesting that I should not have been able to have health insurance as a child? How is any if this 'unfair' to a 'normal' couple? Has the government stopped allowing health care coverage for children in single-parent homes? If that's the case, then that's something I could truly get mad about.

Hi Michelle
Under Our current system,Employers pay most of there employee's Health Care costs. The children(biologicl & adopted) are covered as the employees dependants. I have no way of knowing where your adopted parents worked, but we are talking specifically about Cuyahoga County employees. I, in my own small part, AM PAYING FOR THERE HEALTH CARE. They are not legally married. That's the same as paying Health Care for a roommate.
A Male/Female couple is normal.Same sex couples are abnormal. If that offends you, ask your two same sex adopted parents why they could not produce there own biological children. The key to you being offended lies there. Good day.

a small but vocal block being run over left and right by large blocks of reliigious people.

Stop claiming you are the victimi when in fact you are the victimizer.

Winston, for the record, my parents are not 'same sex' as you assume. They are 'normal' by your definition. That is my point. I was just a child that needed health care. Obviously, many gay couples adopt. Those couples are not married because they can not legally do so. I wonder, would you have preferred it that those adopted children were aborted, so you wouldn't have to pay for their healthcare? Currently, 'man & woman' couples have the legal right, and choice, to marry. That's how they can get their children/stepchildren covered. I don't want to get into a pissing match with you, I guess I'm just trying to look at the needs of the child. I wonder how much this is really costing us anyway?

I accept that you don't agree with this policy, but how do you presume to know what's 'best for society at large'? Your posts are nothing more than the rantings of a narrow-minded bigot.

Barb...I don't presume to know what is best for society at large I base that off the Creator of all things...God Himself. His Word reveals what is best. Yes, we can rebel and we can ignore what He says, but His ways are best. So it is not my opinion.

This doesn't discriminate against anyone in anyway. An unmarried (heterosexual) couple living together have the option of getting married in order to get these very same benefits. Once again, this article isn't about gay marriage at all. It's about giving benefits to couples who are not legally able to get them any other way because same-sex marriage is not legal in the entire state of Ohio.

Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
And....yes Christopher, it IS your opinion. Don't hide behind your God to foist your beliefs on people.
MY God is a benevolent, all-loving, all-accepting, kind, supportive God with a sense of humor and a total understanding of the fallibility and frailties of us mortals.
This has gotten so far off topic that I now graciously bow out of this pissing match.

"You just discriminated against a couple (not gay) who lives together and they do not get the same supposed rights or benefits as you."

Sorry Chris - you cant have it both ways. gays cant marry so we make exceptions for them. and dont need exceptions for unmarried hetero couples who can marry.

Somehow the word hypocrite comes to mind.

PS - its the 21st century.

Totally Agree with you Chris.

the moral decline is always having an enemy in the name of god. why dont you go have a beer and go to sleep chriss -t slate and all you seem to be able to do is claim victimhood when you are the victimizer in so many ways

Nicely stated, Brandon.

thats fine if gays get the same deal

BTW employer insurance cannot discriminate based on prior health issues.

pvt policies can refuse you coverage or raise the rates astronommically if they think they are at risk of paying off.

just time to treat our gay citizens equally. the simple solution - let them marry under civil law.

(I can see the vittual bricks flying)

I'm fine with your comments but you might want to change your name (smiles)

Sandy,
All children have access to health benefits no matter what the makeup of the family.
The question is who PAYS for it.

Brandon S.,
I admire your attempt to foster equality but let me supply some subtext to your lyrics.
"If I said you ought to give him some of your water
You'd shake your canteen and walk away"
If I demand that you give the water that you just spent a whole day working to acquire so that your wife and children would not thirst you would walk away.
"This is not a black and white world
You can't afford to believe in your side"
This is not a black and white issue, it's math, you can't afford it because it's already been spent and it's been spent for your children.
And for you Brandon.

Sandy,
I'd hate to see that too but that is what we are headed for if we don't stop spending at the present rate. If we don't choose to control our spending the choice will be taken out of our hands. "If something can't continue, it stops". We are all on a fiscal Easter Island.