But isn't that treating the symptoms, not the cause?
Isn't the <I>cause</I> of this decline in morality actually <I>the decline of religion?</I>
But if you do persist in treating the symptoms... where do you draw the line? The "promotion of homosexuality as a viable alternate lifestyle" has been going on long before marriage rights became a political possibility, as you surely know. So why stop at opposing civil unions? As you've said, the Roman Empire was <I>as tolerant</I> of homosexuality as we are. Not "more tolerant," not something we're approaching... according to you, it was where we <I>are.</I> And it fell.
In light of that, shouldn't you be doing more than merely opposing <I>further</I> undermining of cultural morality? Surely there's more you could do, to return homosexuality to its rightful status as a sin -- and those who willfully engage in it to their rightful status as perverts and criminals?
If not... <I>why</I> not? Because that seems like the logical conclusion of your reasoning to me.
And as always, I do not see how <I>my</I> right to marriage would impose anything on <I>you.</I> I am not trying to force you to marry. I am not asking you to acknowledge my future marriage as valid in the eyes of your God. I am asking for the freedom to marry whoever I choose to marry, in the eyes of our supposedly secular government. Might the nature of my chosen marriage go against your personal moral beliefs? Absolutely. I'm guessing most of my life already does... considering that the first commandment is "love God," and I'm an atheist.
But it's your commandment, not mine. It's your belief that homosexuality is a sin, not mine. Your right to your beliefs ends where my <I>freedom</I> from them begins... and vice versa. And I don't think you can explain why <I>that</I> means I shouldn't be able to get married. So you appeal to the greater good -- endorsing homosexuality will lead gay kids to embrace their orientation, instead of overcoming it. Endorsing homosexuality is the straw that will break the camel's back, and send our society crashing down.
You want to restrict my rights for the greater good of our society. As motivations go, it's a sympathetic one... chock-full of good intention.
But let me ask you this: If you had free reign... where would you stop?