Arguments encountered...

...in a student's research paper supporting same-sex marriage.

Thesis: Same sex marriage should be legally recognized under the law because it is a basic human right that should be granted to everyone despite their (sic) sexual orientation.

Opposition (as characterized by said student): Homosexuality is an unnatural perversion. "If we allow it, where do we draw the line on other perversions, such as copulating with and marrying animals, children, and etc?" ["etc." is a favorite of students; it implies a list of absurdities virtually without end, but really means they can't think of anything else to add to it] "Legalising same-sex relationships will also have an adverse effect on the traditional American family structure."

Refutation: [against the charge of perversion of a natural faculty] "Although it's natural for a heterosexual to have sex with the opposite sex," [not all at the same time, I hope] "it is unnatural for a homosexual to do the same. Also, just because something is unnatural doesn't mean that it is bad or wrong. Having an extra copy of the 21st chromosome (Down Syndrome) could be considered unnatural, but we would never call individuals with the condition immoral because they were born a certain way." Furthermore, "morality is a construct of the human psyche, decided upon by the majority of a population and does not adequately place behaviors in the category of right or wrong. Our morals are constantly evolving, as are we as humans." For example, (I paraphrase now) we once thought it moral to slaughter native Americans, hold human slaves as property, and later embraced Jim Crow with racist relish. Which just goes to show "how immoral some of our morals were."

[against Biblical morality] "The sins and teachings of the Bible are irrelevant to the governing of the United States because there is a separation of church and state." But if (back to paraphrasing) you must drag the Bible in, just remember that it also condemns many other sins that are not illegal and which occur more frequently than homosexuality, and are committed by Christians, and more accepted by them than homosexuality, such sins as fornication, adultery, lying and coveting they neighbor's goods. Oh, and don't forget, the Bible says to "judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will not be condemned." It's "hypocritical" to single out only the passages that "support your opinion."

[against the charge that SSM will undermine the traditional family] "If marriage is the foundation of society, then we should encourage everyone, including homosexuals to marry and discourage them from divorcing," since "half of all hetero couples eventually divorce" without any help from SSM. "The real threat to society is not two people of the same sex coming together in love; it is intolerance for beliefs and lifestyles that are not our own."