It's not really about definitions, except how the natural change in relationships is changing definition. As far as personal bonding and the forms of lasting attachments go there's a lot more variety than simplistic rules of gender permutations and combinations can ever define. Among the gay's I know of 'wife' is not undefined at all, except as it raises stereotypes in others minds that don't fit. When talking about defining categories of natural forms I think you need to look in some other book.
Phil Henshaw > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of glen e. p. ropella > Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 11:56 AM > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Obama, Proposition 8 > > Thus spake peggy miller circa 11/11/2008 08:07 AM: > > Related to the issue of legalizing gay marriage, I think it is > extremely > > important to stick with the Webster definition of marriage -- which > includes > > "to unite in a close personal way: AND "a legal union as husband and > wife" > > -- I think if two people are the age of consenting adults and meet > these two > > requirements (since gay couples can choose who is generally the > husband and > > generally the wife if they want to) then they should be able to form > a legal > > marriage. I think that anything else ignores their rights, and > ignores the > > definition of marriage itself. > > But if we argue from the dictionary we may end up with arguments like > the following. > > While all the below agree with your point: > > 1) "marriage" generally refers to a spousal relationship and > 2) "spouse" is a term meaning things like vow, pledge, ritual, etc, and > 3) "husband" generally means master of the house, > > "wife" really is defined to be a female. So, while lesbian couples can > choose who is the husband and who is the wife; gay male couples can't. > They can choose the husband; but neither can be a wife. > > Personally, I think marriage is an obsolete concept. We should > completely separate legal contracts from religious ceremonies and purge > "marriage" from the law entirely. It should be in the exact same > category as baptism. > > -- > glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://tempusdictum.com > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
