Religious groups from all over are raising money to put bigotry and hate on the ballot, and they are waving the Bible as their example. I could only find two mentions of “lie with mankind” in the entire Bible, and they are both in Leviticus, in the same chapter. We must stop using the Old Testament to justify simple fear and hate. If people use an Old Testament verse for justification, then they must live by that Old Testament. They can’t have it both ways.

As for the marriage issue itself, I don’t think our government has the right to issue marriage licenses. I believe “marriage” is a religious term, so if your church doesn’t want to marry gay people then it doesn’t have to.

Our government is taking a cut on a market that has nothing to do with it. A partnership is a tax issue, along with medical decisions and insurance which are what gay people are looking for here, legal rights for their partnership. The state should not be allowed to issue anything other than partnership licenses. Taxes, insurance, and being able to make medical decisions are business issues.

Everyone in a “marriage” is also in a business. Only your church should perform a “marriage.” If you attend a church that performs this service for a gay couple, then that is between you and your church.

Problem solved. Keep your term in your religion and keep the tax issues with the state. That is freedom of choice.

Stacey Wing, Sabattus