Gay marriage arguments

I certainly have not read all the commentary available on gay marriage. I have read much, though. I am disappointed that I have yet to find a compelling argument against it. I am firmly opposed to it as it is diametrically opposed to my Christian doctrines. The Bible is clear that God's plan for marriage is one man and one woman. It is also clear that any and all sexual relations outside marriage are, in Paul's words, an "abomination". My belief is that all humans understand at some level that the homosexual lifestyle is an aberrant lifestyle. It is a choice. It is a choice that brings about much misery and depression.

All that being said, it is important in this post-Christian culture to posit an intellectual argument that is Scripturally sound. I have yet to see this in regard to gay marriage. Some have said that marriage is primarily for procreation. Since same sex couples cannot procreate, they should not be allowed marriage. Marriage is a far more complicated and intricate bond than just a means for reproduction. Also, as others have pointed out (I cannot remember where I read it), many heterosexual couples lack the ability to bear children. Can we restricted marriage to only the non-barren couples?

Many (i.e. Bill O'Reily) make the argument that we should not alter the traditional view of marriage (heterosexual-monogamous) because it is the traditional view. They don't want to contradict the obvious will of the majority. Under this argument, however, we should have never outlawed slavery, as it was the traditional view of the majority for many years. One of the tyrannies our founding fathers feared the most was the tyranny of the majority. They did not want of country governed solely by the will of the majority. They placed numerous checks and balances within government to prevent this. Any successful nation must be founded on some absolute principle outside of themselves. The general will of the people must not be overlooked. It must be placed subservient to the absolute principles of morality. What do we do if one day incest gains acceptance by a majority of people?

The only reasonable argument that I have heard is that traditional families are the strongest. There are some studies that support this, though I am unaware of their location. If you accept this argument, however, might extend far beyond marriage. If indeed homosexuality is a detriment to society, then it ought to be outlawed (as it was when Thomas Jefferson lived). Any extra-marital relationships ought to be discouraged (as they were when Thomas Jefferson lived). This argument will no doubt be seen as homophobic and Puritan, which, in a sense, it is. BTW: The term "homophobic" is a really silly term. Does it mean someone has a psychological fear of gays, much like someone who has "arachniphobia" has some psychological fear of spiders? And if it is psychological, then is it really their fault? Can they control it?

Meanwhile, my search for a strong intellectually sound and Scripturally consistent argument continues.