Mental Health News: Social Impact of Gay Marriage Equality

June 27, 2011 - PRLog -- The arguments for same-sex marriage have prevailed in favor of legal recognition in New York following similar decisions in other US states and in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden.

Studies in the Netherlands where gay marriage was first legalized, show a subsequent decline in the number of traditional heterosexual marriages. This has also occurred in other Scandinavian countries where same-sex unions have been legalized (see “Dutch Debate Despite a challenge, the evidence stands: Marriage is in decline in the Netherlands“ by Stanley Kurtz; and see also Joop Garssen, Dutch demographer in http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol7/12/7-12.pdf).

The campaign for legal gay marriage has included an argument for the deconstruction of the definition of marriage, meaning marriage is the prerogative of the state to define in favor of supporting the alleged civil rights of individuals. In terms of civil rights, a new phrase has emerged in terms of so-called marriage equality.

The argument is also being extended in British Columbia, Canada, to now include the right of groups of people to be legally married. The matter was raised there in the courts by religious groups practising polygamy.

If polygamy becomes legal in one jurisdiction, it can predictably occur elsewhere as has been the case with gay marriage. As this occurs among heterosexual groups of one man having multiple wives, the precedent will be established to include the legal recognition of group marriage among homosexuals.

As marriage is legally defined, the secular society will no longer have a unique definition of marriage, and the traditional institution and definition of marriage will pass into extinction as has been the case increasingly in countries that recognize gay marriage.

What will happen to society as traditional marriage is diluted and fades from the culture? The breakdown of the traditional family has historically resulted in mental illness, unemployment, homelessness, and poverty. It is our view that the deconstruction of traditional marriage will predictably further accelerate the decline of Western society.

For more information see http://www.counsellorpublishing.com

To hear more from the President of the College of Mental Health Counseling see  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aodrYDAo9xk