It is unfortunate that, as reported in a recent MCT News Service article, Pennsylvania lags behind other states with respect to legalizing same-sex marriage, with my state representative, Daryl Metcalfe, leading the charge for the status quo.

The only objection to same-sex marriage that ever is postulated is based solely upon the fact that same-sex couples cannot procreate “naturally” — the religious justification for marriage. However, marriage is not exclusively the realm of the religious, and procreation is not the only purpose of romantic relationships.

Religion has no monopoly on marriage, and the machinations of the Religious Right to block the legalization of same-sex marriage is tantamount to a form of sharia in the U.S.

Marriage is a contract between two consenting individuals. The only role for government is to enforce the terms of the contract, not stipulate who the involved parties are.