The legalization of gay marriage is the most passionately debated social issue of today. As of July 17, 2013, gay marriage had been legalized in only 14 of the 50 states of the United States of America and the District of Columbia.

Pennsylvania is the sole Northeastern state that has not yet recognized gay marriage or civil unions. After Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, Pennsylvania enacted a statute defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

In contrast, bans on gay marriage through constitutional amendments or laws are present in 35 states. This extreme lack of freedom across the country for homosexuals to wed has sparked controversy particularly among religious believers and gay individuals.

Every time I’ve had the pleasure to discuss this topic with a religious individual, I hear the same phrase, “marriage was intended between a man and a woman.”

As a person who once went to church twice a week, I grew up with a similar mindset. Once I matured, I grew out of this belief and learned to develop my own opinions and morals without outside influence. I’d like to call myself agnostic, but what is written in the Bible cannot be ignored if I am to fully invalidate the opinion that gay marriage should be illegal.

The question is not whether or not homosexuality is a sin, as the Bible clearly states it is. “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:13).

However, it is not man’s authority to determine who should enjoy and be denied the blessing of a bond with God, including marriage, baptism, and communion. If a gay individual is in fact a sinner, that is for a ‘forgiving’ God to conclude in Heaven, not your conservative Catholic who lives next door.

It is recognized above that the Bible disapproves of same-sex relations. My question is, why should this context be taken seriously and literally when the Bible also approves of slavery? “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5)

By abolishing slavery, the United States has contradicted acts in the Bible; however, no one is quoting Jesus for this issue as it has long been resolved. It has been accepted by modern day American society that enslaving humans is inhumane, despite passages in the Bible advocating it. We see parallels in this concept when gay marriage opponents cite incidents in the Bible that would support their abhorrent views.

“It is excerpts like those that should render the Bible as a preposterous source to validate information since it clearly contains traditions…that are poorly outdated to modern day society,” junior Jason Renner said. “Sorry, but we aren’t in [ancient] Jerusalem during 0 C.E. guys.”

My opinion concurs with Renner’s and for all the die-hard constitutionalists reading this. I think you would all agree death by stoning violates our 8th amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Bible can not be taken as a valid argument against same-sex marriage as it is clear it was not written for 21st century standards of living.

For a moment, lets just say the Bible should in fact be rendered as sufficient evidence that gay marriage should not be legalized in the United States. Even if the Bible is true and valid, that means absolutely nothing to the federal or state government thanks to separation of church and state; at least in theory it should.

The Bible can not be legally utilized as an argument against gay marriage as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Bill of Rights: “Government shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Unfortunately, there is little to no separation of church and state as promised.

As displayed in the Pledge of Allegiance, inserting “one nation, under god” utterly goes against the First Amendment guarantee that the government will remain secular.

Instead of illegally respecting the Bible in the process of bill legislation, government should instead respect the list of rights and liberties this great nation was founded upon. Without regard to the Bible, legalizing gay marriage is essential in order to take another step towards every individual being truly equal, a right Americans take great pride in.

However, not everyone feels this way.

“I believe if the gays want to be treated as equals, they should act as equals. Stop with the parades and marches, stop the flamboyant attitude,” junior Brycen Holland said.

The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a promise that can not be imposed or infringed upon. Though some, like Holland, don’t find it socially acceptable to be “flamboyant” in public, it is by no means up to them to judge another based on his or her own closed-mindedness. Marches are a First Amendment right and a common means of spreading awareness and gaining support for an issue. Homosexuals have just as much liberty to do so as any heterosexual.

A mere 50 or so years from now, society will remember the debate on legalizing gay marriage just the same as we look back on granting African Americans civil rights, simply that it is absolutely ridiculous that it was not done sooner and with more ease.

Personally, I can not wait for the inevitable to come in which all half decent members of society find it ridiculous that the public had these condemning opinions that both ostracized and ridiculed a particular denomination.

This issue is rapidly gaining traction in favor of the legalization of gay rights, just as African American civil rights gained support through activism by strong leaders. These activists took pride in who they were, unwilling to yield to the judgemental right-wing of politics who prefer to verbally take down those who do not share their opinions.

All citizens, regardless of sexual orientation should be granted the right of marriage. After all, God did say to love thy neighbor, didn’t he?