Marriage has been an important part of life since biblical times. For most it is normally the union of one man and one woman, but for gays and lesbians it is the union of two men and two women. The legalization of same-sex marriage is a contested issue for many reasons. We can argue that same-sex marriage is a bad idea for the sake of procreation because the consequences far outweigh the benefits, or we can agree that the emotional stigma attached to it will make life difficult for children. This is a difficult issue for society to accept. and a struggle for acceptance and freedom to openly practice gay marriage. First of all, many reasons are given to disprove why gay and lesbian marriages should be a part of our society. In this country, marriage is defined as the union between a man and a woman, but over the past two years, the true meaning of marriage has been the subject of much controversy. The vast majority of Christians today believe that the Bible teaches that monogamy is the only acceptable form of marriage and that same-sex marriage violates God's law regarding marriage. According to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in July 2003 the Vatican stated: "There is absolutely no reason to consider homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even vaguely analogous to God's plan for marriage and the family… Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts are prohibited. against the natural moral law. (Wolfson, 106). Some will say that accepting same-sex marriage goes against their religious beliefs and moral judgment. Although most people try to live and adhere to the morals they were raised with, others try to push the boundaries of change by using the word freedom to initiate chaos. paper ......n are another very important reason why same-sex marriages should not be legalized. “Mothers and fathers parent differently, and this difference provides important diversity in children’s experiences.” (Stanton and Maier, p. 113). Very often, some of the actions taken have much greater consequences than those taken. Works Cited Mello, Michael. Legalize same-sex marriage. Philadelphia, PA: Temple Univ. Press, 2004. printed. (Mello) Keenan, Jill. “Legalize polygamy!.” Slate. April 15, 2013: b. page. Internet. .Sean, CR. Same-sex marriage in the United States: focus on the facts. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2004. print. (Sean) Stanton, Glenn T. and Dr. Bill Maier. Trial marriage. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004. Print. (Stanton and Maier)