I remember a great quote by someone or other....."their lies, damned lies and..... statistics". For a start, 200,000 practicing homosexual men? Where would this statistic have come from - a survey perhaps? A "random sampling" It is pre-supposing that the people responding were answering truthfully and how many homosexuals remain "in the closet". I personally think that this number is way short of the mark and yet again, you confine your argument to homosexual MEN with whom you seem to have the greatest issue.

Innes, you persist in introducing irrelevant facts or "scaremongering". I believe we are talking about ALLOWING homosexuals to enter into a marriage contract, whether by that or some other name. You talk of Catholic Priests being "charged" for failing to do so which is whale sized "red herring". If "marriage" is legalised for same sex couples, I believe that it would be left to the conscience of celebrants as to whether they wish to officiate at such ceremonies.

Incidentally, the instance of HIV has been significantly reducing in recent years and available drugs for treatment steadily improving. Many can now live long and productive lives with the disease as is the case with many cancers. HIV is a virus that originated in Africa but many insist on seeing at as some sort of divine retribution against gays. While homosexual men are particularly susceptible, I dont perceive God as being that vindictive.

You question my figures kfchugo.  According to the ABS the figure for homosexual men is actually lower than I quoted.  However, the higher figure that I quoted was derived from:-   The Australian research Centre in Sex Health & Society at La Trobe University & published in The Australian Journal of Public Health.  But of course you would know better than these august bodies.  You are correct in stating that medicine & treatment of HIV aids has improved dramatically in recent years.  They now live much longer before they eventually die of this terminal desease.  I don't know how homosexual practices has anything to do with God's vindictiveness, but your personal perception may be better than the medical community.  BTW I have no arguement with any of the homosexual people that I have ever known, BUT I strongly disagree with any attempt to glorify & sanctify their sexual practices.

kfchugo,  ".if your argument held water, it would be illegal for people to marry if one (or both) were sterile or if they had no intention of having offspring."

That is  classical 'Strawman' debating trickery and is of course fallacious:  you purposely grossly exagerrated my position to attack it. 

In fact no-one would ever argue that every heterosexual pairing should or even could result in offspring, however the point is that a mother and a father are contimually proved by independent studies to be the superior way of having and rearing well-developed, happy and psychologically robust children. 

Then you turn around to pretend that because anal is performed in some heterosexual sex it is a) common - which it isn't unless heterosexual partners would also show the same high incidence of anal fissures and other problems of anal penetration (that part of the body was definitely not made for an erect penis or other objects), and b) that this 'evidence' of anal penetration in some heterosexual sex 'proves' and 'necessitates' that the State approve homosexual marriage - when clearly the two are unrelated and it 'proves' no such thing.

Just to add, unless you can prove differently, there doen't appear to be the demand from women for anal sex and it could easily be argued that where it is performed it is more often against their wishes.  The Escherichia coli and other health risks are definite demotivators, quite apart from the discomfort and likely pain.  It is more sexual abuse one would think.

Next you indulge in the classical ad hominem of Lefties, by attacking the messenger as 'homophobic' and akin to a racist, "you guys remind me of the white South Africans of 30 or so years ago".  This is an obvious flaw in logic and more so because even if it were partly true which it isn't, skin colour is genetic and despite years of determined research, there is NO scientific evidence of a gay gene.  In fact there is plenty of evidence from the daily papers that many who clain to be homosexual would screw both sexes and have.  They have not been foumnd to be 'repressed' homosexuals either.

You say you are not forcing homosexual marriage on anyone, but that isn't true is it because family law already applies to homosexuals(and heterosexuals) whether they like it or not and the State can determine that a person is in a de facto relationship and against the will and intent of the parties concerned.  Such leftie skullduggerie behind the scences and without consultation with the electorate have even put students sharing digs at risk of being declared to be living in a marriage like situation - de facto -  an abuse of their freedom and rights of course.

The Left is fond of quoting the United Nations, but they studiously avoid the mention of Article 16 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Here it is,

Article 16.(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.