Religious Arguments Against Gay Marriage in a Liberal Democracy

Stance

Disagree — religious arguments should have purchase in public reasoning. (Oxford/UCL calibre, 3-point version.)

Philosophical Frame (for introduction)

John Stuart Mill in On Liberty argued that "the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it robs the human race." Even false or unpopular ideas sharpen truth by forcing it to defend itself. In a liberal democracy, this reasoning extends to religious and moral arguments — they may offend, but they perform the vital function of testing and refining public reason.

Point 1 — Rights Structure: Freedom of Religion and Expression Are Foundational, Not Conditional

(Legal and moral foundation: ECHR + Dworkin + Mill's Harm Principle)