Suggestion for a minor change to the marriage tag excerpt

Question

Update

This proposal was suggested and approved.

• Revision 10 of the excerpt
• Revision 9 of the wiki

---

Original Post

A while ago, I endeavored to clarify the use of the marriage tag and its related tags:

• Proposal for tagging questions that concern marriage, both traditional and non-traditional forms

There was some static from a few users, but the community seemed mostly supportive of the changes, so I made them, they went through the review process and were approved. Most notable was Flimzy's answer/comment, and recently Lee's answer, which lead to a long chat discussion (Read from this chat message down.)

Lee and I came to a simple compromise that a few have noted in chat that they would support.

The marriage tag excerpt currently says:

Use this tag for questions about attitudes and doctrines regarding traditional marriage (one male and one female). For non-traditional marriages, use the appropriate tags, such as polygamy or same-sex-marriage.

It should be changed to:

Use this tag for questions about attitudes and doctrines regarding marriage. For questions relating specifically to same-sex marriage and polygamy, use the appropriate tags.

This change is minor, but is only meant to do something simple. The current excerpt can and did lead to polarization on this sensitive topic for some users, and will likely do so again in the future. Since the excerpt is the most seen description for tags, it was needlessly provocative, possibly turning away users over an issue that does not really exist. Lee said it best and ultimately convinced me that this small change was worthwhile:

This [excerpt] would, I think, cover what the bulk of people in the culture think about marriage anyway, without being unnecessarily polarizing right in the tag excerpt.
Chat message

This meta post was made for two purposes:

1. The topic is sensitive and therefore deserves the full protocol.
2. The change may be viewed as too minor, and therefore rejected once it is in the review queue.

Comments are welcome in the answer space below.

Answer 1

I said in my comment to @ThaddeusB:

My understanding is that "polygamy" and "same-sex marriage" would be in the nature of sub-tags under the general "marriage" category tag. And as I understand it, the general tag is not necessary or ordinarily used when a more specific tag is appropriate. However, a question or answer under the "marriage" tag would not have to exclude same-sex marriage, which could be included in a question or answer using that tag. That would be the substantive change.

To provide an example, a question could ask:

What is the Swedenborgian view of marriage?

(I know, that's sorta broad, but bear with me.)

An answer to this question could include a discussion of same-sex marriage. The question is not specifically about same-sex marriage, so it would not be appropriate to use the "same-sex marriage" tag. Clearly, this question would call for the "marriage" tag. However, an answer to this question could include a discussion of same-sex marriage as part of the overall answer.

With the current definition of the "marriage" tag, including material about same-sex marriage would violate the tag definition, because the tag definition specifies "traditional marriage (one male and one female)." With the new tag definition, including a discussion of same-sex marriage in an answer, or even as one element (explicit or potential) in the question, would not violate the tag definition, as it would under the current definition.

So the substantive change from the old "marriage" tag definition to the new one is that questions using the "marriage" tag would not have to exclude any consideration or inclusion of same-sex marriage.

Questions under the "marriage" tag could still, of course, specify that they are about "traditional marriage (one male and one female)." In that case, an answer discussing same-sex marriage would still be "not an answer" to the question.

If a question is specifically focused on same-sex marriage, it would use the "same-sex marriage" tag because that's what that tag is for. And we have this tag because same-sex marriage is a major distinct issue within Christianity as a whole.

TLDR: Under the new tag definitions questions and answers about marriage could include a consideration of same-sex marriage and use the "marriage" tag, but questions focusing specifically or entirely on same-sex marriage would still use the "same-sex marriage" tag.

---

Edit: Another example of a question that could use the "marriage" tag under the new definition, but not the old:

What is the history of the LDS Church's teachings on marriage?

Such a history would necessarily include a consideration of the original LDS endorsement of polygamy and its later repudiation of polygamy and requirement of monogamy.

The "polygamy" tag would not adequately cover such a question, because it deals both with polygamy and with monogamous, one man, one woman marriages. In this instance, the "marriage" tag with its new definition would be required, whereas the "polygamy" tag might or might not be used.

However, the old "marriage" tag definition would preclude its use on this question because the question necessarily deals with definitions of "marriage" that are explicitly excluded from that tag definition.

So once again, the "marriage" tag would be much more generally useful if it were defined broadly to include all of the various ways different (self-defined) Christian groups and denominations use the word "marriage" than if its definition is restricted to particular definitions of marriage within Christianity that are exclusive of other ways "marriage" has been and currently is defined within various groups and denominations of Christians.

Answer 2

My personal opinion is that same-sex "marriage" as a cultural norm will come and go, but this website will remain. Lets be brave and not do anything which seems to even intimate that we care what the enemies of truth and tradition think since listening to their voices will only corrupt us.

As far as this site is concerned, if traditional marriage isn't marriage between a man and a woman, then I completely give up. And if tradition doesn't mean anything, then how are we even supposed to answer any questions. So the argument seems to be against using the word tradition to describe what we know marriage to be and the argument is with a person whom I would consider to be knee deep in one of Christendom's most awful heresies. So yeah, let him chip away at the truth and see what you're left with.