To the editor:

Despite their many similarities, in this country, government and religion differ in one important way: Government is a communal choice, religion is a personal choice. We choose our government; I choose my God. History and logic dictate that we would live in tyranny or chaos if we structured our society in any other way. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, as I would not give up my right to vote, I would not take it from another. As I would not have another choose how or to whom I pray, I would not choose for another.

Marriage has both sacred and civil significance. We are most like God when we love. For those who believe so, our churches encourage marriage. And marriage lends stability to society. For those who think so, our government encourages marriage. If these are our aims, they are not served by prohibiting the marriage of any two people capable of making a sacred or civil promise. So, a vote to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage is just an ugly resurrection of the belief that some people can’t or shouldn’t choose for themselves.

Either way, it’s wrong. It breaks the very promise we made to ourselves when we formed this government — that all are to be treated equally before the law — and defies the very promise God made to us when he formed the world — that all will be equal in his eyes. We are and deserve better. I hope we’ll prove so come April 5.

Jordan Yochim,

Lawrence