By: Mike Hosking | Thursday, August 30, 2012 7:35 AM

The biggest trouble I’ve had with this whole gay marriage debate and the potential law change is getting interested in it. I have struggled to raise a pulse on it.

This allegedly is one of the more emotive issues of our time. The lobbying in parliament has had to have been seen or heard to be believed. The zealots are out in droves twisting arms and forecasting hell and damnation if it goes the wrong way, and I’m sitting here going ‘whatever’. If gay people want to get married, let them get married. That doesn’t mean I am pro-gay, I would not argue in favour of gay marriage because I can’t exercise myself enough to do so.

My point is that I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that one of the biggest killers in modern society is stress and we need to stress less. I should apply for some government funding to do a study and see if I’m right.

I have a view. I have a view on most things and I’d argue my view on most things is brought about through a reasonable amount of reading and thinking and being interested, and yet I don't feel the need to twist anyone’s arm on the views I have.

This is where the gay marriage debate gets all off track. Those entrenched in it not only have views but they’re hell bent trying to persuade anyone that doesn't have the same view that they’re wrong or deluded or bewildered or evil. It gets personal, especially from the anti-gay debate which is another interesting aspect of this. Why is it the Christians who are so anti-gay marriage, can’t be tolerant enough to accept that there might be some who don't agree. The bible talks of all sorts of decent things like forgiveness and kindness and turning the other cheek and welcoming all views and all kinds and love for everyone. Yet among some in the church you've never seen a more narrow-minded, mean spirited, nasty approach to others.

Then you get the irrational, the threats that if gays marry then what’s next - will you be able to marry your sister or your dog? Those are serious arguments. Well they’re not serious arguments obviously, but from the nutters they’re put forward as serious arguments. All common sense gone, all rational behaviour out the window, all logic shot to pieces, and all of these people will have racing heartbeats, elevated blood pressure and be working themselves to an early grave through stress.

When I offer opinion, of which I have the privilege to do quite a bit of given the work, I seek to do nothing more than perhaps make you pause or ask a question or rethink something. I am not an arm twister, I don’t measure success by how many minds are changed, I’m not right and you’re not wrong. They’re just ideas - you can take them or leave them and I am bothered neither way. And thus the gay marriage debate has been no more or less important than any other and certainly not worth raising a sweat over.

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