Question

Someone over on dark_christian linked to an article about people objecting to a group home in their community [Edit: article here]. While there are neigborhood residents who complain about violence (or perceived violence) of the mentally retarded folks in the home, one man had a different objection.

He cited a state law that describes residents of homes for the mentally retarded as “a natural family.”

“As a Christian and as a father, I strongly object to that,” he said. “That’s an attack on your family and all our families. Change that.”

This isn't an isolated thing, of course. Elsewhere, other people complain about the definition of marriage, trying to pass laws and amendments ensuring that marriage or the family will be defined only in certain ways. I can understand the urge. When something seems immoral or unnatural, it is natural for people to want to make sure that the immoral and the moral, the natural and the unnatural, do not become confused in people's minds or in the laws of the land.

But I suddenly remembered something helen99 linked to a while back. Over on this page, amongst other definitions, a person is defined:

Person means (1) any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, government agency other than the Commission or the Department of Energy (except that the Department of Energy is considered a person within the meaning of the regulations in this part to the extent that its facilities and activities are subject to the licensing and related regulatory authority of the Commission pursuant to law), any State or any political subdivision of or any political entity within a State, any foreign government or nation or any political subdivision of any such government or nation, or other entity; and (2) any legal successor, representative, agent, or agency of the foregoing.

This definition isn't an isolated case either. For legal and regulatory purposes, it is often easiest for corporations and institutions to be considered as persons. It is a nice and useful definition. But I am forced to ask: Is this the natural way to define "person"? Is this the way God intended for us to think of people from the foundation of the world? And are there any people (whether individuals or institutions) in the "family values" camp who are working to get these unnatural definitions changed so as to return society to a more wholesome and natural state?