The current discussion does not bear on the Christian meaning of marriage; I am sure none of the neighbors you describe are fundamentalist extremists, Ake.

The issue before this thread is the CIVIL aspect of marriage, the legal rights and protections of the relationship in the eyes of the law.

Just as your neighbors do not want their religious conventions redefined, neither should civil rights be redefined because of one or another religious groups preference; hence the age old principle of separating Church and State.   THIS dialogue is about the state side of the question.

(I think I mentioned this distinction before, but you may have missed it...).


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