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Let me clarify some thoughts on marriage, and the words I used. Marriage is seen in Genesis 2, and God shares a bit of His design for it there, as well as other places. When I say "Christian" I'm applying it retroactively, shortening Judeo-Christian. It belongs to God's people. When other people (non-Christians) do it, they are participating in something spiritual, and in a particular way, whether they know it or not. Why do people get married in churches? Why does every guy qualified to marry someone say, "We are garthered here today in the sight of God..." Many people aren't religious in any sort of way, yet they often desire these things. If the United States of America wants to give other unions the same kind of monetary benefits, legal status, etc. as marriages, it may do so. It is true that Christianity has preferential treatment within our law. Christians and others heavily influenced by the gospel founded our nation. We shouldn't apologize for this, or be made to feel guilty. But the point is, marriage is not simply a contract between two people. It is an expression of divine sanction and blessing. Every person probably knows this. No minister could ever attest to divine sanction or blessing, that which is a sin. If a minister does this, he's not a minister, and a marriage has not in fact taken place. You can't call anything else a marriage. Sorry.

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