[lbo-talk] Kerry Says He Might Support Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage

[Curtiss Leung]

Regarding marriage as somehow inherently religious, can't
churches or synagogues or whatever refuse to perform to 
marry heterosexual couples if they deny or flaunt the tenets
of their faith?  I'm sure that in practice very few turn away
het couples, but couldn't they in principle?

If so, then churches/synagogues/etc may turn down gay
couples too.  But with gay civil marriage, as with current
het marriage, the gay couple could do what the straight couple
can: get a piece of paper from city hall that says they're
married and receive the benefits and privleges of married 
couples. The important thing are the rights confered
on couples by marriage.  The religious issue is then a 
dodge (if I'm correct that churches, etc. do not have to 
marry each and every het that comes knocking)

Curtiss