I have stated this before, but it bears repeating. The word “marriage” in and of itself is a legal commitment, governed by the laws of the state. Even clergy must say “…by the power vested in me by the state of ___ I know pronounce you…”. The separation of church and state is there for a reason. No one is asking anyone to give up their religious beliefs. Same-sex couples do not need to be married in a church, and neither do opposite-sex couples. In fact, Common-Law marriage is legal in some of the US states (such as RI) and it does not involve a church at all (nor is it even recognized or sanctified by a church). If a man and a woman live together for 7 years in RI, and present themselves as a “couple” for all intents and purposes, then the law of marriage applies to them. Religious beliefs do not enter into that equation, and they should not enter into same-sex marriage either.
This is about human rights, not acceptance, and you have not done your homework if you think this is 3 percent of the population. Human rights must always trump personal or religious opinion.
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