On the verge of a break-through

I have not read through the whole thread yet, but I just wanted to throw my opinion in before I respond to any post in particular (besides the OP).I am a lesbian and I respect that you have a degree of uncomfortability with homosexuality. Many people do and cannot explain it or reconcile it with other personal beliefs. That is acceptable to me because I have the same kind of feelings about other things that I cannot rationally explain.On that note, I would like to address same-sex marriage. I respect religious views regarding marriage and I hold that each religion has the right to dictate how they will operate and what they believe, of course as long as they do not harm others. I do not think that same-sex couples should demand that they be accepted by every religious denomination and it follows that they should not demand to be married in certain houses of worship.
Marriage as we know it in western society stems from the Judeo-Christian view of marriage, however it is no longer solely a religious institution. In America, any heterosexual couple can go to Vegas and get married on the spot or get a piece of paper and stand before a judge. It has become as much a civil contract as a religious one and, as such, should not be confined by religious views of what marriage should be. I have a few religious gay friends who feel pained that they cannot be married in the eyes of their god in a church, but I know of no one personally who is demanding that they should. The most common theme I hear is that we should be able to enter in legally recognized unions for the purposes of easier adoption, hospital visitations, property rights, health insurance purposes and inheritance, in other words, civil rights. Personally, all I care about is consecrating my union in the eyes of the one I love and my family, but I can see where a legally recognized union (or even simply a piece paper granting the above-mentioned rights with or without recognizing a "union") could benefit my partner and myself and I will fight for these rights. Any opposition to these rights that stinks of religion is unacceptable to me. Christians have the right to define marriage however they want, as do Jews, Hindus, Muslims, animists, pagans, Zoroastrians, etc, but that definition should only apply to their particular ceremonies and should not be foisted on the larger public (and someone who has objections to my having these rights does not have to personally accept them, but if you think about it, the contract is really between the couple and the clerk who puts the rubber stamp on it...no one beyond that should give it a second thought...I know I sure don't give a hoot who is getting "married" in the courthouse today).I'll probably get into more detail as I delve further into the conversation, but I'll leave it as this for now.By the way, hello everyone...I'm new here. Don't feel like you have to take it easy one me, but I'm all for anyone kindly showing me the ropes