Marriage is a civil right in the US

I find that the Evangalistic Christians that moan and groan about the 'institution of marriage' to make more of a mockery of the institution than those that wish to have equality, and allow for gay marriage.So many of the vocal religious opposers of gay marriage are on their second, third or 4th marriages it is a cliche.I feel that the government should get out of the business of providing 'marriage licences'. Have all contracts converted to 'domestic partnerships' that give the same legal protections of marriage, and let the relgious implications be handled by each and every individual church (if the couple in question so desires).

Then, the instititiona of marriage is not as you describe. It is not universally applied, historically, in the manner in which you are speaking.