I remember years ago when even relatively liberal people would say things like, "I support civil unions for gay people, but not marriage." I'd have to choke down my response of, "What are you, fucking stupid?" Legally, marriage is a "civil union," whatever we call it, even if it's tied up culturally with related religious rituals called "marriage." It means one thing legally, that's the civil union part, and another thing culturally, and that's the marriage part, and while there's no need to conflate them, we do. I don't care if your particular church blesses same sex marriage, so enjoy your religious freedom, but why the hell does anyone care whether the state does?
Opposing state recognition of same sex marriages isn't a religious objection, it's a policy objection. A shitty bigoted policy objection, to be sure, but still just that.
