Drink your juice.

Because marriage isn’t a Christian institution.

Legal marriage status grants people exclusive rights and liberties in this country that impact things like social security, adoption, and who can be present in a hospital room in the event of an emergency. A civil union, just by merit of the fact that a different name exists, is separate and unequal (not to mention all of the rights denied to people in civil unions vs. marriages).

What you seem to be ignoring altogether is that marriage through government is a non-denominational, legal status designed to help people negotiate their rights via their families and have their state and government acknowledge their family members. There is, nominally though not de facto in most cases, a separation of church and state in this country.

Marriage has been around for a lot longer than Christianity has, and sex has been evolving long before marriage ever existed, but if two consenting adults who love each other want to go to their town hall and sign a legal document to make it official, where’s the problem there?

You’re right, most people demanding marriage equality probably aren’t looking to get married in a church, but that’s because most people who get married aren’t looking to get married in a church. If you’re okay with Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other non-Christian-affiliated couples being legally married, maybe take a minute and think about why this would be any different.

I’m by no means an expert on this stuff, but simple logic and decency dictate a pretty clear position on this. It has nothing to do with religion at all. It’s about human rights and whether or not you think they’re important for everyone to have.