And the next step should be a complete separation

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Two separate issues

You can have your blessing in church and all that jazz... But the civil ceremony should be 100 percent separate.

The civil side is a civil contract with civil and legal obligations. A religious ceremony is separate. This works not in theory, in practice, around the world. It leads to a lot of jokes by the way, but for example south of the border, you get your civil marriage on oh Wendesday, some are big shindigs too...and in church, where you get your religious blessing on Sunday.

If the church refuses to...fine, you still have your civil contract and all right and obligations. I am sure more than one liberal religious leader will still gladly marry then under god. But it takes some of the control over civil rights.

Perhaps I grew up in a country where this is not alien. Hell, we have the beginnings of this, as you have to get a licence first.