A proposal to solve the "gay marriage" problem
The crux of the "marriage" question, both in the religious and civil realms, is over the provision of services or attachment of privileges to a status. It is not really about the status itself, because if there were no consequences of that status (e.g. access to services/privileges that would not otherwise be granted, or restriction for privileges, etc. that would otherwise be granted), the status would be irrelevant, and people could do whatever they wanted to and call it whatever they wanted to and it would make no difference. The State currently provides privileges, etc., for having the status labelled "married". In addition, that status, as far as the State is concerned, is -granted- BY the State through 1) it's assigned agents (e.g. judges and military officers) or 2) agents it recognizes. It recognizes, currently, as agents, holders of several non-State offices, e.g. religious leaders, ships' captains, etc. The first category of these (the judges),