Marriage is a civil or legal term. It has an optional religious connotation. It is not necessary to have a religious ceremony if you have the required legal civil marriage documents and ceremony. That is what you have to teach the uninformed.

Tell them that Christmas Day, for example is a federal holiday in many nations, including the United States. Tell them that anyone who is and who is not a Christian may consider Christmas a holiday. Federal legal holidays are paid holidays and have several federal, state and local privileges and obligations.

There is a difference between the religious and legal observance of Christmas Day. There is a difference between the religious and legal observance of the Civil Status of Marriage for US citizens.

The majority of religious organizations would only marry a man and woman together. There are, however, religious organizations that marry both opposite sex and same sex couples.

The civil rights that gay and lesbian Americans want, and the Courts have affirmed is a correct interpretation of the Constitution of many states, if not the federal Constitution, is that CIVIL MARRIAGE - the only legal instrument given to couples - is what our human and civil rights struggle is all about.WORDS.....IT IS ABOUT DEFEATING RIGHT WING NEWSPEAK....