Marriage Equality and Prop 8

From Facebook:

Me: *Posts picture comparing racism to marriage inequality* "One day we will look back on these (1 man + 1 woman = marriage, God has RULED on marriage, Judge mocks God SHAME), the same we look back on these (We won't go to school with negroes, Strike against integration!)"Mormon friend's awesome dad: "This is a very complicated issue, and one filled with potential unforeseen circumstances. I think that because homosexual behavior is viewed by many religions as sinful, it will never attain the status of racial equality. However, I do think gay marriage will eventually become the law of the land and people will have to deal with it, especially when it comes to discrimination."
Tom: No, it is a religious issue more than anything else, I will never look upon it on the same scale as racism because I am a Catholic and the bible strikes homosexual acts and marriage as sins."
Me: [Mormon friend's dad], I agree with your comment. Tom, it's okay that you think that, but I disagree. The Supreme Court isn't talking about marriage in a religious sense, mostly in a legal sense. Just because people get "married" doesn't mean it has the same meaning to them as it does to you. They are mostly talking about rights people have for taxes and housing and insurance. For example, let's say there is a very elderly gay couple. One of them is on the brink of death in the hospital, but their partner wouldn't be allowed to visit them if they weren't family ie married. It's totally unfair. Gay people don't have to get married in churches and churches won't be forced to let people marry there. That being said, if there is a gay, Christian couple, it will be up to their church whether or not to let them get married in the sanctuary or chapel or whatever. To some gay people, I'm sure it is a matter of religion. Like for me, getting married will be a religious act, becoming "one person" under God. And then for others, like agnostics or atheists, and probably a lot of gay people, the act of marriage is just a public recognition of their love for each other. If you have more thoughts on this subject, Tom, I would actually really like to hear them. "

So, that's how I feel about that.