Kent,
Those individuals who say you are "living in sin" should be asked where they get their information. Do they look to the Bible for advice? If so, are they stoning their recalcitrant sons at the city gates as the Bible suggests? Are they stoning witches? They must not be praying in public as it explicitly states that when one prays, one should go into one's closet to do it. Furthermore,the Old Testament tells us how to treat our slaves. Do these nosy people hold slaves? One cannot find a fundamentalist who truly lives by biblical dictates, they all pick and choose according to their own prejudices. Many seem to have no problem eating shellfish or touching the skin of pig but hey, they love that bit about homosexuality being an abomination. I guess God will forgive dining on scallops and shrimp but be sure to beat down those damn gays!
As to the role of government in marriage, government legitimately has a role in insuring that one's offspring cannot simply be abandoned. Similarly, government must insure that spouses are not similarly left destitute. Beyond these two concerns, government should not dictate that same-sex couples cannot marry. Nor should religions be compelled to sanctify any union that doesn't meet their standards (however bigoted they may be).
Peter T.
