I suppose that's the gist of it: the more established a nation is, the harder it is for that nation to undergo major changes. That's something that has proven true enough here in many ways also.

This is why marriage shouldn't involve courts and your race, nor sexuality. The judge better be under a tractor right now...

How did that fucking joke even get through law school?
Such a disgrace to people who represent Lady Justice.

We do the same abut new zealanders. Well there's more jokes about sex with sheep but the principle's the same, taking the piss out of the neighbors

I think that is the biggest reason for misunderstanding. From what I've seen there's nowhere else that gives states such a significant level of power

Heh anyone else reminded of the south park ep on gay marriage? "What if, instead of being called 'husband and wife' you could be 'butt buddies'?"

Yes, actually. Classic.

When you think of Louisiana this sounds fitting yet not. Since the population's so varied there, you'd think this sort of retarded bullshit would have made news like 20 years ago b/c there would be a high number of interracial couples.
What's he talkin' a hard time for the kids????
Mulattoes are hoooooottttt. (Is that gay? Should I say mulatas or something?)
Ugh. Look at this guy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/19/keith-bardwell-explains-r_n_325758.html
He's like 90 years old and obviously an ignorant twat. And fat. That's just pushing it.

That's kind of how it works in Japan. Marriage is a totally secular legal entity. Getting married essentially just means filling in the form and taking it to the local city hall.
Of course, after that you can go to a temple, church, hotel, or wherever you want to have a ceremony. And of course they each have their own rules (or not) about things.
That said, i'm pretty sure they don't have homosexual marriages in japan either.. but that's probably because they haven't asked. ;-)
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Frankly, in the US - where separation of church and state is defined in the constitution, I can't see how there can be any justification for using religious grounds to decide a legal/governmental status. Atheists can get married in the US, and aren't bound by religious rules. As you said, marriage should be a single, secular ceremony for all. Churches, Mosques, etc.. are all free to make rules about who can do the religious ceremony with them, but shouldn't be able to dictate to those who aren't members.

Link
It's not a perfect solution but it is an encouraging step in the right direction.

Really ? Not that it bothers me but since when US is a Laic country ? US presidents swear on the bible, and we can read the mention "In God we trust" on dollar bills. Not very laicity to me... I'm confused.

don't ask me. i've never understood it. but they do keep going on about a separation.. while implementing it only in certain areas.

Presidents can be sworn in on anything at all. John Quincy Adams was sworn in on a book of law. It's just a sort of tradition - and a way to appease the insane religious right.
In God We Trust appeared on our money in 1956 - as a response to those "godless Communists" and it has stuck ever since. It's a stain on our country's supposed secularism. The Supreme Court didn't take off the slogan because apparently, according to them, it has "lost through rote repetition any significant religious content." In 1952, a Supreme Court decision based on the case of Zorach v. Clauson said, "We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being."
In other words, despite a guise of secularism, the United States has enough Christian people that they are able to force their religious beliefs on others through mainly passive ways - such as In god we trust being on our currency.

By all means try finding exactly where the separation is defined in their constitution. :p
The constitution may allow freedom of religion, but it does not call for religious influence to be removed from politics.
The phrase "wall of separation between church and state" actually comes from a letter by Thomas Jefferson and simply calls for people's freedom of religion. Not removal of religious influence from government. For Jefferson was a firm Christian himself.

I have wondered if there is a more cynical reason why the words "In God We Trust" appear on the currency of a largely capitalist country.

You know, just the other day, my Rabbi was telling me I couldn't marry this Hindi woman I've been dating for years, just because she wasn't of Jewish stock. Preposterous...

Change Rabbis...the current version you have is riddled with FAIL.

yea... we Finnish people make Swedish jokes all the time.
Like, how do you sink a Swedish submarine? Dive down and knock on the hatch.