i relate to the first paragraph. i agree with the author's quoted 'friend'. i dont think marriage validation and/or requirement is for everyone. i believe that marriage should be personal and maybe it can be religious for some, but the state and law should have no foothold in how people choose to form unions or define it.

there can be no separation of church and state if both of them consider themselves to be the authority that validates marriage. why should the state dictate mormon unions or LGBTQ unions or religious or civil unions. any legal contract should be drawn by the parties involved. contracts should be under the purview of the state, not the unions themselves.