[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

So the gist of your argument is, leave it up to the individual religions to decide who they will or will not marry.

I have infinitely greater trust in the ability of religious institutions to make moral and ethical decisions than I do in the government.

Do you? What about Gene Robinson, the gay Bishop in the Episcopalian church? What about the pedophile-shuffling within the Catholic church? Pedo-priest commits a sexual crime - he is shuffled off to a different parish. These are the first two that come to mind. I'm sure we can add to the list of "moral and ethical decisions".

[Voice in your head]

"So the gist of your argument is, leave it up to the individual religions to decide who they will or will not marry."

That is half of it, yes.

I have infinitely greater trust in the ability of religious institutions to make moral and ethical decisions than I do in the government.
"Do you?"

Yes.

"What about Gene Robinson, the gay Bishop in the Episcopalian church? What about the pedophile-shuffling within the Catholic church? Pedo-priest commits a sexual crime - he is shuffled off to a different parish. These are the first two that come to mind. I'm sure we can add to the list of "moral and ethical decisions".

We can "what-if" this issue to death on both sides. Bill Klinton, Gary Hart, Barney Frank, Gary Condit. Do you think that fewer scum inhabit Washington DC and our state capitals than inhabit our churches and synagogues? I have greater faith in the religious institutions to handle marriage.

"Your argument would only work if religious institutions were the paragons of moral and ethical virtues that they should be, but, sadly, are not."

I disagree. So long as the vast majority are moral and ethical, then it works.