If you are against Gay Marriage or Civil Unions, why?

[Reluctant Republican]

Marriage is a religious thing, according to social conservatives (Not that I totally agree) So if you give the gays benefits without dirtying the religious institute of marriage, their is no harm done.  At least, that’s the justification I’ve been able to piece together, I’d love to hear others reasoning.

I do think there are few good reasons to be against civil unions. I guess if you don’t believe the government should be involved in marriage at all you could extend that to civil unions and say government should not recognize or reward any partnership. And if your  a social conservative you could oppose civil unions by saying that it leads to a slippery slope, or your rewarding an abhorrent, socially destructive behavior by giving it the same benefits as one a socially constructive coupling receives.  I don’t agree with any of this, and I’ve never really heard anyone be against civil unions (It seems to be the view most people see as PC. “I’m not a homophobe! I support civil unions“.) So if my reasoning is wrong feel free to shoot some holes in it.