Speaking as a liberal and a mainline Christian (which does seem to go hand in hand), I respect the freedom of religion and the freedom to follow your conscience as you deem it necessary.

As a result, I respect churches and Christians that may not see marriage between two persons of the same sex as a valid marriage from a spiritual matter, but legally, it is a marriage. After all, how many people are married after several previous divorces, yet we still respect the civil institution in legal proceedings.

There are laws that I do find to be morally questionable, such as the death penalty. And yet while I oppose it, I know the state still carries it out. I may fight to change it and pray against its use, but I can't stop it.

Perhaps this is easier for Lutherans to do because we have the two kingdoms doctrine, and we see the separation between church & state. We also see marriage as a civil matter that can receive the blessings of the church, but a civil marriage is still a marriage to us.

I realize not everyone sees things this way. But my support for marriage equality stems strictly from the Constitution.

I also have friends and family who take opposite sides on different matters. Yet, we know each other enough to carefully broach the subject. We have enough respect for the other to know that our positions are well thought out, but we just came to differing conclusions. But we are still friends. Rarely have a lost a friend over such matters. And if I had, it wasn't much of a friendship to begin with.