Setting aside personal opinions

So here we are again, mixing religion and government.  I am personally a Christian.  How do I feel about gay marriage?  Well, as a US citizen, that shouldn't matter.  Let me explain why.  Our country was set up so that my religious beliefs should never interfere with any other individual's rights.  I am married.  I was married before a Christian pastor.  Had the government not recognized my marriage, I honestly would not care.  My husband and I exchanged vows in the presence of our Lord.  The gay and lesbian community has the option to do the same thing, but depending on where they live, the government may not recognize their marriage (or civil union) which should be nothing more than an exchange of vows between two individuals.   Laws that define marriage: No one has any business deciding what kind of relationship two consenting adults can have in this nation of ours.  Pure and simple.  Period.  Americans seem to forget our history and that we have been in this place before.  The "racial integrity act of 1924" (a Virginia law) made it illegal for whites and non-whites to marry, in addition to requiring the designation of white or non white to be listed on every birth certificate.   It was not overturned by the US supreme court until 1967 in Loving v. Virginia.  30 of 48 states had similar legislation enacted during the same time period.  Though federal legislation was introduced several times none ever passed.   Fifty years ago it was considered an abomination for people of different races to marry.  Is this argument any different? A bigger question:  why does the government care about the outcome of this issue? Where the problem lies is in the structure of our government, our legal and tax systems based upon marital status.  The discrimination built into our system of government is detestable.  Couples, as recognized by the government, are taxed differently than individuals, or even those with children.  Why is it that a single man is taxed at a higher rate than a married couple?  Is that not discrimination?  Why is the government creating incentives for entry into a union in which it should have no interest?  Why are there tax breaks for citizens that have children?  Does the government have the authority to encourage its citizens to have children that they may or may not be able to raise financially and emotionally?  Should single, childless tax payers be punished for NOT having youngsters in their homes or marrying?  This is discrimination of the worst kind.  It is institutionally sponsored discrimination.  That covers only discrimination as it applies to tax law.  The bottom line, however, is that changing the definition of civil unions or marriages changes cost for the government.  Tax  Revenue from two single men to the federal and state government is generally greater than if they were to file as a couple, is it not?  What about federal or state employees who are in same sex relationships?  Would their partners be entitled  to healthcare, survivor benefits, etc if they were allowed to marry?