1. This is what most liberal commentators have been focusing on. This is probably wise, since the public figures are the ones with the most influence. If the leadership is using the marriage issue hypocritically this needs to be pointed out whenever it occurs.

2. At one time other "sins" such as adultery were considered much more serious than now. In some cultures this is still true, and can even result in death. So why has breaking one religious stricture become downplayed and another, which has almost no basis in traditional religious teaching, become so important? Notice that adultery is still considered grounds for divorce. This indicates that there is still a religious basis for marriage in secular law. Adultery is in the ten commandments, homosexuality isn't.

3. This is, I think, what is driving many who believe in "values". The values they believe in are those which give a privileged position to white, Anglo-Saxon men, followed by other Christian men, followed by non-Christian, but still religious men, followed by women.

Men, especially, have seen their unquestioned role as bread winner and leader of a self-sufficient household disappear. This happened first with the displacement from family farms to factories and, more recently, with the rise of educated, independent, self-sufficient women in society and the work force.

Their last bastion is the family, and the argument that they have latched on to is an appeal to religious tradition. Adultery (when done by men) is forgiven because it still confirms male dominance. When done by women the transgression is considered much more serious, thus confirming the male led hierarchical bias underlying attitudes.

Without addressing the psychological insecurity of this portion of society it seems to me that changing people's attitudes is going to be difficult. And without changing attitudes changing laws won't happen.