Agreed, access to the civil marriage should be open to all: although I would exclude those who are already married, or are in prison, or who want to marry their close relatives, or pets.

I think that many gays would still fight for the right not to be excluded from the religious ceremony by their church. I am with you on that. It is a club rules thing: take it or leave it. We should take away the right to religious leaders to register the civil union.

I think Germany already has this arrangement. There, the civil union is compulsory for all, regardless of any religious ceremony, and it is the only thing that counts in the law.