Atheists United notes with regret California Supreme Court's "compromise" decision upholding Proposition 8 and thus requiring the state to use a religious definition of marriage, which has no place in civil law.

"Although we are happy for the couples whose marriages are allowed to stand, we do not believe that forcing government to use outdated religious concepts in its civil law is a matter of compromise," said Communications Director Brian Parra.

In light of the recent and rapid change of public opinion, the group anticipates a new initiative to permit same-sex marriage, and promises it will continue to support the rights of all Californians and the responsibility of the state to be truly religion neutral.
Noting that some religious people were frightened into voting for Proposition 8 by a warning that churches would have to perform weddings for same-sex couples, the group's president Bobbie Kirkhart said, "We believe in freedom of conscience, and I pledge that if that were ever to happen, atheists would defend the rights of the church." She noted that if the church were required to follow state law in such matters, Catholic priests would long ago have been forced to marry divorced couples.

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