Gene Robinson's made it his mission to bring people together. Just last month he issued a call to stop gay infighting. And earlier this year he urged Anglicans to stop arguing over whether or not to accept gays.

Yesterday, the openly gay Bishop used his words in an attempt to bring New Hampshire one step closer to full equality. Speaking on the controversial civil union bill, Robinson told the Senate:

What we seek in the civil realm is the equal treatment by the state government in supporting this development of our relationship with the legal, financial and societal underpinnings which are afforded married couples at the very moment they say 'I do'.

The 59-year old New Hampshire native went on to say that civil unions have absolutely no impact on the health of the Church, "This legislation simply has nothing do to with religious bodies and their affirmation or rejection of such unions in the civil realm."

Roman Catholic chancellor Diane Murphy argued against Robinson's point, highlighting the blessed utility of marriage:

No other form of relationship between persons can be considered equivalent to a natural relationship between a man and a woman out of whose love it is possible for children to be born. Marriage is not simply a matter of emotion between two people or a lifestyle choice.

Now, we know that gay people can have children, but let's assume they can't. Let's assume gay marriage or unions or whatever you want to call them prove to be absolutely fruitless, no pun intended. If this were the case, wouldn't conservatives want gays to get married. Not only would it help curb over-population, but it would assure them the opportunity to breed an entire population of ideological clones. Gay marriage, then, would actually help the Christian right, not harm it. But, of course, that's in a fantasy land and the right has absolutely no imagination. If they did, they'd be able to form a coherent argument against gay nuptials. Or, at least, an original one...

Bishop Robinson: N.H. civil unions won't threaten religion [Newsday]