Reply #9: I've never seen Kerry say it was a catholic thing. If it was, he would have to say homosexuality is

[Mass]

wrong, not just gay marriage. Do you assume he thinks homosexuality is wrong, because this is something that would really bother me a lot more than using the word marriage.

There is a huge difference between abortion, that most people would prefer to avoid, even if we want the right to have one if necessary, and gay marriage, something that is done by 2 consenting adults. I have heard Kerry a speak about it a lot, and each time, he was referring to cultural references of the word marriage, not to his religious faith.

I think it is a lot more the pragmatism. He knows that people will be a lot more inclined to give people rights if the word "marriage" is not used. But I may be wrong.