According to the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, Episcopalian bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire, the law is "not a radical departure," and instead is "a real confirmation of what New Hampshire has always been about: the freedom of its own citizens and fairness for everyone."

Of course gay Bishop Robinson could be accused of speaking to his own agenda.

Robinson - who attended the signing of the law - said the decision to bless a same-sex union will be left to the local Episcopalian priests.

"Just like in marriages, every priest will have the option to bless or not to bless," Robinson is quoted as saying to press.

What is particularly noteworthy is Robinson once again believing that he is the ultimate authority in moral matters. Robinson's comments are in disregard of the leaders of Anglican Communion having given the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops until September 30 to provide assurances it will neither authorize same-sex blessings, nor consent to the consecration of bishops living in a same-sex relationship.

Addressing Robinson's comments, IRD Director of Anglican Action Ralph Webb said in a Monday press statement that "Bishop Robinson's allowance of blessing civil unions as a local option-even though such blessings are not required of priests-provides yet another illustration of how the Episcopal Church opposes the traditional definition of marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman."

According to Webb, "It's tragic that just within the last year, we have seen increasing evidence of a hardening of this position. Some Episcopal Church parishioners, parishes, parachurch groups, and diocesan bishops opposed state marriage amendments upholding the traditional definition of marriage last fall. And this spring, the denomination's Executive Council passed a resolution urged against future General Conventions being held in states where the marriage amendments are in effect."

"What's at stake here is the Judeo-Christian understanding that no other relationship -whether that of cohabiting heterosexual couples or same-sex partners - in which two people commit to living together can approximate marriage or should receive the church's blessing," Webb said.

Webb notes this Episcopal Church's own Book of Common Prayer speaks to the issue of tradition Judeo-Christian marriage, but that "it's the Episcopal Church's stance against that understanding that has led to many of the current problems in the Anglican Communion today." In turn, Webb said that "has led it to disregard the concerns of the primates of the Anglican Communion. It is also partially that stance that has led many thousands of Episcopalians to leave the denomination in the last few years."

At the law's signing Governor Lynch said he believes that the civil unions will not "threaten" marriage - something that Bishop Robinson must also mistakenly believe.

Perhaps Gov. Lynch and Bishop Robinson would do well to look across the ocean at Spain, where following the Socialist government's platform - that includes fast-track divorces and same-sex marriages - that country now has the distinguished award of leading Europe in divorces coupled with one of the world's lowest birthrates (ex-immigrants).

It would be hard to argue such policies haven't "threatened" marriage.

---Robert Duncan is a journalist and ombudsman for foreign press in Spain. He is an Executive Board Member and Vice-President for the Organización de Periodismo y Comunicación Ibero-Americana, and Vice-President of the energy and telecommunications association, APSCE. He is News Editor for Spero News, and Editor-In-Chief of EnerPub.