The clause that Spacial found--
"The amendment that was passed stated that barring access to same-sex ceremonies, or failing to provide services for them, would not "result in any state or local government action to penalize, withhold benefits, or discriminate against such religious corporation, benevolent order, a not-for-profit corporation operated, supervised or controlled by a religious corporation."
was, in my opinion, a tail protector for the legislators that will not in the long run cause any really deep problems with its actions. In the US, the separation of church and state issue is breached mildly at one point, because licensed clergy have one brief shot at being civil law officers. The marriage vows are a legally binding Oath of a state contract, and for half a second or what it takes the clergyman is a Notary Public or very temporary (you name it) officer of the state. After that oath takes place, its "we return to our regular programming" which is the purely religious ritual of blessing. A great many other countries actually have the "happy couple" take the oath at the local city hall, and then go over to the church for the local shaman to do his thing. There are enough churches who make a good dent in their rent payments through weddings, and there are going to be churches or wedding chapels that will want to cash in on it. The churches that will not solemnize gay marriages simply will not get the additional cash. Or another way, they can keep their principles, but they won't get the interest in cash. There will also be enough other businesses that will cash in too, so the recession in NY is over!!
