Meanwhile, Also In California

The Reverend Jane Spahr, a retired Presbyterian minister and vocal critic of her faith's position on same-sex marriage, is set to be tried by a church court for performing same-sex wedding ceremonies during that brief period of time when marriage was truly equal in California.

Spahr has been charged with "publicly, intentionally and repeatedly" violating Presbyterian Church doctrine by presiding over the weddings of some sixteen couples between June 2008 and November 2008, before California voters outlawed same-sex marriages.
In a written statement, Spahr said:

"To turn my back on the love and lifelong commitments of these wonderful couples would have gone against my faith, the ministry where I was called, and most of all, against God's amazing hospitality and welcome where love and justice meet together."

She has pleaded not guilty, explaining there are other parts of church doctrine that are just as important such as being welcoming and valuing diversity.

The Presbyterian church constitution, however, defines marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman, but its Diana Ross and the Supremes Judicial Council--okay, it's just Supreme Judicial Council, but my way sounds more fabulous--has ruled that ministers can bless same-sex unions as long as they do not call them marriages and the ceremonies don't mimic traditional weddings.

Po-TAY-to, po-TAH-to.

Seriously, what's in a word? Same-sex MARRIAGE was legal when Spahr perfomed the ceremonies, so how can she be punished for performinf MARRIAGE ceremonies?