While many have applauded the Associated Press news agency’s decision this week to include recognition of same-sex couples as “husband and husband” or “wife and wife” in its respected stylebook, the Religious Right is – not surprisingly – unamused.

Christian fundamentalist Marvin Olasky writes: “The Bible has a different understanding. God created the world – that’s biblically objective fact. He created human beings male and female – that’s biblically objective fact. He created Adam and Eve and made their union ‘marriage’ – that’s biblically objective fact.”

Firstly, we’re really not quite sure what a “biblically objective fact” is. It may also be a biblically objective fact that the world is 6,000 years old or that burning bushes speak but no serious person today believes those to be “facts” in any sense of the word.

And secondly, last time we checked western nations, including the United States, are governed by secular constitutional law, not the Bible. So why AP should base its journalistic style conventions or reporting on biblical law beats us.