La Influencia de la Iglesia Catolica

It always amazes me how much church and state kind of run together.  I don't mean in the laws, I don't think they really do... maybe it's just the huge amount of influence that the Catholic church has among the people here.  Today I had an interesting discussion about whether marriage is outdated.  They said yes and when we got down to the root of the reason, it was the Church.  The reason these people don't like marriage is because of the influence of the Catholic Church.  I'm a religious person and I believe in marriage for religious purposes, but not in the way the people here think of a religious marriage.  Marriage is an important institution, but the argument could be made outside of religious confines.  Who will get that beautiful house you both bought if you happen to divorce?  If this discussion had taken place in the United States, I'm thinking that only a couple of people would even mention religion when it comes to whether marriage is outdated and only then vaguely.  Anyway, it just always surprises me how much the Catholic church has an influence on the people here.  And to be honest, I'm starting to feel that influence.  The other day someone told me they were Christian, and I literally was shocked.  YOU'RE NOT CATHOLIC?  Clearly, I'm getting used to this 98% Catholic country.