Why would the state get involved in a purely church matter? What if a church wants to marry a same-gender couple? The state won't issue a same-gender marriage license. Why would the state favor one religion's practices over another?
2006-10-27 17:39:03 · 14 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
State marriage and religious marriage are independent. State marriage is really a set of legally binding rights and obligations. Religious marriage is whatever they say it is.
2006-10-27 17:40:50 · answer #1 · answered by lenny 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This has been the basis for argument for gay couples because if there is a true seperation of church and state then the state should have no right in deciding who gets married. Plus, what makes straight people considered 'common law' marriage depends on each state. It's because our country was founded on puritanism and the integration between church and state is deep in American culture, whether people agree with it or not. Luckily, people are starting to realize that marriage is up to each person's religious beliefs, and hopefully soon, things will change with the government,s involvement with what they considered 'married', or their definition since really marriage should only involve those 2 people involved, their own belief system, etc. It is irrelevant whether it is an 'institution under God', since people may be married and not believe in the same God, or may be athiest. Tax breaks, etc, need to be changed or constrived in a different way, since sometimes 'getting married in the eyes of the goverment' can even cause the elderly to lose their social security benefits, or grant money for those trying to go to college.
2016-05-22 02:25:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Church and state aren't separated in all countries. The state's interest in the US is to collect census records and record legal unions. They pay for the right to license the union and in turn, you get half of your partner's assets at the time of divorce or the full amount at the time of death. States used to require STD testing prior to marriage as well to stop the spread of disease and prevent birth defects in the children assumed to come of the union.
As for the same gender issue, the state also doesn't recognize polygamy either. Most states have laws against marrying close family members as well.
Now for my question . . . why is it cheap to get married, but expensive to get a divorce. If the marriage license was more expensive, wouldn't that prevent some of the divorces?
2006-10-27 17:46:16 · answer #3 · answered by whozethere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont understand it either considering the seperation of church and state can be challenged on any other level and the non spiritual usually lose. However, in seriousness, I belive it stems from the reign of the Catholic Church when they sold salvation from trunks that were given to the poor initially and when the Sistene Chapel couldnt be completed by contribution alone then people were forced to purchased these so called "forgiven pamplets to heaven" If marriage is not documented by the Gov't then war time drafts as well as church organizations wouldnt flow to the liking of Presidential entrapment which forces all to comply with whatever bullshit is being fed to them. To sum it up... population control and consensus alotment to further analyze the future of social security and military enlistments.
2006-10-27 17:45:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my personal opinion is that man has gotten in the way, as we always do i think that marriage is more of a ritual nowadays. As fer as the state getting involved I think its just another way to generate revenue. I be live that no matter how diverse the nations religious practices are the us was still founded on Christian belief's, therefore no same sex marriage
2006-10-27 17:57:23 · answer #5 · answered by sq_rootz 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Marriage (and the family) is generally the base unit economically and socially of a given culture. So the state must be involved if it has any involvement with a culture at all.
2006-10-27 17:53:19 · answer #6 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait till they issue a law to tax you IF you want to belong to a religion!
It probably was instituted to get the info for keeping records of marriage as in the rest of the world.
2006-10-27 17:45:18 · answer #7 · answered by keithbluebird 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because even though it is a Religious mater, we do live in a country that LOVES to tax us, and to get the license we have to pay a small fee to the state, and have it filed with the state for it to be legal.
2006-10-27 17:45:40 · answer #8 · answered by creeklops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because marriage isn't a religious matter. It is a binding legal contract.
2006-10-27 17:44:14 · answer #9 · answered by dawnsdad 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marriage is a legal matter first....religion comes second.
2006-10-27 17:43:06 · answer #10 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋