A question about marriage as it pertains to religion?

Question

I just asked a question(http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApTb1NNyU5XR.4hk3hmibExIzKIX?qid=20061115073012AAVawZt) and received:

"I guess what Christians ,and myself included can't understand is.. Marriage is a ceremony that is done in the presence and blessed by God. So how can you do something like that if you dont' believe in the one who is bringing you both together?"

First of all, we don't believe in him, so isn't that an irrelevant thought?

Also, Dictionary.com's definition only includes ONE definition out of TEN that includes the words religious ceremony...and that was stated like this:
1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.

Do you consider "marriage" to be only a religious/Christian thing? Does a civil ceremony "not count", even with a marriage license?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/marriage

Jesus Freak...that's not the question.

I respect everyone's thoughts on this. I'm just trying to understand more about why you think that way.

Just trying to gain knowledge of both sides of the fence.

Barb...

Common law marriages are when people live together for a certain time frame.

I'm talking about REAL, MARRIAGE LICENSE, I DO marriages.

You know, the one's that are upheld by U.S. law...which is the only law that has a say on what I can and can't do...not your god's law.

You can follow god's law in your own life, but don't push it upon others. It has no say in the U.S.A. government.

Answer 1

Marriage is something that is present in all cultures, not just one. To pin one religious definition on marriage is to deny the others and make them invalid, which unfortunately a small group is trying to do. In the USA, marriage is a legal contract between two parties. It is set up for tax purposes and insurance and requires a court to break the contract. It can be more than that in many marriages, but in the end all marriages in the USA are a legal contract, even the ones performed in churches.

Answer 2

There are differences between a "legal marriage" and a "spiritual" or "religious" marriage. Much of the world combines these two, and therefore they view marriage as ordained by God. However, the "legal marriage" as defined by the states is not religious in any way, shape or form. The states created a legal marriage to control population growth, provide stable environments to raise children, and to provide benefits to those who are doing these things. "Spiritual marriage" on the other hand can be entered into by anyone, because it is not state sanctioned. Gay couples can get married by a pastor, buddhists can get married by a monk, etc. (both of which aren't recognized by the state), and they can bond spiritually together and live as married people, because they are. So, no, marriage isn't a Christian thing, it is just one type. A Civil marriage is just a legal marriage, not sanctioned by a particular religion.

Answer 3

Heres the problem.

Christians believe GOD ordained marriage, that he isntituted it, created it so to speak. And because of that, they believe marriage to be sacred, ordained by God.

But the argument, that homosexuals are using today, is that it is NOT a religious thing anymore, it is a government, state, legal issue. And they are right. Marriage is no longer about religion, but is legally mandated through the state. But because it Christians belief in the history of marriage, they still hold to it being ordained by God.

Now, I am a Christian, and just got married a few weeks ago. My husband is an agnostic, and we choose an interfaith ordained minister (basically Justice of Peace) because of the fact, in my religion God wouldnt like my second marriage, and hes not sure there is a God. We didnt use a church.

My marraige is just as valid as any other, becaue it is LEGAL, and that is the basic fact.

Hope that helps you understand the view point a little more at least.

Answer 4

Luke 20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

Jesus said it and it is so. God is the only one who can bring a couple into marriage. With out God , there is no marriage, but two people going through motions that mean nothing, becasue God was not invited.God is the only one who can bring a couple into marriage. Common law marriage is not a marriage but fornication.

Answer 5

There are no different than a) faith, and b) human beings's underlying theory that "guy + lady" is the only suitable thank you to be, and is someway greater suitable. Advocates of this theory call it "conserving classic marriage" or Proposition 8. yet that's no diverse to the assumption straightforward 50 years in the past that white + white, became someway greater suitable and greater "organic" to white + black. it relatively is only feeding on human beings's underlying prejudices, that maximum persons (even people who are not homophobes) have. maximum persons advance up with heterosexual mom and dad, are heterosexual themsleves, and comprehend few if any gay, lesbian or bisexual human beings. they're conditioned by utilising this to think of that at cutting-edge = widespread. however the techniques they have are prejudices and that they don't seem to be in keeping with good judgment or objectivity. they don't seem to be in keeping with actual motives, on statistics - on something actual. they're based totally on prejudice. There are no motives against it that are actually not bullshit, truthfully.

Answer 6

marriage is a legal status.
you get benefits or don't get benefits based on it
like health insurance etc.

churches see it as a holy process.
which can also be true.

the things are tangled up.

Answer 7

My civil marriage certainly counts.

Answer 8

Marriage is . . . . . . what one perceives it to be for themselves. This is the truth and reality of marriage.

Answer 9

Just because you don't believe in something doesn't prove it's non-existence, I could say "I don't believe in gravity" but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. God is real.

Answer 10

it doesnt really matter what the dictionary thinks what matters is what God tells us is the right thing to do