Marriage is a religios Ceremony . why do states have the Authority over it ?

Question

marriage is traditionally a religious ceremony why and since when have states have had a say in who can marry who ? and why is it not protested that state should not have a say instead people ask that gays be allowed to marry ?

OK to Clarify .to be legally married why do you have to notify the state who you sleep with or live with ?

Weird the Consensus seems to be that marriage should be administered by the estate for the year end taxes and in preparation for a divorce settlement and for child Support. However where I live common law couples have the same rights in those cases but apparently that what the majority believes that’s what it is I guess.
However I still think State should not have any say in the marriage or even the “civil” union aspect of it. If it’s the year end taxes then married and non married people should be treated the same with the number of dependents declared calculation your taxes.
The state has inherited the Authority from the times when the state itself was a sub-domain of religion. Its just aspect that state has not given up and church has not seen reason to retract.

Answer 1

The church has a say who can marry and they say gay nay.

Answer 2

What we call marriage is a contract between 2 people and it is legally binding. That is why states have authority. Marriage laws affect property, insurance, taxes, inheritance and other issues. You are agreeing to be bound by the laws of marriage in whatever state you get married in.

You can have a religious ceremony that celebrates your love, and not get a marriage license and decide not to have your "ceremony" acknowledged by the state.

You have a choice if you are heterosexual. Gay people want the same choice.

Answer 3

Marriage is not neccesarily a religious ceremony. Laws been began to be made to protect and define the rights of spouses and children and so marriage had to be secular. When you get married in a church, you first have to go to a civil place to obtain a license. The indians didn't have it, but you had to satisfy the rules of the tribe. You can be and always could be married outside a church.

Since there can never be any children out of a gay union, there are no reasons to make them married. There are no children to protect, and no spouse to protect. It is simply two people living togother. They actually have a tax advantage over a married couple. They both get a head of household exemption from income tax. What are they crying about ?????

Answer 4

Marriage is a religious ceremony. However because we have marriage licenses and with them come certain rights and protections to those who are married and so that falls under the State. The state should not be allowed to deny a marriage contract between any two adults who consent. A religion can deny marrying anyone they want in their church. I think that's right.

Answer 5

It's not only a religious ceremony. It is also a question of civil status, of national family statistics, etc. In fact there would be a good argument for saying that all the legal part should be done before a magistrate, and that the churches shouldn't have to bother with that part at all. That way any pastor could perform the wedding whether he was legally recognized or not, since he's not doing anything that affects the legal status anyway.

Answer 6

The state doesn't prohibit gay people from having a church marry them. The state just doesn't choose to recognize that as a legal contract because marriage is between a man and a woman. Two people of the same sex can have a religious ceremony and consider themselves to be married in any state. That won't change the fact that they only have a committed union and they don't meet the criteria of what the word marriage means.

Answer 7

Marriage is not only about live and sleep together. That's why many ppl all over the world are living and sleeping together without marriage. It is for the time of unfair divorce, which could spoiled the whole life of someone. With legally marriage, when all of your partner's love change without your will, you can't grab a person but can grab his money with that you still have to eat and live on with your children. So that your lost will not totally destroy your physical life. Shouldn't the state have the authority over it?

Answer 8

Oh, I can sign a paper, but look how the state treats it. It's just a piece of paper, I can get divorced at any time. And this is a government that seems to be moving toward gay marriage and who knows what else in the not-too-distant future.

Therefore, I don't care how the people vote. I don't care what the state defines as marriage. I'll make my vows in front of God Himself, my spouse-to-be, and all the people we've invited to the ceremony -- that's marriage!

Answer 9

Like it or not, marriage is a state that the State does officially recognize in the name of taxes, guardianship, liability, and other official issues. It is an issue the state has every right to have a say in. It isn't just a ceremony, it is a legal state of being, and legality is, was, and always has been the domain of the state and government.

Answer 10

Because the TRUTH is - it's not a necessity for a marriage to be based on religion. It's not the world's fault that there's ignorant people who never thought of it any other way. There IS a differenve between church and state, and NOT all people in love want their pledges of love and commitment to be performed in church or lived by the rules of christ. Legally recognized marriage between 2 human adults (GAY OR HETEROSEXUAL)should not need anyone's approval.

Answer 11

Because there are legal ramifications once someone is married. Should a preacher grant divorce and decide how the property is divided? It's a legal, binding agreement, even though the ceremony often takes place in a church.