"The Church of Sweden has announced it will perform gay wedding ceremonies if the Swedish parliament changes the current legislation to include same-sex marriage. The church already performs blessings of civil unions.
The church would join the United Churches of Christ, which already celebrates same-sex weddings, as do some Reform Jewish synagogues and the Unitarian Church and Metropolitan Community Churches in North America.
Civil unions in Sweden have been legal since 1995, conferring most of the benefits and obligations of marriage.
However, in August, a parliamentary committee concluded that the civil-union law was outdated and recommended that the government allow full same-sex marriage." *
In the US, the Federal and many state governments prevent those churches who want to perform same-sex civil unions or marriages from doing so. They can only perform legally meaningless commitment ceremonies.
When will the US governments allow churches to freely practice their faith?
2007-03-21 16:16:00 · 14 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
* http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2007/03/20/4
2007-03-21 16:16:21 · update #1
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SMILEY.GEORGE: Are you advocating preventing churches from performing marriages at all? What an odd proposition!
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2007-03-21 16:25:15 · update #2
I believe that this will happen... but not until after 2008... we have a few village idiots to send home first...
2007-03-21 16:25:50 · answer #1 · answered by Ũniνέгsäl Рдnтsthέisт™ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What does law have to do with the practice of faith? The US government in no way prevents any church from teaching anything or prevents anyone from "freely practicing their faith." What the government DOES do is make law. So, any church can perform a gay wedding ceremony, but the LAW says that the union is not recognized as a marriage. The two are not the same thing. The US is one of the few countries in the world that performs the legal ceremony as well as the church ceremony at the same time. Most other countries force couples to be married by a church if they choose and then go to the court house to be legally wed.
2007-03-21 16:24:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Churches themselves do not allow homosexuals to get married, the United States Government does not interfere with church policy!
The only marriage ceremony that the United States Government controls is one ordained by the states. In this case the US Government can only allow what has been passed through legislation, since they're a bunch of legal issues that actually do arise with marriage and must be agreed upon by the people and passed into ordinance. Since major issues arise when "homosexual marriage" is brought into question and the people and the US Government have not yet solved these issues, there is no "homosexual marriage" that can be allowed by the state either.
2007-03-21 16:39:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you think you are suppressed in the USA from practicing your religion (which by the way is a lie), go to Saudi Arabia or Iran, or any other Islamic country, there, you'll get all the religious freedom you need. Bon voyage!
2007-03-21 16:23:04 · answer #4 · answered by markos m 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if you don't like the letter of law change it or go elsewhere.
you just finished admitting they don't without parliamentary rule . Are you daft? the constitution provides for freedom of belief but actions must follow the law just as in Sweden.
2007-03-21 16:25:25 · answer #5 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because some allow it doesn't mean "we" should allow it! It is an abomination to the Lord for one "main" reason, and so then would any and all churches that perform this abhorrent ritual... like spitting in the Lord's face! He doesn't condone it, therefore why would mankind deliberately do such a deed?!
(For selfish, immoral, perverted sexual gratification - that's why!)
2007-03-21 16:24:16 · answer #6 · answered by love_2b_curious 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
>>They can only perform legally meaningless commitment ceremonies.<<
So the U.S. government ISN'T preventing churches from practicing their faith.
2007-03-21 16:23:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
what does not allowing churches to perform same sex marriages have to do with "freely practice their faith"
the churches faith should be in God and his Son Jesus Christ, and they should stay out of peoples sex life.
2007-03-21 16:23:04 · answer #8 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob & His Son Jesus do not condone or endorse this. God condemns sexual immorality on various levels. HIS word testifies to this not mine......
The Us goverment has no business taking away from or adding anything to the church...............its God's Business
IN CHRIST <>< <><
2007-03-21 16:29:46 · answer #9 · answered by Barbara J 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Any REAL Church, a Church that is true to God and the Bible, would NEVER allow this abomination to the Lord to take place in God's Church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In America, we allow abortion, that is legalized MURDER, so you can expect that we will also get to where our evil society will resort to this aweful practice.
Remember Sodom and Gomorrah! God will not tolerate such doings. There is a price to pay for sin against God.
2007-03-21 16:24:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋