When I wanted to get married the courthouse had to give me my marriage license. If you argue that civil union is a good compromise for gay couples because marriage is a religious institution then why would a hetero couple being married by a Judge be considered married? A church can decide if they want to marry but ultimately marriages are filed with states and dissolved by states. I say: Let all people marry. Thoughts?
Shanti, shanti, shanti everyone
2007-06-26 09:38:09 · 13 answers · asked by Yogini 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Here's another one that needs to be tested . . . marriage at sea. Under maritime law, a ship's captain has the authority to perform marriages. So if a gay couple sails offshore into international waters, and the captain performs a marriage, how big a brain hemorrhage does that give the court system when they return to shore?
Yogini, dearest, this is another reason you've got to love the Buddhist system. So long as you're not causing suffering for anyone, it just really doesn't care. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone would just allow everyone else to be happy?
2007-06-26 09:46:59 · answer #1 · answered by buddhamonkeyboy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have a confusing explanation for you.
Marriage is a sacrament, but the people getting married are the ministers of the sacrament for each other (whereas with Communion, etc it's the priest.) The priest/deacon/judge is just the witness. All the state gives you is the pen-and-ink part; the marriage itself is spiritual, hence the religious-institution bit. That's why, as you say, marriages are filed with states and dissolved by states. But it isn't really the actual marriage that the state files or dissolves; it's just the legal aspect of the bond between the couple. I think most of the confusion on this issue occurs because a lot of people have differing ideas of what actually constitutes a marriage.
2007-06-26 13:13:01 · answer #2 · answered by csbp029 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know, I was thinking about this just a few days ago. Of course you are right. There is nothing in Marriage that necessarily must be religious. Civil marriages do exist. Even marriages without any ceremonies, religious or otherwise exists. But what is it about marriage that just about every religion has a ceremony to celebrate it? Surely marriage is long before Jesus's time, but I'm not too sure if it was necessarily before religion's time? It seems to be that from the time man started looking up at the sun, he turned to religion to explain how a big ball of fire got stuck up in the sky.
2016-05-21 02:16:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually it's only relatively recently that marriage licenses were considered necessary. Before the government decided they needed to be involved in the legality of marriage the church was technically the only one who could give sanction to marriage or divorce. As the legal system grew and the need to cement marriage in the court system became important, the government began issuing marriage licenses. Besides, it's another way for the government to collect a fee for a service.
2007-06-26 09:48:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
While marriage is a legal document that is given by the state most people feel that they are not truly marries unless they do it in the "eye of god".
That is why gay marriages are opposed by religious people.
And Yes everyone should be allowed to be married to a single person.
2007-06-26 09:43:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
People can get married anyway that they want. In my opinion a judge is a little faster way to do it. And a getting married by a person at the church you might have to go through certain steps to get married and some people might not want to do that.
2007-06-26 09:42:54 · answer #6 · answered by sandy h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because marriage isn't a religious institution. Romans got married (before Christianity) The Aztecs and the Sumatrans all had marriage. The Egyptians had marriage. It's not a religious institution. It's a human institution. Tho others would like us to think other wise.
2007-06-26 09:41:22 · answer #7 · answered by punch 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Because one upon a time religion has become the biggest power in state. And the state noticed that marriage is good and it can be a source for good citizens. So they didn't gave that away.
2007-06-26 09:42:37 · answer #8 · answered by Even Haazer 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Marriage may have begun as a religious institution, but now it is a legal partnership. (Which is why if you write your own vows for your marriage, you actually have to have them written out). I'm all about letting anyone marry whomever they deem worthy to share their lives with, but that's just me.
2007-06-26 09:42:42 · answer #9 · answered by lupinesidhe 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Who was the judge that married Adam and Eve?
"What God has yoked together let no man put apart" -Matthew 19:6
2007-06-26 09:41:49 · answer #10 · answered by johnusmaximus1 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋