TRUE OR FALSE: Churches or clergy can be forced to marry a couple, so long as they possess a marriage license.

Question

I ask this because there seems to be some confusion about this.

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Here's the question where I saw the confusion:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtpSTyRJBy2YkPIwzJi_GYzsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071030115913AA6FlPA

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Answer 1

False. The Catholics refuse to do it all the time.

Answer 2

A Justice of the Peace may be bound to marry a couple with a valid marriage license, however clergy are not legally obligated to do so.

There are many instances of a minister, priest or rabbi refusing to officiate at a wedding. The parties involved have absolutely no recourse except to try and find someone else to perform the wedding.

Answer 3

False

Answer 4

Members of the clergy who are licensed to perform marriages
are not required to perform marriages that go against their "sincerely held religious beliefs". For instance, if a couple wanted a religious ceremony but expressed disinterest in the beliefs of that particular religion, the clergy person could refuse.

Answer 5

I'm going to say false. I've personally known people who wanted to be married in a particular church, and the pastor threw up all kinds of roadblocks.

Example: one couple had had two children together before deciding to make it legal. The pastor (Episcopalian) wouldn't marry them because they'd had these kids before getting married.

IMHO, that's stupid. According to Christianity, yes, you're supposed to get married before having kids - BUT in this case, at least they WERE getting married. (Better late than never, right?)

Well, the Episcopal church lost that couple. They found another church whose pastor was willing to perform the marriage ceremony.

I was actually kind of surprised, because I always thought the Episcopalians were one of the more reasonable and sane denominations.

Answer 6

False.

It's my understanding * that no church can be forced to do anything, not even comply with the law -- precisely because they're a church.

Which would explain why the Catholic bishops got away with their cover-up for so many years and why no bishop is likely to see the inside of a prison cell.

Answer 7

False. Clergy have freedom of religion and if they refuse to marry someone it is because it violates their religious beliefs. My second wife and I had to be married by a judge because the church I was a member of preachers would not marry divorced people
BB

Answer 8

False.

Answer 9

False.

Answer 10

False.

Answer 11

I would say false, as the pastor can refuse to marry a couple he feels is not right for each other, or unequally yoked, or if they don't go to that church.