The Glade 4.0

Since churches have always performed marriages, and marriages have nothing to do with the State, Gov't shouldn't recognize them as a legal arrangement - tax status of the Church is incidental.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

Marriages have everything to do with the state. Marriage as it exists in western society is, and always has been a property agreement. While that may have been the purview of the church back in Solomon's kingdom, it is not in the United States.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

I've said before I'd rather do right than be tax exempt. Everyone that has a ceremony in the church still has to have the documents from the government saying the marriage is binding for it to count in the eyes of the government. We just make it so that they don't have to see a Justice of the peace in addition to a pastor. If they had to, that's no big deal.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

I don't think "churches perform marriages", I think pastors and priests do, and, being citizens, I'd assume they have a right to petition the government for the license to officiate the union and do so without violating the church's tax status.

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In time, this too shall pass.

So what do you think of the government telling a religious institution whom it can and cannot legally marry?

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Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezade had a thousand tales
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves you got a brand of magic never fails...
...Mister Aladdin, sir, What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down -You ain't never had a friend like me
█ ♣ █

I'm not sure that's an accurate assessment of the government's position, I think the government won't issue a license if certain criteria aren't met.

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In time, this too shall pass.

The marriage certificate, the legal document a couple signs, has everything to do with the State. The marriage, the ceremony performed, has nothing to do with the State.

I've never been to a marriage ceremony that mentions the State.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

Mine was.

"By the power vested in me by the State of MN, I pronounce you man and wife..."

Fear today. I actually agree with Vindicarre on something.

Shocking that a marriage performed by a state should invoke the state it was performed in.

Which is great, if you want to be married by the State, that's your prerogative, but it has little to do with whether a church wedding has anything to do with the State.

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

Clearly, Vindicarre did not attend your wedding.

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"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."

I didn't get invited either. I feel ever so slighted.

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In time, this too shall pass.

The person performing a wedding is required to disclose that it is a state sanctioned and legal union in some states.

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Vote Democr... uh.. vote Dem... Blue! Vote Blue!

Heh. We had like 6 people total. But we're planning a party/reception for our 20th anniversary in a couple years. If you want on the invite list, send me a PM.

That's great, early congratulations!

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko