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Here are some things, I pulled off the 'net:
Canada's Definition:
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COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE A marriage in which no formal ceremony took place and no license exists
(2) the common law definition of marriage [is reformulated] as "the voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others".
(Type the above "sentence" in Google, and you'll see I'm right.)
Someone who thinks like me:
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Marriage licenses documents conferring the states blessing on a marital union have no biblical basis. There is no scripture mandating such authorization for marriage. In Genesis 2:24, when God ordains marriage, He says that Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Neither Genesis 2:25 nor any other Scripture states that this union can only be official with a piece of paper from the local magistrate.
During the late 1960s, it was common for couples who shacked up out of wedlock to say that marriage is just a piece of paper. This is what we including about 99 percent of Christians have reduced marriage to in the modern age. Today, Christians and conservatives insist on the need for the government to issue a document before a marriage to be genuine. They, too, have "redefined" marriage.
Matt Trewhella pastors the Mercy Seat Christian Church in Milwaukee. For years, he has been marrying couples without licenses. He has some fascinating things to say about why Christians should not obtain a marriage license.
Pastor Trewhella quotes the Blacks Law Dictionarys definition of a license as "the permission by competent authority to do an act which without such permission, would be illegal." Why do we need permission from the state to participate in something ordained by God?
Also, when you obtain a license to marry, you give the state unbiblical authority over your marriage and over your children, as well as placing yourself under all sorts of immoral laws. You may read Pastor Trewhellas entire message here. (on Google)
Pastor Trewhella goes on to give a brief outline of the history of marriage licenses in America. Marriage licenses were not issued in America until the mid-1800s. In 1923, the federal government passed the Uniform Marriage and Marriage License Act. It was not until 1929 that every state had marriage license laws. Is it merely a coincidence that the demise of the traditional family in America only took place after we gave the government the authority to regulate marriage? I dont think so.
Big government groupies this includes Republicans, Democrats and most pastors will always seek big government solutions. The proposed marriage amendment is just such a thing. It may make its proponents feel good, but it will solve nothing. It will merely intensify a trend government regulation of marriage that has been going on for decades.
Benton County, Oregon, the home of Oregon State University, is a pretty liberal place. On March 24, Benton County commissioners did the right thing, albeit for the wrong reasons: they stopped issuing marriage licenses. According to one commissioner, the ostensible purpose of this action was to uphold Oregon's Constitution's anti-discrimination provisions.
Tim Nashif, of the Defense of Marriage Coalition stated the following with regard to the Benton County decision: "We are happy Benton County is not going to violate the law by issuing illegal marriage licenses, but we are perplexed as to why they would not issue legal licenses."
Here we have a classic example of the contemporary confusion over what defines marriage. Since the Bible defines marriage, a license (i.e. permission) from the secular authorities is not necessary.
What then shall we do?
If two men or two women want to shack up and call it marriage, I cannot forcibly stop them. Utopia is not an option. However, calling it marriage does not make it marriage. Calling a book a telephone does not make it a telephone. Calling a dog a cat does not make it a cat.
In a free society, which America has not been for many decades, no one would be compelled to recognize such a union as a marriage. No employer would be required to pay benefits to your same-sex significant other. No insurer would be required to write life insurance if your same-sex partner was a beneficiary. No landlord would be required to rent to two people of the same gender if he thought they were living immorally.
A few years ago, a well-known evangelical Christian broadcaster commented that if gay marriage were to become legal, schools would be required to teach your children that there was nothing wrong with it. In a free society, you would not be required to send your child to such a school, or even to pay for it through taxes.
Both sides in the debate over the proposed marriage amendment, as portrayed by the media, are wrong. Those who advocate gay marriage are wrong for openly promoting a perverted and perilous lifestyle.
Those who propose a constitutional ban on gay marriage are also wrong. They only intensify the problem by putting the kingdom of man before the Kingdom of God. From the Garden of Eden until about 150 years ago, marriage was a covenant made before God. The state had nothing to do with it. It is only when the state got its tentacles all over the sacred institution of marriage that it -- as well as the traditional family in general -- started to come apart. Surprise!
It all reminds me of a quote attributed to Beatle drummer Ringo Starr: Everything the government touches turns to ****.
Please reply, if you agree with this.
Peace in Christ.
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