Anonymous wrote:We distinguish God from all other gods by the capital letter. Why not also distinguish those marriages consecrated by Him as Marriages. The First Amendment protects the right of clergy to determine whom they Marry, but marriage, as a legal contract between adults, should have no discriminatory restrictions on the basis of race, gender, nationality, or any of the standard protected classifications.
This would have the virtue of distinguishing between civil unions and religious unions without requiring that laws be rewritten or that a new classification be created that might or might not have all the legal benefits of marriage. When a couple is Married, they are thereby recognized as married, just as now, but they can get married without getting Married, just as now. The only difference is that those who believe that the Court has no right to define Marriage can be comforted by the fact that they were only dealing with marriage.
Anonymous wrote:I would be all for a system where you go down to town hall and get a civil marriage and that's what counts for all your official govt documents and then you do whatever you/your religion wants as far as a private ceremony.
If you think about it, it's really a little bizarre that if someone sets up an online church they can then make people ministers eligible to marry people.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Marriage has always been an economic rather than a religious ritual. For me it has no religious relevance. So no capital m necessary for me.
But would you deny Kim Davis a capital so she could comfort herself that her licenses are only for marriage and it's up to clergy to perform Marriages?
I don't believe we should accommodate bigots in their bigotry.
If that's what you believe then either move to another nation or accept that we have freedom in America to believe whatever we want to.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Marriage has always been an economic rather than a religious ritual. For me it has no religious relevance. So no capital m necessary for me.
But would you deny Kim Davis a capital so she could comfort herself that her licenses are only for marriage and it's up to clergy to perform Marriages?
I don't believe we should accommodate bigots in their bigotry.
Anonymous wrote:[sorry, hit send too soon]
It may be top priority that people be equally able to marry the one they love, but it will surely be happier all around if everyone feels they can accept it because they are only married and not Married (even if they consider themselves Married).
Incidentally, as you probably realize, this is takoma, back on my iPad.
Anonymous wrote:Takoma again.
Since my suggestion was intended for the Davis/Huckabee/Santorum/Jindal/Cruz crowd and I seem to be talking to a few (or maybe one) person on my own side of the issue, I may toss in the towel.

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Your idea is already effectively in practice. Those who don't believe gay couples can be married will continue to believe that it's not a "marriage" and there's nothing anyone can do to convince them otherwise (until their secretly gay child comes out and gets married). The rest of us will go our merry ways not caring about the secret subculture of anti-gay-marriage folks.
The difference is that while we go on our merry way (provided we are not dependent on Davis for a license), those who don't believe in gay marriage feel the law is unholy. I want to give them a way to express their opinions while keeping their respect for the law. If they can accept that Jack and Jim are married, but not Married, then perhaps everyone can be happy.
It may