Author	Thread: Should the church boycott state marriage?
Admin	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 20 Apr, 2014 11:27 PM Ten years ago this possibility never occurred to me - marriage of course hasn't been viewed by the state as something serious, something valuable and worth maintaining for a long time - about as long as adultery as been legalised and divorces allowed for trivial and even no faults. But with the well publicised move to allow marriage, pretty much between anyone* regardless of sex, the church needs to ask itself whether it should be involved with such an abomination as the state has made. Certainly it's very difficult to argue against the state's definition of marriage whilst still performing them on behalf of it, but also it's inevitable that the church will be forced by law to marry based on secular criteria not God's. Sure, we've been promised (in some locations) that we won't be forced to marry such people, but do you really believe that exemption will last? Maybe for a few years, but people whom the church are biblically not allowed to marry will continue to bring expensive court cases against it, and sooner or later they will win (five years? ten years? when enough non-believers are sat in authority it will happen!) and set a precedent regardless of any 'promises' made by politicians previously. The only way it would seem the church can defend itself, from hypocrisy if nothing else, would be to abandon marriage on behalf of the state. Believing couples would still of course 'marry' in the church and before God, just as they always have, but would then need to make separate civil arrangements for sharing of property and inheritance, etc. If the world wants every man and his dog (figuratively - for the moment) to marry, let them be the ones to do it so that we have nothing to do with sinful practices, and to make clear that such 'marriages' are apart from God's will. I realise of course that this action will harm the income of churches who rely on performing weddings on behalf of the state to bring in much needed cash, but church has never been about 'surviving' as a building or an individual congregation. To be fair, many congregations only exist or are as big as they are because they've chosen not to pursue holiness but popularity. Churches such as those are unlikely to want to 'rock the boat' and make a stand against the state. *Now that same-sex marriage has been, or likely to be, legalised by many governments and authorities, the next taboos to be challenged will be incest amongst consenting adults, and polygamy - both of these are already legal in several countries and the arguments for and against them are pretty much the same as in same-sex marriage - in a nutshell that people should be allowed to do whatever they want if it doesn't harm others (the fact God forbids it being irrelevant). Further down the same road, though facing more obstacles due to the notion of consent, is legalised bestiality and child sex. Rest assured, the devil is working out the details of overthrowing those taboos as we speak... Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 22 Apr, 2014 07:14 PM My two cents: The church is supposed to be under Gods law and not the states. God never intended for a church entity to sign away their rights with the tax reprieve. The reason it could come about that churches marry homosexuals is the 501c status. When a church caves to the no tax creed with the government they are then under the realms of the government. There are things which they have to compromise on. Many a church is going to be in deep trouble and soon for doing so. There are already denominations that marry homosexuals and they are in rebellion to God and are apostate churches. These are perilous times we live in . You mentioned beastality . Isnt it telling that God wrote about it following homosexuality? It already happens but not accepted yet. Hmmm,seems that was how it used to be more broad stream with homosexuality. lev 18:22-23 Thou shall not not lie carnally with mankind as with womankind:it is an abomination Neither shalt thou lie lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto:it is confusion. Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 30 Apr, 2014 10:06 AM The marriage license was invented as a from of population control, it's having that marriage license that gives social services the right to take your children away from you because you basically sign them over when you sign the contract... Saying the vows in front of witnesses and writing the fact of the joining in the family bible as a contract you are going into with God is much more valid to me than a contract with the state for lighter taxes... Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 30 Apr, 2014 07:36 PM "it's having that marriage license that gives social services the right to take your children away from you because you basically sign them over when you sign the contract..." This is a little known fact! There are so many hidden reasons behind marriage licenses AND birth certificates as well. Post Reply
DontHitThatMark View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 2 May, 2014 07:57 AM Sounds like a good idea to me. The government should simply recognize civil unions and stay out of regulating lawful culture and religion. That would eliminate a whole host of problems. While I don't think God approves of it, the homosexual community does have a good secular argument in that all people must be treated equally under the law. The simplest way thru that would be to take the government out of what it should have never been involved in, not add more government. Marriage licenses are insulting to human freedom on many different levels, and insulting on every side of the argument. :peace::peace: Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 13 May, 2014 09:29 PM There's nothing that says Christians have to get marriage licenses. It would be just as legal to go to an attorney and have a contract written that was agreed upon by both parties. Then simply have the minister of your choice officiate the ceremony without the "legalities" (license, "I pronounce you by the powers", etc.) The problem is that having a contract written would be a lot more expensive than a marriage license. Possibly more expensive than even a divorce. (It might actually be a good thing. With that much money invested, maybe more people would try to hold their marriages together rather than bailing.) Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 15 May, 2014 07:11 PM I agree onlyinGod! Post Reply
View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 15 May, 2014 07:12 PM OnlyservingGod I mean! :angel: Post Reply
HoosierHomeschooler View Profile History	Should the church boycott state marriage? Posted : 19 Aug, 2014 06:02 PM Certainly those do no wrong who marry before God and witnesses without a license. Nevertheless, I support the state defining and licensing marriage for one reason. Defining and licensing marriage permits the state to exercise some authority over sexual relationships to prosecute predatory behavior. We permit, with parental approval, marriage to otherwise underage people. We would not permit the same 25-year-old guy having relations with the same 15-year-old girl. Because without that definable marriage, that looks predatory. So I do support state involvement for that reason. Post Reply