Quote:
Originally Posted by christiangirl
Jeni--thanx for the interjection, I'll look at that. I think I remember something about that in history (though I definitely forgot once the semester was over).  
I don't know why that made me laugh so hard, but it did. 
Hmmm, I thought of that briefly. I guess it depends on the denomination and if it allows individual churches to do what would not be accepted by the whole (Mormons come to mind, for some reason).
Excellent discussion, guys.  So, strictly for S&G, let's say gay marriage is legalized and could be performed at any courthouse, city hall, what have you. However, about 60-70% of America's churches refused to do the ceremony and would not recognize gay marriages and/or families. Would churches still retain the right to offer their services (pre-marital counseling, family ministry, etc.) as they please? I'm not asking if it would be morally acceptable for churches to deny these things to gay couples, just if you think they would still have the right to. Would the protests continue until churches were more open or would governmental rights be enough reason for everybody to go sit down and move on? |
Of course churches have the right to do what they want in that regard, just as they do now. Technically, you could probably be married in the eyes of the church but not in the eyes of the law (like the polygamists), just as you can be married by law but not in the eyes of the church (like a Catholic who has been divorced, didn't have that marriage annulled and didn't marry the second time in the church) Churches get to do what they want.
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