Commitment makes marriage real





Kudos to Randy King who beautifully articulated the separation of church and state in last week’s Acorn. In our culture, the legality of marriage has been very closely, and unnecessarily, intertwined with religious ceremonies. This is likely because most members of the clergy have been given permission by the state to officiate at legally binding wedding ceremonies, some of which may take place within a house of worship.

What about the couples that get married by the local justice of the peace or an Elvis impersonator? The justice of the peace and Elvis have also been given permission by the state to perform legally binding wedding ceremonies.

So what is the difference between the Elvis impersonator and the clergy member? In terms of creating a legal marriage, the answer is no difference. The Elvis marriage may not be the same experience as a marriage by your family pastor or rabbi, but both create a marriage with exactly the same legal significance.

A religious ceremony alone does not confer the rights and responsibilities of marriage. It is only a marriage when the license is signed and filed by an agent of the state, whether that agent is in clerical robes or a rhinestone studded jumpsuit.

The love and commitment between two people make a marriage real. The state makes a marriage legal. The blessings or traditions of a particular faith may make a marriage sweeter for some, but those are not legal necessities. Why not go to the state for matters of state, and to our respective houses of worship for sacraments, rituals and comfort?

It is not about religion. It is about the protection of fundamental rights for all. It is about equality and respect for all in a pluralistic society. It is about legal, civil marriage for all.
Lisa Hughes
Oak Park



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