Whoa! Polygamist solution is frightening...

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

In the states are people required to have marriage licence issued by the state?

Yep. You can't get married without the state's permission in the US. Although they rarely deny a marriage license any more unless blood tests demonstrate that you're close kin.

Marriage used to be a private contract between families,s, churches, and individuals. Biblically speaking, the only third party granted authority to give in marriage was the bride's father.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

The problem comes when we authorize government to be the authorizing authority in the matter of marriage. If we allowed the community to decide if it recognized a union or not even some heterosexual marriages after unbiblical divorces would be denied validity.

I wonder how "shacking up" and common law work?

Right, only those that were having sex with minors can be charged.

Actually it is. Imagine if marriage were handled the way it was back in early America. Marriage would be a private contract between families, individuals, and faith communities and (as it did in early America) they could have whatever arrangements they chose. The question would be if those relationships would past the social muster. For example two men could openly claim, "We're married!" That's when everyone in town just says, "Riiiiigggght. Get a life ya freaks." And that's the end of it. LOL But as long as it's a previlidge issued by the state...it's a perceived "right" to fight for that it be legally recognized.

Is it illegal for a man to have "live in" girlfriends in the state of Texas? Legally that's all these women equate to. If so, can you show the statute? I'd be curious to read it.

Like I said, I wonder how "common law" works in here? I'll call my attorney tomorrow and ask him. I mean, what if one got mad and wanted to part company, but felt they were entitled to a share of the contents of the house, bank account, savings, etc. How would that work?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

Yep. You can't get married without the state's permission in the US. Although they rarely deny a marriage license any more unless blood tests demonstrate that you're close kin.

Marriage used to be a private contract between families,s, churches, and individuals. Biblically speaking, the only third party granted authority to give in marriage was the bride's father.

They don't do the blood tests anymore. At least in Texas they don't.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

I had some people from a community in Texas visiting us and if I understood them correctly they did not have marriage licence...I have often wondered about that. We feel we must do our best to help people fulfill the laws of the land unless the law goes against God and His teachings. I consider the group that visited us a cult however I have always wondered about things like this.
I am very glad this thread was started and even though I have had little time to post it has been very enlightening how people feel about this subject.

Many deeply conservative Christian ministers in the United States refuse to sign state marriage licenses. They feel that makes them agents of the state and places state authority over marriage. Instead they perform the religious ceremony and bless the union. It's up to the individual couple to file with the courts through a justice of the peace. Some couples choose never to file leaving their marriage entirely in the domain of their religion. According to the state they're not married for the purpose of legality.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by cneasttx

But we do have those laws and the government has the authority so we are suppose to abide by the laws of the land or get them changed. Which this may very well do, but I hope not in Texas. And of course then there is the Supreme Court (federal) which we all know is going to be looking at this eventually.
I would really like to see these children and their mother's together and the women be educated about how to keep their children safe and let the children decide when they are adults who they want to marry and how many children they want to have. Not for religious purposes by the "prophet".

What if after the "government re-education" they still hold these religious beliefs?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

What if after the "government re-education" they still hold these religious beliefs?

Kind of like an Apostolic would do? Hmmmmm, that poses another problem. I could see them doing that.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

They don't do the blood tests anymore. At least in Texas they don't.

They don't in Ohio anymore either. I thought there were still some states where they did. Maybe the blood test is a thing of the past.

[AmazingGrace]

PO...

I do not know how true this is... but my dads neighbors are common law... and she is moving out and she told me that she is trying to work the relationship out because her attorney told her that it is a common law state and common law is considered marriage after 2 yrs so everything is split even with them not being legally married. Now she is known to be a drunk and talk out of her mind at times but this is what I have heard this week.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Kind of like an Apostolic would do? Hmmmmm, that poses another problem. I could see them doing that.

Exactly. All this is very close to using government to persecute a fringe religious belief. Only those who had sex with under age girls have committed a crime. Living with multiple women and believing polygamy is "freaky" or "perverted" but it's not criminal.

I think the only thing the government can do is prosecute those who had sex with minors and then allow these folks to go home and live as they wish, keeping the sex between consenting adults.

[Nina]

Originally Posted by cneasttx

I would really like to see these children and their mother's together and the women be educated about how to keep their children safe and let the children decide when they are adults who they want to marry and how many children they want to have. Not for religious purposes by the "prophet".

With whose beliefs are You going to "educate" them?
(We could now go down the STANDARDS rabbit hole)


Nina