Interesting Ron Paul quotes:
"The best approach is to make marriage a private matter. When we no longer believe that civilization is dependent on government expansion, regulating excesses, and a license for everything we do, we will know that civilization and the ideas of liberty are advancing." ~ Ron Paul
"Why should the government be telling you what marriage is all about? You might have one definition. I have another definition." ~ Ron Paul
"My personal opinion is government shouldn’t be involved. The whole country would be better off if individuals made those decisions and it was a private matter." ~ Ron Paul
"Licensing for social reasons reflects the intolerant person’s desire to mold other people’s behavior to their standard." ~ Ron Paul
Why should any self-respecting, conservative, personal-liberties-minded Christian go groveling before the government to get a "marriage license" when marriage is common right from the hand of God? Do we need state issued licenses to perform The Lord's Supper or water baptisms? Of course not. John Knox pointed out that NOWHERE in Scripture do we see a priest presiding over a wedding. With that, he drew the conclusion that a wedding is a private personal matter between two individuals and their families. This is why Quakers traditionally have "self-officiated" weddings wherein the couple solemnizes their own wedding before God and witnesses. No priest officiating... no government filing.
So... some of my questions still haven't been answered...
- Would you accept a couple into your church who were "spiritually married" in a "government free marriage"? Please explain why you would or why you wouldn't.
- If the couple were previously a Quaker couple, and their marriage wasn't legally filed with the state, would you require them to file their marriage with the state? Would you declare them "living in sin" or recognize them as being "married"? Please explain why you would or why you wouldn't.
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