RE: as far as I’m concerned-the fed has no business in what is a religious ritual/sacrament at all, period-it has become a slippery slope.
Let’s put our thinking caps on for a while.
Let’s say that the term “marriage” is not longer an institution the government ( Fed or State or local ) recognizes.
How does the government administer laws like immigration, spousal contracts, divorce, social security, etc. if we do away with the recognition of marriage?
The only one of those that's a problem is Social Security. Divorce (division of property) is already common among Hollywood's unmarried. I would like to know how SS would be handled if the Fed got out of the marriage business (which I think they should).
My husband and I bought the required marriage license, but were married by a Catholic priest in a ceremony before witnesses and guests-only after the priest had blessed our vows did we consider ourselves married-my opinion may be colored somewhat by my beliefs.
Let private attorneys draw up simple, standard contracts-divorce and custody issues, etc are based on a piece of paper that says absolutely nothing of import now-a marriage license-I produced mine to qualify for my late husband’s military benefits. That could just as easily have been a certificate from a church, temple, mosque, etc. asserting that we were married on such-and-such a date, before witnesses. In Texas, we still also have “common law marriage”.
How about if we let those issues you mention that revolve around a spousal contract continue to do so-but have the contract be a marriage performed by clergy-or one drawn up by a lawyer, in the case of atheists? The point being to get the government out of personal business-all they have done is drag us down the path to secularism and ridiculous “rights” that have no basis in anything but imagination.
spousal contracts = marriage
divorce = about marriage
marriage in not about mere religion
if you go down to your nearby staples / office depot / office max / or look online there are a plethora of “cohabitation agreements” which ARE enforcable under contract law.
civil unions = marriage
Let's see allowing people into the country based on who they are married to? Yeah I am good with doing away with that one being its abused regularly.
Spousal Contracts is easy. You want to decide who gets what when someone dies its called a will, who gets the children note it in the will. easy peasy japaneezy
Divorce as far as the financial part is covered with a legal document now and still can be. In fact it should be a standard 50-50 split so the lawyers can't bleed the clients dry.
Social Security is in trouble anyway. It needs revamped and this is a good way to start. grandfather in everyone who is already getting it and from now on there are no automatic spousal goodies. a survivor can be designated but at a greatly reduced rate and keep the standard kids bennies till 18 (but I am willing to bet for SS to stay solvent this is gonna have to go too!)