“Why is government involved in a Holy Sacrament to begin with? “
When you mention “government” don’t think of Washington, DC and the festering morass that the Federal Government has become. Instead think of government at its earliest beginnings and smallest unit. Think of the village or the extended family.
To answer your question:
To keep Big Caveman from knocking you over the head because he wants your woman.
To cut down on the number of unsupported children running around. (original intent - this function of government abdicated several decades ago)
To publicly establish commitment between man & wife.
I read a SciFI novel back in the 60’s called “Earth Abides” (George R. Stewart - 1949) one of the early “after the Apocalypse” novels. The protagonist slowly accumulates a band of survivors and begins to reestablish a society. He has to deal with this issue of roving, uncommitted males looking to have their pleasure and move on, leaving the products thereof to be raised & supported by others.
The need for the larger community to establish, support & defend the institution of marriage was stated in the beginning by God. Man, in his infinite wisdom (/ sarc), continually tried to abandon “marriage”, only to find that God had a number of really good reasons for establishing it.
Strong evidence, multiple evidences support the idea that He REALLY does know what He is doing.
Ignore the elephant in the living room. Got it.
No... Government, at ANY level has no business in a Holy Sacrament.
Government doesn't keep Big Caveman from knocking anyone over the head, or knocking anyone up.
Move marriage back to the Church, and away from government.
/johnny
It’s in the English common law, along with such trivial religious based notions like Habeaus Corpus and trial by jury.
Amen!