Something I found out today disturbed me greatly since I believe in wholeheartedly in the sanctity of marriage. Anyone can apply for ordination via the internet. Voila! Marriages and baptisms can be performed and they're legal. I even called the local County Auditor, and she verified that these actions are legal. There aren't any legal controls as to who can perform marriages, baptisms, etc. Also, if a person needs a doctorate in divinity, just apply online and certificate is in the mail. These certificates given to people who apply are great for stocking stuffers this time of year if anyone needs a Dave Barry creative idea. The disheartening bottom line is that they're legal. Then this ought to really shock you -- you don't even need to be a religious figure to perform marriages! A mere Justice of the Peace can perform marriages!! No, really, it's true!!!
Teasing aside, how is your "discovery" any more shocking to you than the existence of common-law marriages, where people don't even need a ceremony or marriage certificate?
Or marriages performed by a county clerk?
As for cheesy mail-order divinity degrees, it's no different than "honorary" college degrees, or graduation certificates from some useless mail-order "school". Any "diploma" (or badge, or certificate, or what have you) is only worth the reputation of the body which issues it.
In your final line you express dismay that such things are legal -- do you *really* want to get the government involved in deciding what's a *proper* religious group and what's not? Or what's an "acceptable" religious curriculum for a title?
Yes, I know all about JP's performing marriage ceremonies (my sister was married by one). Common law marriages are not unusual (close friend has been in one for 20 years even though the state we live in doesn't recognize them). Another friend's son, who is about as religious as an atheist, obtained one of these ordination certificates and performed the marriage ceremony for a relative this past weekend. The whole act seemed sacrilegious. In my humble opinion, it demeans the marriage act to obtain these quickie papers. My educational degree certificates mean a lot to me because I worked very hard for them. I have other certificates for various things I earned mean a lot to me too. Obtaining these ordination papers in such a cavalier manner appears illegal and disappointing, but I found out today it is not illegal. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Reverends Jesse "Shakedown" Jackson and Al "The Mouth" Sharpton got their papers on the internet.