user ballots
Login
Register
Add One
FAQ/Contact
Popular Ballots
Recent Popular
Recent Votes
Best
Worst
Yes or No
Choices
What If
Prediction
Advice
Would You
Crime
Recommend
Quiz
TV & Movie
Music & Radio
Political
Science
Sports
Relationship
Techonology
Culture
Philosophy
Religion
Ethics
History
Food & Health
Fashion & Beauty
Crime
FanBase
Discussion
Bug Report
|
COMMENTS:
Im not sure they could, I've never heard of a case in UK.
Yes, if they are not receiving any federal or state funding (beyond the usual tax exemption), they *could* refuse to marry interracial couples, especially if this somehow is related to their religious tenets. Racist private businesses have been forced to serve non-European customers in the past, but this was often due to their impact on interstate commerce or because of other illegal practices (such as linked discrimination in hiring). A religious body, however, can be as racist as it wants to be--even limiting itself to all white or all black or all whatever members.
As a practical matter, this would make the church a pariah with 99% of the members of most communities, so, even if it were permissible legally, the church would really need to consider whether or not this was really nonnegotiable according to its theology.
Of course, I'm speaking of a church in the United States, and I cannot speak to the state of affairs in the E.U., Britain, or elsewhere.
Churches can refuse to marry anybody they please but what a church does has nothing to do with the legal contract of marriage.The government can not refuse to marry a couple of legal age of consent,well unless they are a gay couple or a couple that consist of more than two people.
Voted : Yes they can refuse
Yes, if they are not receiving any federal or state funding (beyond the usual tax exemption), they *could*
Voted : Yes they can refuse
Churches can refuse to marry anybody they please
That should put to ease the minds of those who believe if gay marriages were legalized, churches would be forced to perform the ceremonies.
"The government can not refuse to marry a couple of legal age of consent,well unless they are a gay couple or a couple that consist of more than two people."
True, you are correct, but this is the difference between a religious marriage ceremony and a civil marriage ceremony/marriage contract. What the state couldn't do as being prejudicial and illegal, a private religious probably could get away with, if they were financially independent.
Oh_what_a_relief also makes a good point. The Church of the Creator needn't encourage what it sees as "miscegenation" by marrying interracial couples, and Baptist and Catholic churches needn't marry gay couples, if gay civil marriage were univerally legalized in the U.S. ...But, unlike in much of Europe, this is the difference of federalism--state governments often have a great deal of autonomy to set their own social policy.
Though nothing within the realm of human possibility could surprise me.
That's what I said Felix a Church can refuse their services to anybody they choose.
I believe they can; as Felix said, it would just negate any Federal funding they might be receiving.
It probably still happens, unfortunately. A lot of the decision is that of the preacher's. Bigotry has no boundaries just like ignorance.
^ Sorry if I'm wrong but I didn't think churches ever got State or Federal funding. Someone set me straight please.
|
|
