Quote:
It's possible for two people to get married purely through state paperwork at the courthouse, having nothing to with any religion at all. No clergyman, no church, no ceremony.

This is 90% right. We had a justice of the peace basically "swear us in" and then she *READ FROM THE BIBLE*. I was really pissed off about that. That was her own special religiously heavy-handed touch though. In the case of the church ceremony, the minister is able to serve in the capacity of the justice of the peace, so s/he is granted that ability by the state. However, the ceremony itself is PURELY pomp and circumstance and has no meaning other than to the witnesses. I don't believe the justice of the peace actually had to read anything -- I think she was there as a notary/witness, but I'm not actually positive about that. It may be that she's supposed to just verify that the whole thing isn't a sham.

On a side note, can I point out that people always talk about the "sanctity of marriage" and yet something like 50% of marriages fail? I think half the people should probably pretty much sit down and be quiet about the whole sanctity thing for a little while and think about what they've done.

ms