Thursday, August 2, 2012

Marriage, or not?

Here’s a puzzler for everyone out there: The church insists that sexual expression is only acceptable within the bounds of marriage. However, there are a number of jurisdictions in the United States (among other countries) that offer not just marriages, but also civil unions—a legally binding parallel to marriage that is, effectively, the same thing. It’s primarily set up as a marriage-like institution for same-sex couples, but it’s also available as an option for mixed-gender couples.

Therefore, i wonder: Does the church accept civil unions for, say, a couple desiring to be baptized? I can’t easily find anything definitive on that, but i may just be looking in the wrong places. Anyone out there know?

3 comments:

Heather the Mama Duk said...

I believe civil unions are perfectly fine for hetero couples. It's just viewed as a marriage. Their goal would be sealing in the temple later of course.

Candace White said...

It seems to me that it's all answered in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. http://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng "Marriage" is what is ordained of God, between a man and a woman. I know civil unions (mixed or same gender) are a marriage parallel, but we can't call that marriage. If it comes down to definitions & man made laws, then we're doing exactly what President Packer talked about in GC a couple years ago: "...but if we are not alert, there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature. A law against nature would be impossible to enforce. For instance, what good would a vote against the law of gravity do?" I'm not trying to be preachy, but when I stumbled across your blog post, this is what came to mind. Thanks for allowing me the chance to say so. Ciao ciao! ~Candace

Loyal Butterfly said...

Marriage is religious, Civil Unions are granted by government. They arose because it is discriminatory on the part of government to grant certain benefits to married people and deny them to those who are non-religious. The government cannot get out of that, and it can't restrict unions on the basis of gender either, because that is also discriminatory. If you want a marriage, get one through your religion. If you want legal benefits and are not religious, get a civil union.
There is nothing more that can be said, they are two entirely different things. Similarly, a church can expel people for things that are not illegal, and a government can imprison for things that religion allows or even urges people to do. Two different things. Therefore render unto Ceasar, etc. It is a "Solved Problem", stop picking at it!