When God is not on the guest list

[missmuffet]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/living/matrimony-atheist-wedding/index.html?hpt=hp_c3
All the traditional elements were in place for Joseph and Fiona Long's 2009 New Year's Eve wedding.

She wore a white dress; he wore a tuxedo and her family wore kilts in honor of her Scottish heritage. After they exchanged vows and rings and sealed the deal with a kiss, an officiant in a black robe pronounced them husband and wife. Then, they dined and danced the night away at an Atlanta country club with their closest friends and loved ones, culminating in a midnight confetti drop.

Missing from the guest list: God.

The Longs are atheists who did not want gods or religious texts involved in their marriage celebration. But apart from the non-church setting, the only hint at an deliberately non-religious wedding was contained within their vows and readings. These included selections from Shakespeare, Robert Burns and the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, which they felt "beautifully expressed the social and secular significance of marriage without any appeal to religion," said Joseph Long, a lawyer in Tampa, Florida.

A bride's bittersweet reunion"We felt it made the point well that you can have the sanctity of marriage without having to fit into a particular group," he said. "It basically states that marriage is extremely important in society for a variety of reasons, regardless of what someone's god thinks about it."

As secularism continues to rise in the United States, more couples like the Longs are deviating from a traditional wedding blueprint that includes prayers, blessings and biblical passages.

"A secular wedding can be exactly like a religious wedding with two key differences: no mention of any deities and no recitation of supposedly sacred texts," said David G. McAfee, author of "Mom, Dad, I'm an Atheist: The Guide to Coming Out as a Non-Believer and Disproving Christianity and other Secular Writings."

[Guest]

"A secular wedding can be exactly like a religious wedding with two key differences: no mention of any deities and no recitation of supposedly sacred texts," said David G. McAfee, author of "Mom, Dad, I'm an Atheist: The Guide to Coming Out as a Non-Believer and Disproving Christianity and other Secular Writings."

 

And By Our Sins

 

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

 

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

 

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Romans 1:21-24

 

We Prove The Holy Words Of The Bible

[alphaparticle]

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

[missmuffet]

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

Yes,I understand that atheists get married.How do you feel about this article?You do not think it is worth sharing?why?

[alphaparticle]

 

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

Yes,I understand that atheists get married.How do you feel about this article?You do not think it is worth sharing?why?

 

It seems to be saying "atheists get married and have wedding ceremonies" which doesn't strike me as newsworthy. Does this surprise anyone?

[Fez]

 

 

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

Yes,I understand that atheists get married.How do you feel about this article?You do not think it is worth sharing?why?

 

It seems to be saying "atheists get married and have wedding ceremonies" which doesn't strike me as newsworthy. Does this surprise anyone?

 

Not me, seems a perfectly ordinary thing. The thing I dislike is when our church gets approached to marry two unbelievers.  Why? Because they think it's quaint or traditional?, 

[alphaparticle]

 

 

 

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

Yes,I understand that atheists get married.How do you feel about this article?You do not think it is worth sharing?why?

 

It seems to be saying "atheists get married and have wedding ceremonies" which doesn't strike me as newsworthy. Does this surprise anyone?

 

Not me, seems a perfectly ordinary thing. The thing I dislike is when our church gets approached to marry two unbelievers.  Why? Because they think it's quaint or traditional?, 

 

I guess so, or it may be to appease family. I can think of situations like that, "mom would be really happy if I married in a church" type of thing.

[WIP]

I've often wondered why they even bother to marry since they don't believe in sin..makes no sense...I live in a secular country and not surprised that America is headed in that direction..very sad.

[alphaparticle]

I've often wondered why they even bother to marry since they don't believe in sin..makes no sense...I live in a secular country and not surprised that America is headed in that direction..very sad.

Yeah many  have  no problems living together for a long time. Marriage still is regarded as a public commitment to one another in a way that is mutually binding in ways that merely living together isn't. In that way even if living together isn't sinful you can see how marriage would appeal to atheists wanting to commit.

[missmuffet]

 

 

 

Atheists marry also. I didn't realize this was newsworthy.

Yes,I understand that atheists get married.How do you feel about this article?You do not think it is worth sharing?why?

 

It seems to be saying "atheists get married and have wedding ceremonies" which doesn't strike me as newsworthy. Does this surprise anyone?

 

Not me, seems a perfectly ordinary thing. The thing I dislike is when our church gets approached to marry two unbelievers.  Why? Because they think it's quaint or traditional?, 

 

Yes I agree Fez....