The government of the United State will be authorized to issue commitment contracts. Any number of consenting adults of the same species may apply and will receive such a contract. That contract will give them all of the secular, legal rights that are afforded now to people holding a license to marry. The contract can be cancelled by agreement of the parties as provided within the contract according to contract law.
It is simple really - we turn the secular marriage into what it is, a contract between individuals. The parties, mediators, and lawyers can work out the details of such a contract. We can even have a waiting period as we do with licenses to own guns (oh, wait we don't have that, sorry, never mind).
But what, I hear you ask, about the sanctity of marriage. The answer is quite obvious. We take that out of the hands of government, because our government is not in the sanctity business. We put the sanctity of marriage in the hands of the religious groups. Muslims may sanctify marriage for Muslims, Christians for Christians, Jews for Jews; well you get what I mean. Atheists will be able create a marriage with some anti-sanctity ceremony. I will leave them to work that out. Interfaith marriages can be worked out by the faiths involved. Some Buddhist and Hindu clergy will perform ceremonies between Buddhists and Hindus and some won't. People will just have to look for the right clergy person or persons for their personal needs.
The government will do what it does best - make secular laws protecting the welfare of the people without infringing on their personal manifestations. Religion will speak to the spiritual aspirations and religious beliefs of their particular groups. Problem solved. Gay people, straight people, people of more color, people of less color, left-handed and right-handed, people who talk funny, people who talk like me, all will be equal under the law, at least when it comes to marriage.
Problem solved. Next, the Middle East...
Originally published at www.rockymountainhai.blogspot.com
Rabbi Bahir Davis studied at various yeshivas in the United States and Israel and holds two Smichot (ordination certificates); one signed by rabbis from many branches of Judaism, including the late Rabbi Alexander Schindler (zt'l), past President of the Union of Reform Judaism, and another from the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Reb Bahir is a Maggid (storyteller) in the best tradition of Jewish storytelling and is known for his vibrant humor and imagery.
Reb Bahir refuses to be connected with any one movement, preferring to serve the entire spectrum of the Jewish community. He is the spiritual leader of Rocky Mountain Hai based in Lafayette, Colorado.
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