Re: [UUPoly-L] marriage/civil union/whatever

["david vanhorn" <polydvh@gmail.com>]

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 3:48 AM, CWLee <cwlee@post.harvard.edu> wrote:
>
> "david vanhorn" <polydvh@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I support 100% the right of any church to decide who they
>> will and
>> will not marry, for whatever reasons they choose, ...
>
> In general I agree, but I believe the "age of consent" issue
> is a legitimate one for social (ie, political) concern.

Sorry, I left that as an implied assumption. Marriage requires
consent, and in order to give consent, you have to be legally
qualified to do so.


> I do believe marriage should be considered a religious
> concept, and that government should, in general, stay clear
> of it.  Civil unions, with or without prior or subsequent
> marriages, are, I believe, a proper governmental function.
> Whether that should be at the federal, state, or local level
> I have not decided.

I can't see why such civil rights should be different between states
or localities, or countries, for that matter.

Interesting question:  When someone who has legally married multiple
wives in another country, comes to the US, what is their status?
Does the US recognize those unions?