Should The Government Be Involved in Marriage?

by Thomas Patrick Burke on February 17, 2012 · 7 comments

This article used under a Creative Commons licence by permission of Thomas Patrick Burke and MercatorNet.com.

Pages: 1 2 3

By Thomas Patrick Burke

Tagged as: contracts, libertarian, libertarians, Marriage, ron paul, sacraments

  • Therese Marie

    The problem with Government becoming involved in marriage today, as I see it, is that people by and large do not think and reason properly.  Government is led by officials who do not make the best decision for the people, but, who make the popular decision to get re-elected.  By allowing government to become involved in Marriage, we open ourselves up to unjust laws and the possibility of Marriage being re-defined and contrary to Church teachings.
    You make good points, especially when it concerns Children’s rights and divorce issues, but, that would only work with just, moral, God-fearing officials making decisions through prayer and an informed intellect and conscience.  We are very far away from that situation currently.  Politics in our country has become a slow death with the Republicans or a fast death with the Democrats.

  • Mamk0908

    I agree that government should be involved in publicly recognizing the reality of marriage which unites a man and a woman and any children from their union because having a married mother and father is a fundamental human right that is common to every child with out exception.  It is also an internationally recognized right in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and can be confirmed by the desire that all of us to be known and loved by the parents from whom we originated.

    In a country where 40% of our children are now being born to unmarried mothers, I would say that it is imperative that we have a legal structure that promotes a clear understanding of the reality of marriage and its value to children and society.

  • Blndtrst

    God doesnt care about any of this..he wants His people to truly love one another.  He couldnt care less about this endless worshipping.  It’s draining humanities resources with all the fighting over God.  I’ll say it again, God doesnt care about the chocolate-covered crap that is religion.  Jus’ sayin’…

  • Alex

    Libertarians don’t call for the government to be out of marriage entirely.  We would like government to be involved to the extent of enforcing contracts between individuals, should one individual fail to hold up his side of the contract.  If two Catholics decide to get married in the Church, why do they need a marriage license?  If government is out of marriage, then the only people who would still get married are the people who value it for what it is: a sacrement.  Other people who want to live together and draw up a civil contract can do so, and the government would enforce this contract.  Or, if they so choose, they don’t have to have a contract at all!  They can just live together, and if things go badly, they separate. If Catholics want to draw up a contract in addition to getting married in the Church, they can do so.  Libertarians, Ron Paul and myself included, just want the government to stop giving benefits to married couples, and dictating things such as visitation rights.  We still think that the government has the responsibility and authority to enforce contracts.

  • Peter Nyikos

     Part of the message of the article to which you are responding is that people need to love intelligently and responsibly.  A lot that goes on in the name of love is foolish or just plain wrong.

  • chaco

    Right On ! Peter Nyikos ;  Blndtrst is asserting that “Love” doesn’t need to be defined ie;  “You can eat all the candy bars you want because I “Love” you.” Relativism (no Truth except what is “relative” to each individual’s personal experience / interpretation /appetites) is being promoted by current politics / culture even if it can’t be backed up with reason & DEMONSTRABLE EVIDENCE.[ [All in the name of tolerance & diversity.] Relativism is the “World’s” plan for peace among peoples. We just need to keep using our God given right to free speech  & REASONABLE Truth to counter the UNTENABLE stance of relativists. “The heavens & Earth can pass away but God’s Word will remain.” 

  • dchaitanya