Albert Mohler:On Marriage

The last weeks and months I've been quite busy. And right now I'm catching up on the shows that Albert Mohler sent before. I just listened to "What Did Proposition 8 Mean for the Same-Sex Marriage Debate?".

He opposes Same-Sex Marriage and is happy that proposition 8 passed . - No surprise.

What was really telling about this show of his was that it clearly outlined that there is a deep difference on the perception of marriage between conservatives in liberals in America and between Americans and Europeans. This was made clear when a lady called and asked him for his point of view on granting civil unions to homosexual and straight couples and leave marriage open to the Churches and religions.

His argument against is was that it would remind him a bit of the former Soviet Union or of those East Block countries, since he had some Polish friends who first had to marry before the state and then in Church. I wonder whether Dr. Mohler also has French or German friends... because this 'double marriage' wasn't a peculiarity of communism or socialism. France, as well as Germany (and many other European countries) do it just the same way. Before you marry in church you also go in France and in Germany to the town hall to have a marriage ceremony over there. Which means you first get married in a worldly manner with worldly rights and duties and then (if you are religious) you go to Church where you enter into that covenant in a religious manner with religious rights and duties.

If you've grown up with this system it really makes sense to you. Why would a marriage closed by the state have religious entanglements? And if you are religious, wouldn't it lower the holy status of a marriage ceremony if it would be about alimony and custody issues too?

I also believe that Dr. Mohler is befooling himself if he thinks a marriage in a muslim perspective equals a marriage in christian perspective. I mean I could now create my own new, religion call it "Rujiklonerastrovernism" and declare Dr. Mohler and outgoing President George W. Bush married according to its rules. And I guess both of them and the state wouldn't care the least about this marriage, my religion or whether I perceive them married according to it or not.
Why should it be different for marriages that Dr. Mohler declares in his Church according to Christianity in a baptist tradition? I don't really know what entanglements come with such a marriage, but I suppose he and the one who would want to get married by him know. So it's just an issue between those 3 persons and their common imaginary friend.

When it comes to state issues like forming unions between two persons I trust state officials to do this. I wouldn't trust them to hand out religious blessings just as less as I would trust Dr. Mohler to hand out driving licenses. And since those unions are very meaningful, even to the secular community, I deem it very appropriate to have them in ceremonial settings - both when it's in the city hall and (if wished) in the Church. The room in which marriages are entered is normally about the most representative they have at the city halls in France and Germany. (I haven't seen one in Poland yet).