# Religious marriage vs. government-sanctioned marriage



## apacheindian (Mar 12, 2012)

Can one have a religious marriage in the US without a government-sanctioned one -- i.e. without a marriage license? Everything else would be the same -- ceremony, vows, rings, etc. -- just no signed government document.

?:scratchhead:


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## Almostrecovered (Jul 14, 2011)

I suppose if you don't fill out the paperwork or claim them as a spouse on taxes you could do this, why do you ask- planning on multiple wives?


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## apacheindian (Mar 12, 2012)

Almostrecovered said:


> I suppose if you don't fill out the paperwork or claim them as a spouse on taxes you could do this, why do you ask- planning on multiple wives?


Yes we can do without the tax benefit we are fine with that. But some claim that in order for the church to marry a couple they need to see/have on file the marriage license - ?

No not that I just don't personally subscribe to the government-sanctioned institution of marriage.


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

All you have to do is find a church that will do the ceremony. The preacher would leave out the part "By the powers vested in me by the State of ___".

There is no legal requirement that all ceremonies have a government license.


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## apacheindian (Mar 12, 2012)

Thor said:


> All you have to do is find a church that will do the ceremony. The preacher would leave out the part "By the powers vested in me by the State of ___".
> 
> There is no legal requirement that all ceremonies have a government license.


Great info -- exactly what I was looking for. Thank you


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## Unhappy2011 (Dec 28, 2011)

Why couldn't you?


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## apacheindian (Mar 12, 2012)

Unhappy2011 said:


> Why couldn't you?


I don't know. I thought you could, but others I have spoken to insist that the church will insist on seeing and retaining a copy of your marriage license. One particular person who asserts this does so b/c she recently went to a Christian wedding and prior to the ceremony starting she overheard the priest asking the bride & groom for a copy of their marriage. But what Thor posted seems to make sense to me -- separation of church and state has been around for a long time after all.


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## CLucas976 (Jun 27, 2010)

My ex-step-grandmother married her 3rd husband this way. It was way after her second husband had died, and she found a man who loved her in a way she'd never been loved before. You could see the love and adoration between them, it's just what everyone wishes they could have at their age.

They got married in a private ceremony between the two of them with no legal documents.

When he died, she said to everyone that she didn't ever need to find another companion because there was nothing that would ever compare to the love he gave her.

its possible, and were I ever to get married again, I'd go the same route. it's not about anything else to me anyways.


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## Trojan John (Sep 30, 2011)

I wouldn't take legal advice from anonymous people on the internet. 

Research it for yourself.


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## Almostrecovered (Jul 14, 2011)

It's probably common policy for most churches to get state paperwork on the marriage, try going to Idaho or where those anti-government militias hang out and find a church there


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## Almostrecovered (Jul 14, 2011)

staunch libertarians don't think government should even be involved in marriage


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## PBear (Nov 16, 2010)

You could have a parrot on a stand to walk you through your vows, I guess. It would likely be about as valid, though...

C


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## johnnycomelately (Oct 30, 2010)

Almostrecovered said:


> staunch libertarians don't think government should even be involved in marriage


I feel the same about churches.


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## Jeff74 (Feb 11, 2012)

A marriage in the sense of law is a legal partnership. If you get "married" without a marriage license no state will recognize you as being married (absent common law spouse, etc).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Jeff74 (Feb 11, 2012)

apacheindian said:


> Yes we can do without the tax benefit we are fine with that. But some claim that in order for the church to marry a couple they need to see/have on file the marriage license - ?
> 
> No not that I just don't personally subscribe to the government-sanctioned institution of marriage.


There is definittely not always a tax benefit from getting married. Google "marriage penalty"!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## COGypsy (Aug 12, 2010)

Jeff74 said:


> There is definittely not always a tax benefit from getting married. Google "marriage penalty"!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


So true! The final straw in my marriage came when we did our taxes this year. Running our numbers individually, we each would have gotten about $1,500 back. Together we owe $500. 

We decided that paying $3 grand a year for the privilege of staying in a crap marriage was ridiculous, so now we're filing our divorce ASAP to beat any chance of having to file jointly ever, ever again.


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## Dar-li (Mar 14, 2012)

America is e new state, a state without bedrock or past,
and so needs the social harmony or class...
but the nowday laws are just fine, working


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## johnnycomelately (Oct 30, 2010)

tofayel said:


> No problem if you want to do religious marriage and I think religion is the foundation of marriage and society.


Marriage existed long before christianity and exists in non-religious societies, like China. 

Marriage is a legal, emotional commitment which has been hijacked by the church who now deign to tell us who can and can't get married.


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## Dar-li (Mar 14, 2012)

..*ETHIC* is the base of the society and people tradition..is like a rebellion about something we do not understand and is older then religion that is a deviant form of practical moral...


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## SunnyT (Jun 22, 2011)

Some states will recognize it as a common-law marriage. Some take different amounts of time to "be legal". Other states do not recognize common law marriages. Which you would like to think is not a problem, but I guess it could be for legal purposes or insurance purposes. 

Do your homework. Google.


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