Quaker group stops certifying marriages until gay marriage legal

[waterscalm]

Source: MN Pulic Radio






Quaker group stops certifying marriages until gay marriage legal
by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio
December 7, 2009

St. Paul, Minn. — A group of Twin Cities Quakers has decided to stop signing marriage certificates for opposite-sex couples until the state legalizes gay marriage.

"We're simply trying to be consistent with the will of God as we perceive it," said Paul Landskroener, clerk of the Twin Cities Friends Meeting, in an interview with MPR's All Things Considered on Monday.

The congregation will continue to hold both opposite-sex and same-sex weddings at its meeting house, but will no longer sign the legal marriage certificate for opposite-sex couples. Instead, couples will need to have the certificate signed by a justice of the peace.

"Everything else proceeds as it normally has, except that we will not sign the marriage certificate," Landskroener said.

Read more: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/12/07/quaker-marriage/

[mattvermont]

1. I am proud of my Quaker heritage

And commend this meeting for making that choice. I nice symbol of solidarity.
I was married in a Quaker meeting, and would have been happy to participate in this protest

[Gregorian]

3. Same here. Although my Quaker side is extremely conservative.

It's interesting that this Quaker group has love in their hearts.

My mother's brothers were Conscientious Objectors in World War 2. I've always thought that was pretty amazing. I was preparing for the same during Vietnam, until it ended.

[mattvermont]

9. both my mothers brother's as well

They are in their 80's now.

[chill_wind]

2. Now that is conscience. K & R.

[Happyhippychick]

4. Hopefully all other so-called religious groups will follow suit.

[LynnTheDem]

5. Well THIS made me

:wow:


Good on ya, T.C. Quakers! :yourock:

[Control-Z]

6. Wow!

Wonderful. And amazing.

[parts]

7. I'm not very informed about the Quakers

Can someone (one of the posters with Quaker heritage, perhaps?) tell me why they're taking such a stance on this? Aren't they an organized Christian religious group?

I'm delighted to read of this, but puzzled at the same time, as to what makes Quakers different.

[boppers]

10. Quakers have always had a very socially conscious stance about civil rights.

They came out against slavery early, campaigned for women's rights, prisoner's rights, against war, helped found Oxfam and Amnesty international...

Read up:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Society_of_Friends

They're somewhat like Christians (though some are more accurately atheists) trying to live the way Christ and god would like them to live, rather than the "christ lite" advocated by many western churches.

[marshall]

8. I'd like to see ALL churches get out of the marriage business

They can still have weddings, but leave the legal side of it to government.
As it stands now churches step in as instruments of the state to legalize marriage.