What is a wedding for an athiest couple like?

[irishScott]

Athiesm = God cannot exist! = We defy the laws of probability = stupid.
Religion = God exists! = We defy the laws of science and logic = stupid.

Agnosticism FTW!

*Puts on Uber Flame Suit and heads to P&N*

But yeah, typical wedding ceremony w/o mention of god.

 

[Cookie]

I have a non-religious friend who was married by the JP in a church because it was a nice place to do so. But it was a very small historical log chuch built in 18-something, I think it had more to do with history than religion.

Also, I have a very religious friend who was married by the pastor (with PLENTY mention of God and obeying your husband) outside (at my house) because it was a nice place and she wanted to be outside.

I dont think religion needs to be a factor when choosing a location, it's all about personal choice.

That said, I prefer non-religious weddings. The ceremony part is quicker, in my experience, and the celebration part is more fun, and involves more drinking and dancing and laughter.

 

[theeedude]

Atheists can have whatever wedding they want to. A lot of Jews are Atheist and have Jewish weddings. I am sure they could find a Christian, Hindu, etc, priest to marry them too if they want to. Most atheists aren't threatened by religion as long as it's not being shoved down their throats.

 

[yllus]

Public fornication.

 

[sourceninja]

My wife and I had problems finding someone to marry us, we wanted to get a religious figure so our parents would be happy (we dont care if they mention god or not. It does not matter to us, because it's just fairy tales anyways). We figured making our parents happy would help make the whole day happy.

Well, it was impossible. We could not find one single religious figure to marry us. Everyone wanted us to come to classes, change religions, preach or hold a sermon before or after, some wanted us to seek at least 3 months of counciling. Now at this point I had lived with my wife for 5 years, I think we were ready to mail in a joint tax return (which is all marrage technical added to the relationship). We ended up getting a crazy drunk feminist lady to come do the wedding at a park outside in spring. It was funny as hell. Afterwards we all went to a lunch, then my wife and I went home. Total wedding and reception time: 3 hours. Started in the AM, everyone was home before 1.

 

[Syringer]

The question is, in countries where it's legal, where do gay religious couples get married?

 

[vi edit]

It's pretty simple. Your wedding just focuses on your commitment to each other and not a committment to God.

One of the worst wedding ceremonies I've ever been to was done by a Methodist priest. His opening line was that "This day was not about the couple, it was about God".

He lost me at that point and I swore that I'd never have a ceremony like that. So I got married on a beach in Antigua by the equivalent of a JOP.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: 777php
People who are Athiest have wedding in churches all the time, they do so because they like the setting and feel that it would provide for a beautiful ceremony. Some churches require that if you are not affiliated with their church that you take a few classes with them before you are allowed to have a wedding there.

In fact there are quite a few non-denominational churches that exist that will let anybody have a wedding there.

Couples that don't want a church wedding can have it anywhere they please; golf course, hotel, Japanese Tea Garden, etc.. they just hire an officiant to perform their ceremony.

why would athiests "like the setting" that shows images and reverence to someone they don't believe in?

Because they don't really care? I was married in a church even though I never go to church and am not religious. Neither is my wife BTW.

Church I was married in.

 

[jpeyton]

Short, sweet, and to the point.

 

[SoulAssassin]

most catholic churches make you go through pre-cana before they'll marry you

 

[LanceM]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Short, sweet, and to the point.

Ding ding ding! Sounds like my wedding (agnostic, here).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Requirements for church I was married in.

My wife and I had to attend two "get to know you" seminars since we were not members of this church. The minister counsels you on making your marriage work and basically just gets to know you. I think it was worthwhile and some of the things he said have stuck with me to this day.

Anyway, the link gives the details of having a wedding there.

 

[drinkmorejava]

At first I was like WTF kind of catholic would marry an atheist; they should be excommunicated. Then I read that it was just Christian, which would include a number of halfass ultra-progressive almost non-denominational churches.

 

[ChuckyCheese]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: 777php
People who are Athiest have wedding in churches all the time, they do so because they like the setting and feel that it would provide for a beautiful ceremony. Some churches require that if you are not affiliated with their church that you take a few classes with them before you are allowed to have a wedding there.

In fact there are quite a few non-denominational churches that exist that will let anybody have a wedding there.

Couples that don't want a church wedding can have it anywhere they please; golf course, hotel, Japanese Tea Garden, etc.. they just hire an officiant to perform their ceremony.

why would athiests "like the setting" that shows images and reverence to someone they don't believe in?

Because they don't really care? I was married in a church even though I never go to church and am not religious. Neither is my wife BTW.

Church I was married in.

Are you atheist?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
At first I was like WTF kind of catholic would marry an atheist; they should be excommunicated. Then I read that it was just Christian, which would include a number of halfass ultra-progressive almost non-denominational churches.

QFT, where would pedophiles go were it not for the priesthood?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: ChuckyCheese

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: 777php
People who are Athiest have wedding in churches all the time, they do so because they like the setting and feel that it would provide for a beautiful ceremony. Some churches require that if you are not affiliated with their church that you take a few classes with them before you are allowed to have a wedding there.

In fact there are quite a few non-denominational churches that exist that will let anybody have a wedding there.

Couples that don't want a church wedding can have it anywhere they please; golf course, hotel, Japanese Tea Garden, etc.. they just hire an officiant to perform their ceremony.

why would athiests "like the setting" that shows images and reverence to someone they don't believe in?

Because they don't really care? I was married in a church even though I never go to church and am not religious. Neither is my wife BTW.

Church I was married in.

Are you atheist?

Meh, pretty much.

 

[mugs]

Most people aren't really atheists, they're just not religious. They don't really care one way or the other.

In the US those people usually have a Christian ceremony.

 

[Madwand1]

I hear of so many people fretting about having a conventional religious wedding in a suitable location with the maximum of appearances, etc., and even struggling to meet the religous requirements for such cases even when it goes against their own beliefs and practices. I wouldn't want my wedding to be so hypocritical. I'd rather have a rubber stamp ceremony in a civic institution with a minimum of attendees.

If I had married a Zen Buddhist who insisted on a full-blown Zen Buddhist wedding (whatever that would be; here I'm using Zen Buddhist just as an ironic stand-in for any religion), I'm not sure what I would have done. Not getting married would have been an option if I found the ceremony to be too counter to my personal beliefs. This probably would have been best. Taking the point of view that it was just another flawed ritual (IMO) which would make my wife happy would have been an option -- to a point. I have a broadly "religious" point of view although I'm sure it differs from probably all conventional religions, so I could have relied on that perspective, and used it towards tolerance -- to a point.

What actually happened in my case was as follows. The local city hall rent an official service allocated us a priest. He came up with a conventional semi-religious address. In response, I wrote my own address, which essentially lectured the priest, and gave my broader point of view on the subject. The priest, to my gratitude, delivered that address without embellishment, and without argument (although I might have enjoyed such a discussion, I would not have enjoyed a fight being a part of the memory of that event).

 

[Queasy]

I have a cousin who became an atheist/agnostic. When she and her boyfriend got married some Native American hippy did the ceremony.

I only heard about it because my wife had just given birth to our daughter but my traditional southern family was .

 

[ForumMaster]

actually, if Israel, if you don't have a wedding with the rabbi, the state doesn't recognize you as married. so my parents married but not "officially". later when we went to the states, they just went to a lawyer who pronounced them married. it's just a regular wedding just without the "I Do" part.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: moshquerade
it's like any wedding ceremony just with no mention of God or religion.

But can is it still done in a church?

It could, but will most likely take place in a bowling alley.

Atheists bowl, it's a kown fact, and they take the game very, very seriously.

Lacking belief in an ominpotent, omnipresent deity, bowling -- the game, the setting, the shoes -- is the central existential anchor in most atheist's lives.

It takes balls to be an atheist (and to bowl).

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: moshquerade
it's like any wedding ceremony just with no mention of God or religion.

But can is it still done in a church?

It could, but will most likely take place in a bowling alley.

Atheists bowl, it's a kown fact, and they take the game very, very seriously.

Lacking belief in an ominpotent, omnipresent deity, bowling -- the game, the setting, the shoes -- is the central existential anchor in most atheist's lives.

It takes balls to be an atheist (and to bowl).

King Pin must've blown your mind... i mean he was Amish AND a bowler. :laugh:

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: 777php
People who are Athiest have wedding in churches all the time, they do so because they like the setting and feel that it would provide for a beautiful ceremony. Some churches require that if you are not affiliated with their church that you take a few classes with them before you are allowed to have a wedding there.

In fact there are quite a few non-denominational churches that exist that will let anybody have a wedding there.

Couples that don't want a church wedding can have it anywhere they please; golf course, hotel, Japanese Tea Garden, etc.. they just hire an officiant to perform their ceremony.

why would athiests "like the setting" that shows images and reverence to someone they don't believe in?

some people see a church as a house of god.

i see a church as a function hall.

 

[chambersc]

Well, when my gf and I elope, we're going to do the courthouse thing and then probably do the typical church ceremony, sans god ofcourse. I would dare not rob her of the special day and the ceremony will be mostly for her and her family (she's of the "no god" ideology as well). I don't see any problem with the church thing because I can go through the motions without becoming indoctrinated in their beliefs. I respect what they believe and will exploit their weaknesses any day.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: Syringer
The question is, in countries where it's legal, where do gay religious couples get married?

I went to a lesbian wedding in a church once, about 15 years ago. Well, technically I suppose it was a 'commitment ceremony' because it wasn't a legally sanctioned marriage, but to all involved, it was a marriage. Don't remember which flavor of christianity it was, but it was a liberal church with a female pastor. Beautiful wedding.

For my wedding, we just did the JOP at the courthouse thing. Short and sweet.