Re: Kentucky judge refuses to marry atheist couple because they don’t mention God in
short answer is, Technically Yes.
the judge can claim a "personal" or "religious" objection.
The same as an atheist judge might claim one if, for instance, he thought the man was violent and didn't want to be a part of it.
But here's my issue with this judges "religious" objection.
I don't know what Christian Biblical criteria this guy is using for this it.
As far as i can tell it's just a personal preference.
To my knowledge there's NO scripture that says marriage vows must have God in them. Not even one passage that HINTS at the idea.
And there is No scripture that says atheist can't marry or
BE married ,by the state, by clergy, or whoever atheist want to be married by.
So he's got a home brew religion going as far as i can tell.
But Found, If you want to look up Judges that will not marrying people for religious reasons then look up refusals to marry 'Christians with Atheists' or 'Christians with other faiths'.
There's a clear scriptural prohibition against Christians getting married to unbelievers. So by default performing a ceremony for them, or baking a cake or giving flowers, is wrong.... at least if you're aware of the parties faith.
I'm sure there are cases of Christians Judges Not doing it or doing it anyway. certainly Christian pastors refusing to do it , i know at least one.
Either way you'll get cases that you might feel justifies your idea that the Gov't MUST FORCE Religious people to be involved in ALL weddings they are requested to. Even when there's TONS of other options for couples to "marry". And NO harm is done by the minority of refusals. So accommodation of religion is not a burden.
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"It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties.
The freeman of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and entangled the question in precedents."
..James Madison
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"Live as free people, yet without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but live at all times as servants of God."
..1 Peter 2:16
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