Civil ceremony in a Chapel/Church?

Gloomendoom

onlyroz wrote: »

I think there's a difference between falling in love and realising you're in love. The latter requires conscious thought. So mustn't there be a moment when you decide "I am a Christian"? Even if whatever that means has developed within you over time?

No. There is a moment when you realise that you are a Christian.

onlyroz

Gloomendoom wrote: »

No. There is a moment when you realise that you are a Christian.

Yes, that's what I mean. A conscious moment where you become aware of your faith or lack of it. Which is why I don't think that babies or small children can be described as being Christian (or whatever other religion) - because they're not capable of coming to this realisation.

duchy

Or to put it another way (as you appear to have zero imagination) just as in a relationship you get to a point when you realize you want the other person in your life permanently and grow old with them -so Christians have that same moment when they accept Christ as their savior and make a lifelong commitment. Both tend to change you attitude towards certain aspects in life- whether it is a commitment to lifelong fidelity or a belief that a church isn't just a nice setting for a wedding but a building dedicated to worship and the promotion and execution of Christian values (like raising money for charity or helping the disadvantaged)

duchy

onlyroz wrote: »

Yes, that's what I mean. A conscious moment where you become aware of your faith or lack of it. Which is why I don't think that babies or small children can be described as being Christian (or whatever other religion) - because they're not capable of coming to this realisation.

As babies and children can't marry- what is your point ?

Gloomendoom

onlyroz wrote: »

Yes, that's what I mean. A conscious moment where you become aware of your faith or lack of it. Which is why I don't think that babies or small children can be described as being Christian (or whatever other religion) - because they're not capable of coming to this realisation.

Which is why Baptism is followed by confirmation. In the Anglican church, at least.

onlyroz

duchy wrote: »

As babies and children can't marry- what is your point ?

My point is that I don't see how something as important as belief in a deity can be an unconscious decision that people sleep-walk into. Before you can proclaim to be a Christian/Muslim or whatever you have to have rationalised that viewpoint in your head, otherwise you're just saying words that have been put into your mouth by somebody else.

I can accept that belief in a deity might be like "falling in love" and that might take time to build up to a point where you become fully aware of it, but unless you have had this moment of realisation I don't see how you can truthfully call yourself a Christian.

Brighton_belle

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Change 'we' to 'I', and then the above will be more truthful. I would say a very very high percentage of non-believers do understand, and what's more, they have respect.

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Thanks Georgiegirl - saved me having to post this: as a humanist, I am very able to understand why the suggestion of a civil ceremony in a religious building is an absurd concept, and also appreciate why/how a church balances the difference between yoga classes and marriage ceremonies.


If someone wants a church marriage because they have a long held family connection with a church, but are not believers themselves, then they have to take the whole package and have the religious element to the service; surely that is part and parcel of the 'long held family connection'?

adouglasmhor

onlyroz wrote: »

The whole thread is about Christian marriage.

Not my impression TBH. I thought it was about a Civil marriage in a Christian building.

Errata

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

I would say a very very high percentage of non-believers do understand,

Of course they do, that's why they are non-believers. QED.

duchy

Brighton_belle wrote: »

If someone wants a church marriage because they have a long held family connection with a church, but are not believers themselves, then they have to take the whole package and have the religious element to the service; surely that is part and parcel of the 'long held family connection'?

Exactly - It's not a pick and mix