This week I rather surprised myself by sending the following email to my sisters in Virginia.
- - -
The latest --
Survived a multi-week discussion about marriage, monogamy, bigamy, polygamy, etc. on the UU Poly email list.
Then, earlier this week, discovered that adultery is not a crime in California -- unless you live together as if you were married (which would be interpreted as bigamy, whether there were two marriages or not).
Now I see, whereas I always thought of marriage in terms of an emotional, spiritual bond -- the many legal aspects are a vast subject not ventured into by many people. Most people simply fall in love and get married. They know about a few of the legal issues -- but there are supposedly at least 100 (maybe 1,000?) legal rights/responsibilities conferred in the U.S. simply by being married -- I'm sure most people aren't aware of most of them.
Now trying to understand why some people feel that gay marriage is an "attack" on marriage? I'm lost. I'll probably go to the San Jose Pride Parade on Sunday, just in reaction.
I'm stumped. And how Biblical literalists uphold monogamy when all the Patriarchs in the Jewish Bible were polygamists?
I know some folks feel we're going to "Hell in a Handbasket" -- I don't get it.
I hope this doesn't convince you that I'm going to Hell in a handbasket!! At any rate...I send...
Hugs & Love,
Bill (Have you ever read Mel White's Book "Stranger at the Gate"?)
PS -- So, California doesn't really care if you commit adultery (although it still can be a grounds for divorce) -- they're much more interested in whether you're claiming marriage status.
Which I suppose makes sense...maybe...in a way.
But I think of marriage as emotional and spiritual -- whereas the government is nervous about the legal and financial implications.
The old question -- is it about "Love" or "Finances"?
Sigh.
Bill