While I may not agree with some of the commentary by the “religious” leaders speaking in the video’s, I do have to share this link because you need to have the opportunity to see the security camera images for yourself.  Then you decide what you’re seeing and why.

http://radiantswan.blogspot.com/2009/01/touched-by-angel.html

I saw this video on Current TV the other night and since I cover a plethora of metaphysical items both religious and not, I thought I needed to cover this news item.

It seems that Nevada law requires that officiates be registered with a religious organization thereby excluding Atheists from being able to marry people.

I have a problem with this.

The institution of marriage is a secular one. That’s why you need a license from your state when you marry. To require a religious organization to back your ability to officiate at a marriage should also exclude Justices of the Peace or legal judges from officiating also. I am not sure if the Nevada law excludes that, but if not, according to this law, it should!

Marriage was put into the civil system many years ago to keep things straight. Specifically, who had the right to inheritance and other legal considerations.

Religious ceremonies have been included to sanction the union between two people under the belief systems of the faith. Religion or lack thereof, should not be a foundation for sanctioning marriages.

I personally believe the Nevada law crosses the line between the separation of church and state.

Our constitution states that every person is endowed with certain unalienable rights which includes: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If Atheists chose to be married by another non-believer, than that’s their right under their civil liberties and their pursuit of happiness.

To me, if the Nevada law were to hold any water, then civil judges and other secular officiates should be barred from conducting marriages. And if that happens, then secular marriage licenses would need to be abolished also.

You cannot pick and choose which freedoms you want and which you want to exclude. That’s not the way it works! Unfortunately, the price of freedom comes with also having to tolerate another’s way of life because that’s their freedom also – whether you agree with it or not.

We really need to get the lines between religion and secular, civil law back into focus or we will be crossing a very dangerous line that America will not want to cross!

To see the Current TV video regarding this issue: http://current.com/items/89621227/atheists_prohibited_to_officiate_at_weddings.htm