Over the past decade, we have said repeatedly that redefining marriage as something other than the union of one man to one woman paves the way for legalizing polygamy and other relationships as “marriage.” Same-sex marriage proponents have been quick to dismiss those concerns. Polygamy supporters, however, have not.
Last Sunday a guest column appeared in the Washington Post advocating “term marriages” or “wedleases”—temporary marriages that would end after a predetermined number of years.
The column claims this could reduce divorce. In the column, the author points out how common divorce has become in recent years, and asks the question, “Why doesn’t society make the legal structure of marriage more congruent to our behavior” by legalizing temporary marriages? He even goes so far as to claim when a temporary “wedlease” expires, the husband and wife could renew their marriage “lease” or go on about their separate lives as simply “as vacating a rental unit.”
The idea sounds so far-fetched that you would almost think the column was satire. The truth is, however, with more couples trying “open” marriages and many states choosing to define marriage as something other than the union of one man to one woman for a lifetime, it’s worth taking time to explain why “wedleases” simply would not work. (more…)
Recently, churches in states that have redefined marriage–such as New York and others–have wondered whether new marriage laws require them to permit same-sex weddings on church property.
Alliance Defending Freedom has the answer: In short, church property is private property, and the church is protected by the First Amendment when it comes to the activities it does and does not permit on its property.