“How’s your longtime companion, Jill?” “She’s my wife!” “Yeah, well, my beliefs don’t recognize marr

[Shallah Kali]

A Marriage Manifesto... Of Sorts
http://www.religiondispatches.org/blog/sexandgender/755/

I no longer recognize marriage. It’s a new thing I’m trying.

Turns out it’s fun.

Yesterday I called a woman’s spouse her boyfriend.

She says, correcting me, “He’s my husband,”
“Oh,” I say, “I no longer recognize marriage.”

The impact is obvious. I tried it on a man who has been in a relationship for years,

“How’s your longtime companion, Jill?”
“She’s my wife!”
“Yeah, well, my beliefs don’t recognize marriage.”

Fun. And instant, eyebrow-raising recognition. Suddenly the majority gets to feel what the minority feels. In a moment they feel what it’s like to have their relationship downgraded, and to have a much taken-for-granted right called into question because of another’s beliefs.

[orleans]

1. i love it!

i'd use this but i don't refer to people as someone's husband, wife, girlfriend, etc.

i just call them by name. (a part of me has also never recognized marriage--or titles for that matter--at least not since i was a kid)

[midnight]

2. Turnabout is fair, and especially in this situation.

[WillParkinson]

3. I'm sorry, that's just wrong....

I can't wait to use it!!!!!

:rofl:

[Zuiderelle]

4. I like that very much!

:thumbsup:

[cate94]

5. Awesome!

I love this: "...my beliefs don't recognize marriage." and "instant, eyebrow-raising recognition."

Perfect.

[bluedawg12]

6. I like it! My, my, how huffy THEY get

when we say "companion" instead of spouse!

[FuzzyDicePHL]

7. This is RIGHT up my alley.

I like this even better than my fave response to the question, "Why isn't domestic partnership good enough for you?" which is, "Would it be good enough for YOU?"

Totally adopting this beginning today.

[Midlodemocrat]

8. That is awesome!!!!

[Ellen Forradalom]

22. My thought exactly. Beautifully done.

[Hepburn]

9. Ooooooooooh, wait until I encounter the asshole neighbors who had the YES on 8 sign.

Great idea ~~ I decided to not recognize their marriage because they are homophobic bigots. OMG....bigots begetting bigots! That needs to be prohibited!

:hi:

[KitchenWitch]

10. My life partner and I have stopped referring to each other as husband and wife.

[uppityperson]

11. Excellent! Thank you for the idea.

[mitchtv]

12. Great

My poor family

[RedLetterRev]

13. Part of me feels bad for doing it and part of me feels

absolutely delicious. Shoe, meet other foot.

[unpossibles]

14. I love it

and plan on using it.

After all, it's a moral thing, and my religion commands I do it, so then it's acceptable right?

[donco6]

15. Ha! And it would point out how often that comes up.

Interesting concept. I work around so many RWers who would never "get it" tho . . .

[bertman]

18. You might be surprised, donco6. It might not register at the moment you say it, but I'll

bet that most of them will think about it and maybe even mention it to one of their friends. It's a "teachable moment" kind of a thing.

I'm definitely going to use it on some of my anti-gay marriage friends.

[glitch]

16. Very good. I shall use it without mercy.

I love to see the startled, deer in the headlights look on members of the herd.

[snot]

17. love it.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

19. Told a friend about this

and she decided she's going to start telling people she's the bastard child of Keith & Kathy (her parents). :D

[Bolo Boffin]

20. That would be a great debate question.

"President Obama, how's your longterm companion? Michelle."

"Michelle is my wife."

"Oh, my beliefs don't recognize marriage."

"Michelle is fine."

"Good. You make a great couple. Here's my question. Explain how the institution of marriage is not an establishment of religion."

[TechBear_Seattle]

21. It has been explained ad nauseam how civil marriage is not an establishment of religion

What are the enumerated legal benefits of being baptized? What are the tax advantages of being bar/bat mitzvahed? What laws regulate who may and may not be ordained? What perqs does the government recognize as given by virtue of being confirmed with the laying-on of hands by a bishop in the Apostolic Succession?

None, none, none, and none.

The fact that there are enumerated legal benefits to being married, that there are tax advantages to being married, that there are laws regulating who may and may not be married and that there are many perqs recognized by the government by virtue of being married should prove that legal marriage is NOT a religious institution.