Marriage Vow: Don't Let Falwell And Company Amend The Constitution
Religious Right organizations apparently don't think much of the U.S. Constitution.
They keep proposing amendments to that venerable document. Over the years, Religious Right groups have advocated amendments allowing state-sponsored prayer in public schools, banning abortion and permitting government bodies to display sectarian symbols.
In fact, it seems that every time a court issues a ruling the Religious Right doesn't like, it begins agitating, and soon its congressional allies have put forth another constitutional amendment.
The latest amendment to come down the pike would ban same-sex marriage. This became the Religious Right's number one cause after the Massachusetts Supreme judicial Court ruled last November that the state's ban on same-sex marriages violates the Massachusetts Constitution.
People can and do disagree about the subject of same-sex marriage. But there should be no disagreement about amending the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. It's a bad idea that should never see the light of day.
Constitutional amendments should always be subjected to a high degree of scrutiny. The Constitution is our founding document; the Bill of Rights is our guarantee of freedom. We should not alter these documents on a whim.
The Federal Marriage Amendment is an especially bad idea because it would reduce our freedoms, not expand them, and allow the government to pick and choose among competing religious doctrines. Some religious groups recognize same-sex marriage, and some do not. Why should the perspective of certain religious groups be elevated over others and enshrined in the Constitution?
At the end of the day, the drive for the marriage amendment represents nothing less than an effort by large and powerful religious movements to make their traditions' views on marriage the law for all to follow.
Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the nation's largest Protestant group, have joined forces with other conservative denominations and the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church to demand the amendment. James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and their Religious Right cohorts back the SBC and the bishops.
Continue in next time %)
Say Your Own Vows - Personalized Wedding Vows
Say Your Own Vows - Personalized Wedding Vows
The following paragraphs summarize the work of weddings experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of weddings. Heed their advice to avoid any weddings surprises.
Say Your Own Vows - Personalized Wedding Vows
"Your wedding is your own. And in today's society, people have been constantly scouring every book for any way to make their wedding as personal and as unique as possible. One way to do this is to whip up your own wedding vows. "
"Traditionally, couples to be wed do not have much of a say in what goes into many of the words spoken during the wedding ceremony. Today, it is increasingly getting easier to personalize and influence what is said during the ceremony - within reasonable bounds, though."
"If you desire to make your wedding vows unique and personal, you are not alone. Many other couples incorporate feelings, and intimate messages into their wedding vows. It has an added effect of making your wedding more touching, dramatic, and memorable. "
Talk with the Officiant Ahead of Time
"If you would like to personalize your wedding vows, first notify your Officiant to find out the legalities, guidelines and rules in drafting your own wedding vows. He or she will typically give pointers and examples to help you draw up your own vows. Furthermore, the Officiant will inform you of the parts of the vow that are expected to be said. "
"If you find yourself confused by what you've read to this point, don't despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish. "
The Topic
"It may include promises, such as "I will swear upon my life to do" or it may be heartfelt messages for each other, or even hopes for each other plans for the future and such. You may also opt to create a mixture of each to spice up your wedding vows. Although norms vary from culture to culture, as a general rule, the wedding vow should not take too long to recite. Keep it concise yet meaningful. Remember, you will have to recite this, and long recitations tend to make the memory suffer. "
Make it Official
"After creating a draft of the vows you wish to exchange, it would do well to meet up with the Officiant again and show him a draft of your vows. Although in the end, it is ultimately your decision that is followed, do take heed of the Officiant's advice, as it is usually sound and has been honed by experience. "
Practice
"It is a good idea to practice your vows before the wedding. Although there is no rule against reading vows, a thoroughly practiced, heartfelt rendition of the vow will definitely make a lasting impact on your partner and the people witnessing the ceremony. As mentioned earlier, avoid overly long vows as they tend to be less remembered and are harder to memorize, not to mention quite inconvenient to others. You may do so, however, if you feel the need is justified. "
See ya soon
Prosperous Regards and Godbless
Beth Mello
http://www.wedding-planning-discounts.com/
About the Author
I have been involved with the internet for five years. I have just recently had a baby febuary the 13th and have worked out of my home for four years. I enjoy the internet and the free time it allows me and my family. My life consists of my lord Jesus Christ my wonderfull family and oru animals which includes our horses and two dogs.
The Meaning Of Diamond Promise Rings
Diamond promise rings have increased in popularity in recent years. Everyone from celebrity couples to young couples in middle America seems to have them. Promise rings come in a variety of styles and center stones. They can be given for a variety of reasons, but are mostly used by couples intending to marry sometime in the future.
The Meaning of Diamond Promise Rings
Promise rings are usually given as a symbol of love and commitment. They are often given with the intent of becoming engaged at some point in the future. When the intent is commitment and ultimately, marriage, the ring is worn on the left hand. After the engagement, the ring is often switched to the right hand.
This allows the couple to test their commitment to each other prior to making the larger commitment of becoming engaged and getting married. Couples can show their commitment to each other without rushing into an early marriage, which too often ends in divorce. With the high divorce rates, taking it slow is a good idea.
Settings and stones range from simple to extravagant. In general, these are smaller and less expensive than engagement rings. The most common stone used is a diamond in a silver or gold setting, but just about any gemstone can be used. Some use another stone in the center with small diamonds as accents. Some couples use the birthstones of the couple for a more personal statement.
While they are most often given to the woman in the relationship, they are available in your local jewelry store for men as well. This is not a common tradition, but some modern, younger couples are doing this. These rings often carry the birthstones of the couple and are often engraved with initials or a line from a favourite song.
Early Diamond Promise Rings
The Scribbler ring was seen several hundred years ago in Europe. The diamonds in the ring were used to etch messages of love on windows. The diamonds were generally small in terms of carat, but were set in a way that made them sharp and easy to use to scribble on the glass.
French and English Poesy rings date back to Shakespearean times. These were inscribed with either a line from poetry, music or other messages of love. This tradition continues in promise and wedding jewelry, which are sometimes inscribed with initials, the wedding date or other messages.
Other Reasons for Diamond Promise Rings
By far, these rings are most often given as a promise of love and commitment between a man and a woman. However, promise rings can be given for other reasons. One less common reason is in exchange for a promise to remain drug and alcohol free during the teenage years. These pledges are often sought during the spring Prom season.
In some families, they are given from parent to child in exchange for a vow of chastity. This is often seen in Christian families. The child is promising to remain chaste and to not engage in sexual activity prior to marriage. A ring is given by the parent to symbolize this promise.
About the Author
Clinton Maxwell releases for the internet site http://www.engagement-rings-tips.com. The publisher is also publishing about diamond promise rings .
Tips for Writing your Own Wedding Vows
These days, more and more couples are personalizing their wedding ceremonies by expressing their vows with their own word. It can be easy to speak from you heart and express your feelings, but is important to follow some guidelines when writing your own vows.
First you have to decide if you will each write your own separate vows or if you would each recite a vow that you write together. You can each make your personalized promises to each other, and then exchange more traditional, formal vows.
You must keep in mind that a vow is an agreement. It should have three features: a declaration of love; promises of your marriage; and personal touches. For example: "John, my love, I fill my heart with you, to love you until the end of my days; I pledge to cherish both our similarities and differences; Before I met you, I thought men like you did not exist."
You must agree on the tone you want to set before you both begin writing. Your words do not have to be similar but the styles should be. The vows you choose should depend on what you want to emphasize and what is most important to both of you. It can be fidelity, the importance of family, or maintaining your individuality. You can talk about how and where you first met, how you felt when you first kissed and tie this in to what you want to pledge to your partner.
If you are having a religious ceremony, the officiant can help you write vows that pertain to your faith. Non-religions officiants can also help you direct you to resources you can use or examples from recent clients.
Although you should practice beforehand, do not over rehearse. You want to sound natural, you can use note cards if needed. Someone in your wedding party can hand you the card and take it back when you are done. It is ok to get emotional, it's your wedding, and it's your first opportunity to express your love for the one you are marrying.
© Copyright FlawlessWedding.com, All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
Visit http://www.FlawlessWedding.com for more articles on wedding planning, bridal showers, wedding dresses and more. FlawlessWedding.com is run by Danielle Black who has over 10 years of experience working in the bridal registry and wedding industry.
Wedding tips and advice
Wedding day tips and advice
You've waited for it, you've imagined it, you've planned it: your wedding day! The day when everything should be perfect and nothing should go wrong... but you fear for the worst and you are so worried not to miss something that you may actually forget to enjoy the day! Here are some tips that may help you put everything in order.
The most important is to choose the date, to establish a budget and to try to stick to it. Do have an available marriage license for that day!
Book in advance the church and the party site. Take your time to compare prices and offers and don't be shy, try to negotiate.
You and your partner will want to look astonishing on your big day, but remember that the suit, the wedding dress and the shoes should also be comfortable. And make sure you also have the rest of bride's and bridegroom's attire.
Check carefully the guest list and make sure that everybody's got an invitation.
If you have some small children in your family (nieces, nephews, cousins) appoint them as flower girl and ring bearer.
Don't forget to choose the opening dance (it would be better to practice it a bit before - everybody will be watching you). Talk with the band/DJ about what are they planning to play. The music should be as various as possible, to meet almost everyone's requirements. Talk to the photographer to take pictures with all your guests (not only with the family) and to catch unique and funny moments (they will make you smile latter).
The vow moment is quite emotional! Practice your vows in front of a mirror, just to make sure you won't get nervous when the moment comes.
Choose carefully the flowers for the bride's bouquet; they have to match with the colours of the bride's gown and the groom's suit.
For the final check make sure that everybody knows their schedule and appointments (the hair stylist, the photographer, the flower and catering firm, the restaurant, the church, the band, the firm that makes the decorations).
If you want to, you may give some small gifts to the guests (a picture of the lucky couple with a funny massage or a classical "thanks for coming"; a deco object; a piece from the wedding cake).
And most importantly don't forget to smile and be happy!
Vist www.HenWed.com for wedding and hen night articles.
About the Author
Adam writes for www.HenWed.com for wedding and hen night articles.
Wedding Vows
To quote Miguel de Cervantes, "Marriage, which makes two one, is a life-long struggle to discover which is that one." Thinking on these lines, there needs to be a custom that would boost the relationship between the newlywed couple and helps them to understand the newly formed relationship. The custom of announcing wedding vows is such a custom aimed at strengthening the bond between the couple. Moreover, these vows are mostly made in a church or a religious place.
A wedding vow is affiance or a promise. Both the bride and the groom announce their wedding vows during the wedding ceremony. A wedding may be civil, religious or both. The wedding vows vary according to the situation. Wedding vows are usually formal or rigid in nature in a religious wedding. In civil weddings, individual imagination is allowed and the language can be informal.
Regardless of the kind of wedding, there are some underlying values contained in the wedding vows. Traits like faith, sharing, caring, and permanence are some of the predominant ones in wedding vows. The couple vow to be moral supporters and good friends, not to mention life-partners.
Wedding vows are an inseparable part of the wedding ceremony. To honor this, the tradition of the bride and the groom spelling out wedding vows is sacred because it acts as a reassurance of the special bond between them. Human values are emphasized through this. Generally, whether it be the bride or the groom, some vows are common, like promise to be faithful, equal-minded in successes and failures, foster love forever, etc.
Marriage is a lifelong relationship and hence its foundation needs to be strong so that the couple is able to face the challenges in life. A marriage can be successful only if there is perfect understanding and harmony between the couple. Wedding vows play a major role to attain this end.
About the Author
Weddings provides detailed information on Weddings, Wedding Vows, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Cakes and more. Weddings is affliated with Maui Wedding Planning.
101 Wedding Vows Receives Highest Rating
101 Wedding Vows just received a full, five star rating from the Review Place (www.ReviewPlace.com) for being the number one e-book for wedding vows for any type of wedding ceremony.
101 Wedding Vows is proud to have received a 5 star rating from Review Place. "101 Wedding Vows is absolutely perfect for anyone who is about to be married no matter what kind of ceremony you are planning, no matter how you want to express your feeling for the one you love, this book cannot be beaten for the ultimate expression of heartfelt sentiments," said Steve Crawley, a spokesman for 101 Wedding Vows.
101 Wedding Vows is written by Les White. Recently married himself, he knows how very important that special day is and how everything needs to be just right. It can be very nerve wracking sitting down trying to pour your heart onto paper. Or even if you just want to write a humorous, fun or light hearted vow, while still trying to portray the right message to your husband/wife to be. Because Les knows that the process can be very time consuming, not to mention rather stressful during the whole wedding planning process he decided to write this book, for everyone who knows how they feel about the person they are going to marry, but at the same time is having trouble expressing it in words. This book is for all those people.
"Our reviewers have thoroughly examined and checked the services offered by 101 Wedding Vows and are fully satisfied with their complete range of services. This amazingly valuable work has been divided into 8 comprehensive sections that cover every type of marriage vow that you could ever need to use. From Gods words, to humor, to truly international vows there is something for everyone in 101 Wedding Vows," said Andy West, of Review Place.
Review Place is a leading provider of editorial and consumer based reviews on thousands of products and services. Review Place rates and reviews everything from weight loss programs to employment services to online dating sites. Review Place's goal is simple: they want to save you time and money by providing quality information on the issues that impact your life.
To find out more about 101 Wedding Vows and other related services, including descriptions, testimonials, and product reviews, please visit Review Place's Wedding Vows & Poetry (www.reviewplace.com/cat-304-Weddings--Vows-Poetry.html) category on the web.
About the Author
Andy West is a freelance writer and a marketing communications specialist for MediaChoice, Inc. MediaChoice is a search engine marketing company which owns and operates http://www.RatingZone.com and http://www.ReviewPlace.com
