What do you think of having a Spritual Wedding instead of a Legally Binding Wedding?

I don't think this is a good idea. there are so many things you can't do if you aren't legally married. The eyes of god is great, but legally there are reasons you need to get properly married.

If you can't legally commit, you're not ready to commit.

True if you look at it in that sense. But you can always lie to doctors and say that your legally there spouse, right? I'm already married, I just thought the idea was interesting!!

I love the idea! But like Crystal said you have to think about the world we live in....You can do both

What's the point??? You would have no legal rights to your "spiritual spouse"...and when it comes down to living in this society, the law rules...

Heck no, he has a much better health insurance plan and I fully intend to collect on his SS benies when he kicks the bucket :p

Why would you want to have to lie about being their spouse? I don't see any reason why you would not want to be legally married if you are "spiritually" married. There are so many aspects that are affected when you are legally married.

If your husband dies, do his parents get the house and his belongings? If he has a medical injury and he cannot speak for himself, who gets to make important medical decisions for him? Are you going to do your taxes separately? If he leaves you for a stripper, and takes all of the money with him what rights do you have?

Anyways, they probably did it that way in the stone age because that was how marriage was done. In those days they didn't have a government that needed to have their marriage certificate on file. If you got married in the church then you would be recognized as being married.

True Rachel L, but listen...If you to have a legal right over your partner, you can always get 'Power of Attorney', something like that. I don't know about all those legal terms, but theirs ways around it, I know!

LMBO @Carrie

Just seems more complicated to be spiritually married then legally married. Makes more sense to be both.

IMHO, "weddings" are for spiritual fulfillment (whether it be christianity or not). You don't need a white dress, flowers, a party, or any of that to be legally married. You don't even need wedding rings. That is all part of a kind of symbolic or spiritual ceremony.
The legal side of marraige is important, but it's important for legal reasons as mentioned above. Similar to that would be a domestic partner (which you also have to legally register for). Having "just" a ceremony does not make it legally binding so if you are looking for the legal benefits of marriage or to be recognized as a married person, you have to go through the legal process.

This cold is driving me crazy!! I agree w/both sides!!

Jim Morrison allegedly had a second wife.. they had some pagan ceremony, no legal documents. Think they were married? Nope. In their minds, they were.

I feel like that would just set you up for a world of problems later down the road. The spiritual aspect of a marriage is very important (for those who believe in it, obviously). For that reason, our ceremony will definitely be religious/spiritual/etc. But it will also be legal.

Amen Crystal.

I'm sorry to even think it..but if god forbid my DH got into a horrible accident....I know his wack a doo mother would fight me tooth and nail for his medical decisions. B ut thanks to our legal marriage....she has no say.

You never know what the future holds. I say do it legally. Or maybe do the spiritual thing now and make it legal with a justice of peace. That only takes a few minutes and doesn't cost much. That way you can have the spiritual wedding you wish for and still be legally married.

Legalis also important if there are kids involved. It's for their protection as well. And while power of attorney might work, at that point you're already in the legal system so why not just get the certificate?

Well for the world we live in, legal marriage is a requirement and my religion talks about obeying the laws of the land. From where I come from people do both, go to church and after the priest pronounces you man and wife(spiritual) you sign the certificate(legal). I have not heard of people just doing the spiritual alone but I know the non religious people sometimes do just the legal.

The whole point is doing what works where you are, (un)fortunately here on earth--a certificate is what counts not a picture of a priest praying for you.

LOL

Good thing we came such a long way from the stone age!

Although God's outlook is important to those with strong religious values, in meantime we live in the world where the outlook of the law make a difference as well.