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UK Wedding News

19/03/2013

Marriage Bill Could Allow Jedi To Officiate

The Free Church of Scotland has said proposed changes to marriage could open the way for more groups to marry couples.

According to the BBC, the government has said the changes are relevant to bodies such as humanists, who are currently classed as religious, rather than non-religious.

If changes to the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill were to go ahead, the Free Church of Scotland has voiced concerns about religious and civil partnership ceremonies being joined by a third category. It added that this could therefore allow Star Wars Jedi to perform ceremonies.

Speaking to BBC Alba, Church spokesman, the Reverend Iver Martin, said: "The third category is quite astonishing because it is the so-called belief category without really defining what belief means.

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"There are loads of people in a diverse society like this for whom belief can mean virtually anything - the Flat Earth Society and Jedi Knights Society - who knows?

"I am not saying that we don't give place to that kind of personal belief, but when you start making allowances for marriages to be performed within those categories then you are all over the place."

The Scottish government is holding public consultation on bill. A spokeswoman said: "Our current consultation covers not only the introduction of same sex marriage but also the detail of important protections in relation to religious bodies and celebrants, freedom of speech and education.

"As part of the consultation we have outlined the reason for suggesting a third type of ceremony. At the moment, marriage ceremonies by bodies such as humanists have been classed as religious, even though the beliefs of such organisations are non-religious."

She added that the bill showed the government's determination to ensure the reputation of Scottish ceremonies would be protected.

She explained: "We are proposing the introduction of tests which a religious or belief body would have to meet before they could be authorised to solemnise marriage."

The Flat Earth Society encourages discussion on a theory that the Earth is a flat disk, centred at the North Pole. While Jedi knights are characters in the Star Wars franchise and there are various groups which promote interest in the Jedi. One of these is the Jedi Knight Society, which offers lessons from Master Yoda.

(JP)

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"The Free Church of Scotland has said proposed changes to marriage could open the way for more groups to marry couples."