Atheists prohibited to officiate at weddings

I think that it is absurd that "atheists" can't perform weddings. Plenty of people who do get married aren't religious. What's next? People who marry are required to belong to a religious group?

Separation of Church and state.

That is one of the beauties of this country. Although, now the separation of church and state is nothing but a joke. People should take our fundamentals more seriously. And should observe them with more care.

I stand on the alter of the ONE! Then I poke religion with a pointed stick.

I didn't expect Nevada of all places to have such a restriction, but you never know.

The Constitution clearly prohibits "law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". Yes, the establishment clause.

This is retarded, because if two atheists were to get married why should they be forced to conduct a religious ceremony?

Secular weddings are a completely good alternative. I went to one in New York...

And no, I'm sorry but marriage is not a "religious thing." Marriage is not just ceremonial, its a legal status and atheists should have the right to be married without undergoing a religious ceremony...

*Phew* Good thing I joined the "Magic Mushrooms Church of Satanic Sodomizers" long ago.

Don't worry this law will be deemed unconstitutional faster than you can say "shpdoinkle".

A marriage is a marriage is a marriage, be it a gay couple straight couple religious couple etc.

an atheist should be able to preside, and if the couple does not want an atheist to preside over their wedding, they should just get someone else to officiate.

I dont see why their should be any problem. Let the couples choose and their is no problem, why do lawmakers take our ability to choose away?

People have no respect for marriage. Allow Atheist to add more to the no respect...what difference does it make?

We have to think about things in a modern context. I see so many people commenting on how marriage is a "religious thing"- no it's not! No matter how things started out or what the function of institutions used to be, they have changed drastically today. There are plenty of non-religious people (like myself!!!) who want to get married without any religious ritual.

Marriage isn't for everyone, but everyone should have the choice to marry whom they please with the ceremony and officiants of their choice.

is this an issue only in nevada?

Well, if you think about it...atheists don't technically believe in religious things...one of them being marriage. I think either this guy wants to make money from marrying people or he's not really an atheist.

"Why would atheists want to officiate weddings"- Er, probably the same reason anyone else would want to. I'm about to get married and I have to pick someone to marry me...

you know, I hadn't even really thought about it! Who CAN marry me that is not a religious figure?

Marriage is just as big of a joke as religion.

I welcome this discrimination.

Why would atheists want to officiate at weddings?

It's a symbolism of loyalty right?

Except that so many in our society currently make a joke out of it anyway.

Having everyone get Civil Unions instead doesn't seem like a bad idea, because it should make no difference behavior-wise, which is the whole purpose.

You don't have to be a theist to get married (do you?), so why must you be one to officiate?

If there's some magical thinking behind this ("it's not a true marriage unless everyone believes in God!" or something), then that'll only lead to greater problems.

mojojuju you have in your muddled way hit exactly on what the issue is: forcing marriage to be predicated on religious belief. Marriage is just as much contract and business today as it is the "joining" of two souls. So forcing people without religious beliefs or affiliations to choose between the legal and financial benefits of marriage or being forced to observe religious beliefs they do not share is an injustice. That is what the French have recognized in their laws. The law is the states business and religion is the church's.

It is not required to be a member of any religion in order to be a judge or magistrate. Therefore, poison monkey breath, tell me again where it requires you to be a member of a religion to marry some one. Do you think that in small towns where there is only one justice of the peace or magistrate that they first inquire as to his religious affiliation prior to requesting him to officiate? There are many people who believe in god who are not a member or believer in any particular religion. See unitarians which is a religion with no particular religious belief. I will guarantee you if you were required to be married by a person affiliated with a religion that armies of lawyers representing the ACLU and atheists would already filing away. Thats the whole point of a civil ceremony.

Oh, the atheists are bitching about something again.

Now that all of the world's problems are solved, the atheists are complaining that they cannot officiate weddings and perhaps other traditionally religious rituals like circumcisions.

Here's an idea, just start a religion. It will get you in the Las Vegas marriage business faster than bitching will. Plus you get to have bake sales, rummage sales, a weekly collection plate - and you don't have to pay taxes!

When will we ever learn this marriage thing is an exclusive gig for religions. Keep trying too break the monopoly it's worth the try.

Actually there is a bit of money to be made many ministers run a side business marrying people they have had no prior contact with mostly due to this stupid law. If you arent a member or attendee of a church you have to pay someone to marry you.

People think they're going to find God in church. The early monotheists found that there can be no name to call all that is everything. They said - There's no "God", only one big namelessness. They said the minute you put a name on it, you make it into a little figment of your suddenly little imagination - you begin chasing your own small notions.
People going to church is like trying to find God in a gopher-hole. You've got to drop religion completely if you ever hope to find what you're looking for.

You gotta get your head out of the gopher-hole. Or you're forever stuck looking the wrong way.

Noone has ever ask me to produce a marriage certificate. just move in. Get a certificate and find a Sea captain, Lawyer or a secular friend to sign the paper. Perhaps a notary public can sign. Love is between the two people not between the church and people and once moving in together the marriage is complete. Show the signed paper if ever necessary. As for an officiator, is it a problem? There is not that much money to be made in weddings to make a big deal over it. It is sacred only when the people in the union make it sacred.

In France the Gov doesnt regognize a religious marriage. If you want to be married in a religious ceremony you must also be married in a civil ceremony by a magistrate prior for it to be legal. That is because they understand the difference between a religious committment and a civil union recognized by the state. This whole issue is because of religious mumbo jumbo spouted by the church which doesnt make any sense since you can be married by ship captains, judged, magistrates and other civil officers of the government.

What does it matter/ A union is between two people. The government has no business in determing if marriage is a religious affair or not. The government is a house of corrupt legal idiots, whose prime concern is making money from everything. If two people want to get marriage they just move in together. Is there no provision for a secular or common law marriage? Then it should be for the couple go to a state or city that will give them a marriage certificate performed by a secular person such as a jusice of peace. And to perform a Secular marriage, get a certificate from another state. Nevada is forcing religion on people and this is not legal by the constitution, that prohibits forcing religion on anyone.

Christians are some of the most intolerant and discriminatory people around, as exemplified by many of the responses here, so this doesn't surprise me in the slightest

The hypocrisy is quite amusing, really..

Well let's seee-
We notice we're alive, there are colors, we see it is bigger than we are - and then we step right into stupid. We decide that we can specify the structure we are in and construct an elaborate abstract picture that we call a cosmology. We think the world is flat, we have goats and being complete egotists, we think "God" created this world just for us so that we'll live longer that our allotted time.
Then we find out the Universe is far larger than all the cosmologies painted up in all the religious books put together - but that won't make a dent! Not with us. We gotta have it our way. - Even though our way (our picture of God) is so completely small, so insipid that anyOne who might have the slightest 'higher power' could only see a pack of profoundly stupid, self-centered buffoons yapping to themselves.

This is funny. It's like those laws against spitting and not tying your horse up to the doorknob of City Hall.

Why would an atheist care about a...wait. jahbini has it right you made it easy.

chowmein 1012 First off the bible initailly state that marriage was between a man and many women. Marriage initially was a loveless barter system. All these practices were justified by religious entities. The christian religion corrupted the institution of marriage by instituting god's right to rape a married woman and place god's seed in that woman. Are you going to say she wanted it or didn't mind it? Also, I've never heard of any scientific method being able to prove a negative. I personally believe in a power in the universe that leads to life and positivity, I'm just not so arrogant to appoint said entity human characteristics. Finally, you are an american. In this country the discussion is never over. Y'all put too much power in act of marriage over the being of marriage. The pharisee thought that put your savior on the cross now dominates your religion.

I don't know why it would be that way in Nevada when anyone can be deputized to perform the ceremony in California.

I doesn't really make sense as the article mentioned in "In a city launched by shotgun weddings and quickie divorces, and which offers the chance to be wed by faux Liberaces, King Tuts and Grim Reapers, there remains at least one nuptial taboo: You can't be married by an atheist" so why is it different in California?

How flippant is it to be married by Korean Elvis impersonators? Marriage has evolved over time from an arrangement of property to being able to be performed between people of different races so forget about it being an eternal unchanging institution.

well according to the post.. and nevada law.. you need to belong to a religious group to perform weddings.. so an atheist lawyer would apparently be out of luck .. the easier route would be to join some religion to get the cert.. atheist or not. you can become an ordained minister online.. and they don't need proof of faith for it either.. just the $19.95 or whatever it might cost. works for minnesota state law.. i know of several ordained ministers who did it just to wed their friends... one is gay .. one is an atheist .. yep . .way cheaper and quicker than going to law school just to be able to marry someone ??

as far as atheists loving christmas yet not believing in god.. chistians stole the sacred winter solstice celebration from the pagans .. and much of what capitalism had made of the modern christmas is of it's pagan roots not christianity .. aside from the manger scene of course .. but the tree, holly, mistletoe, the three kings (actually the 3 stars in orions belt) plus the guiding star etc.. it's all pagan. but since atheists are not pagan..which is a religion and has worship of gods.. it's all good.. people aught to be free to enjoy this time of year .. regardless of your beliefs
seasons greetings

I believe Clarence Darrow summed up my feelings when he said this over 87 years ago.

"You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man's freedom. You can only be free if I am free."- Clarence Darrow, Address to the court in People v. Lloyd (1920)

This is absolutely stupid!? Can people THINK for a moment!?

YOU CAN MARRY PEOPLE IF YOU ARE A LAWYER!
YOU CAN MARRY PEOPLE IF YOU ARE A RELIGIOUS FIGURE, BECAUSE IT IS A RELIGIOUS WEDDING!!!!

IF YOU ARE NOT RELIGIOUS LIKE -AN ATHEIST- STUDY TO BE A LAWYER!!!

Atheist people are sometimes behaving in the most stupid way... "I love CHRISTmas, but I believe there is no God, I'm atheist"

Seriously, get a Job, read a freaking book, get some common sense and grow up already.

maybe you can just fill out the form to the effect..
church of the non believer in a god

I find it hard to believe that Las Vegas, of all places, has no such thing as a civil ceremony. Considering they allow most anything else you can think of, this is surely an oversight.

What would happen if two athiests want to get married, and didn't want a religious ceremony? Not permitted? Balderdash.

It is ABSOLUTELY unfair. It is the same type of discrimination that gay people face.

So the question is: does marriage belong to religion or society?

If it is the domain of religion, then we, in the secular society, are not "married" but have some other contract.

I say, give religion the term "marriage" and dump it from our laws. Call ALL such things "civil unions" that the law can recognize. And that must be done to the satisfaction of the civil government.

And those things that religion calls "Marriage?" They are not civil unions.

I say, grandfather all the existing "marriages" into the new concept of "civil unions" and then dump the concept of "Marriage" back on to the churches so they can shape it any way they want. Why? Because it is important to them.