The first phrase in the title of this post is a question asked at the end of this short video. After you watch it, maybe you’ll agree. If you click on this link, you will see a very cute picture and the video:
I know this is a very serious subject. But I can’t refrain from sharing this humorous part of a movie called “The Princess Bride” that deals with marriage. “Buttercup” is being forced to marry “Prince Humperdink.” The priest doing the ceremony is quite the character. What he says is actually good. It’s the way he says it that, if you are in a mood, may get a giggle out of you. We could all use a good laugh these days.
Why a post about marriage? Well, today is my 32nd wedding anniversary. Have you read Proverbs 31? It describes a Godly wife. Somehow, 32 years ago, a 22-year-old-know-little married a young lady similar to the one described in Proverbs 31. I have been very blessed.
There are mixed feelings. As I checked Flickr for a good photo to accompany this post, sadly many were of homosexuals getting “married.” The fact that almost every decent picture was copy written tells me that marriage is still important to some. I had to take my own picture.
You don’t need me to tell you that we live in contradictory times. We have some of the best health care the world has ever known, yet we kill the unborn. We are supposedly evolving into something better, at the same time, all appearances make it look like we are as we have always been: sinners. Advances in technology screeeeeeem forward. Ethical standards lurrrrrrrrrrrrrch backward. There is a scripture that makes me think we are nearing the second coming of our Lord.
It is:
Wings of the Wind 
Chris, enjoyed the “marriage” of Humperdink and Buttercup. Although it is a flick it is somewhat prophetic; or in keeping with the humor of the flick- pathetic. A priest performing a ceremony in which he obviously sees “Union” based not on love, but on a forced union which is false.
There is an unmistakable similarity between then and now. Same sex marriage and men of God who performs immoral unions.
We are facing a test, will men of God say no, or perform that which they know to be sin. Some may have to step down. Watcha think?
I think that many will step down, eventually. If things continue to go in the direction that Gary’s podcast describes, a true man of God will have to take a stand.
On good ole Priest-Know-Nothing, I don’t think he has a clue that the marriage is forced. Does that make him any better than a priest like the one you see? A close second, maybe.
Your point about an unmistakeable similarity is a very good one. How many “men of God” have performed marriage ceremonies where they had no clue as to the belief of those they were joining?
My first year as a Lutheran school teacher, the pastor asked me to play my guitar and sing a few Christian songs for a wedding. I left school in the middle of the day, traveled with the pastor to some hill in San Francisco, and waited as two people showed up in limos to get married. I may be wrong (as I often am), but I thought the marriage looked like it had been arranged for financial reasons. I had never seen these people in our church.
Wish I could take that one back.