Sacramento County, California has abandoned efforts to keep God out of some weddings, according to
a recent article. According to Brad Dacus of the Pacific Justice Institute, his client Manuel Zamorano wished to preside over a relative's wedding, and the Sacramento County registrar's office offered him permission to do so. However, Zamorano was shocked when officials informed him that he could not mention God during the cermony, because the permit came from a government department. He received instructions from the county which included the statement, "You may use any ceremony of your choice as long as the ceremony does not have any religious connotations."
Dacus' firm sent a demand letter to the agency explaining that Zamorano's First Amendment rights were violated. Dacus explains that the decision about whether or not to have a religious-based ceremony should be up to the couple, not the government.
After receiving Dacus' letter, the agency rescinded their former policy, realizing that they couldn't censor God out of individuals' weddings.
Do you think God, or any religious references for that matter, should be mentioned at civil wedding ceremonies?
Comments (1)
I'm confused. The couple wanted a religious civil wedding? Isn't the point of a civil wedding that it is not religious?