Two Kinds of Marriage

September 3, 1991
                                                    
Marriage under God                      Marriage under a State


All people receive life through       All entities receive their
the creative acts of God.               existence as legal persons
                                                      through the creative acts of
                                                      the State Legislature.

Marriage is an organic                    Marriage is a legal status
relationship designed by God.        defined by the State
                                                       Legislature.

The parties considering                  The parties considering
marriage are accountable               marriage are accountable
directly to God as free adults,         directly to the State if aged
or accountable through a                18 or over, or if younger
father or other guardian.                 through a State-
                                                        appointed Guardian.

Permission to marry is                      Those aged 18 or over
received from God, or from a            receive permission or
father or guardian.                           license to marry directly
                                                         from a State Official.

Commitments are made to God,       Commitments are made to
in the presence of witnesses.           the State and to each
                                                         other.

Commitments are confirmed by        Commitments are
witnesses.  The presence of a          confirmed by a State
church official is optional.                  Official.

The married parties are                     The married parties are
committed to obey the will of             committed to obey the
God as written in the Holy                 will of the State as
Scriptures.                                         written in the State
                                                          Statutes.

The married parties form an              The married parties form
organic union.                                   a legal partnership.

The husband is head of the              Husband and wife are
marital union.                                    equals in the
                                                         partnership.

Children belong to God.  His             Children belong to the
law controls their status,                  State.  State law controls
relationships, training, and               their status,
education.                                         relationships, training,
                                                         and education.

Final human responsibility for           Final responsibility for
children is entrusted to fathers.       children is entrusted to
                                                         State Officials.

Divorce is unusual and permitted      Divorce is common and
only in cases of adultery.                  permitted for many
                                                          reasons.

In cases of death or divorce,             In cases of death or
children remain under the                  divorce, children remain
authority of their father or his            under the authority of
family successor.                                State Officials.