The Department of Defense has announced that military chaplains can officiate at same-sex marriages “on or off a military installation,” even using Defense Department property to do so. Do you see this as a federal endorsement of same-sex marriage?
September 30, 2011
Is this a federal endorsement of same-sex marriage?
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Politics, Same-sex Marriage[8] Comments
Thinking to Believe 
September 30, 2011 at 10:00 am
Yup. And it’s about time.
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September 30, 2011 at 10:21 am
I really think situations like this brings out the paranoia in people. I don’t see this as the Federal government endorsing same-sex marriage as much as it endorsing equality for American citizens and American servicemen. I seriously think our society, in certain quarters, is way too focused on seeing menace in every shadow and boogeymen in every closet, when reality is not so dark. Why should same-sex marriage have any bearing and effect on heterosexual marriage and the structure of society and the military? Relax and let people be themselves and enjoy our GOD given inalienable rights and pursuit of happiness. America is not a Theocracy.
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September 30, 2011 at 10:36 am
By “equality” you seem to mean everyone who wants to get marriage benefits and have their relationship declared a “marriage” should be able to do so. If the government is truly interested in that kind of equality, then why not grant marriages to all who seek them? Why should we prohibit one man from marrying two women in a group marriage? Why prohibit an adult brother and sister from marrying each other if they desire to do so? Where is equality for them?
The theocracy card you have played is ridiculous. Those who argue against same-sex marriage are no more trying to establish a theocracy than those who argue for it are trying to establish an atheistic society. It’s irrelevant. This is a matter of public policy, and all viewpoints are welcome to debate it.
But none of this is related to the post. The question isn’t about paranoia or the morality of same-sex marriage. The question is whether or not this move by the DOD constitutes a tacit approval of same-sex marriage from the feds.
Jason
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September 30, 2011 at 10:47 pm
I would say yes, in that, on the state level, not everyone of the same sex can marry. But should they join the military, a federal institution, regardless of what state they live in (even those prohibiting same sex marriage) they still can, and that marriage (I assume) will still hold true, even when the time of the service is complete and they return to their home state.
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October 1, 2011 at 12:03 am
Aaron,
I didn’t understand the announcement to mean that chaplains can marry people in the military, regardless of the state law. Quoting from the DOD website: “The Stanley memo on military chaplains states that ‘a military chaplain may participate in or officiate any private ceremony, whether on or off a military installation, provided that the ceremony is not prohibited by applicable state and local law.'”
Jason
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October 1, 2011 at 2:08 am
That somewhat clears things up.
So a chaplain can only marry two people of the same sex so long as they are not military/Dod personnel, and so long as the state in which said marriage is to occur does not outlaw same sex marriage?
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October 1, 2011 at 9:14 am
Aaron,
As I understand it, it is referring to both military personnel and non-military personnel, but admittedly, the memo is brief and it’s not entirely clear.
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March 23, 2014 at 3:13 pm
I really think the government needs to get out and stay out of the marriage issue. The government’s proper place is to issue marriage licences and not be concerned as to the genders of the two being married. In fact, a marriage is a religious union and institution and by definition should be separate from the State. The alternative is a Civil Union, which short of the religious concerns, should be treated no different by the State than a marriage. The State simply issues the appropriate license and insures all legal and personal rights issues are equal and protected and enforced.
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