http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003 On Saturday, October 13th, Jeanea Irvin was <a href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20071015_Chester__Philly_murder_cases_may_be_linked__police_say.html">shot to death</a> on the streets of Chester, PA. Although the violent murder was (sadly) in itself not all that exceptional, what came after has developed into a religious controversy. Irvin's husband, Timothy A. Boyer, is Muslim, and wished to bury his wife in an Islamic ceremony. Irvin's parents, who are Christian, wished for a en-us Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:16:57 EST Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:19:40 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#8 <i>So, it's essentially based in convenience?</i><br> <p><br> A combination of convenience and basic civil rights concerns.  There are some advantages (like making medical decisions, for example) that we <i>only</i> give to spouses and parents.   Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:19:40 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#7 That's an interesting point that I've not heard before. So, it's essentially based in convenience? Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:03:56 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#6 <blockquote><i>I can see how they could have made an honest mistake</i></blockquote>That's why it's always good to have a checklist so you don't leave out a step. Here's what my checklist said:<p> <blockquote><tt>I. Requirements for an American to Marry in Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:12:07 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#5 <i>A certificate signed by the officiant was then forwarded back to the state as verification.</i> At a (Protestant) wedding in Pennsylvania where I served as a best man, the bride and groom had to get the wedding license before the ceremony, but they a Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:19:26 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#4 <i>This case, however, was complicated by the fact that while Irvin and Boyer had taken vows in a Muslim religious ceremony, they had not yet filed the legal paperwork to get an official marriage license from the state.</i><p> I've been to Catholic, Jewish Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:57:08 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#3 There are two questions here:  first, "Should anyone be allowed to form a legal domestic partnership?", and second, "Is there any advantage to having this institution if anyone is allowed to enter into it?"  I think the answer is "yes" to both qu Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:14:58 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#2 I agree completely. But then that raises issues how about how inclusive should secular marriage be? And if it's all inclusive, why bother having it, not just removing marriage from legal discourse? Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:54:58 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/10/20/13481/003#1 This sucks for Boyer, but the judge made the right decision, without a doubt.  This is why we should have two separate institutions - religious marriage (which has no force of law, but can be carried out with whatever restrictions your particular chur Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:10:41 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/