Works for me. You know how much I appreciate a good mental workout. And those that don't really debate, or seem incapable of it? Well, thanks to you I now know how to put them on ignore so I can enjoy those that do have good discussion and debating skills.

Welcome to the forums Alicorn!

What part of Illinois do you live in? My wife is from the Robinson - Palestine Illinois area.

OD, you'd be so surprised to know just how much many of the rituals in a handfasting are actually used within the non-Pagan rituals of marriage. The marriage wreath (Jewish tradition), the wedding flowers, the ring, the breaking of glass, throwing of rice, and even the 'carrying across the threashold'. All are actually pagan practices.

About the only thing left out of a handfasting is the 'honor and obey' in regards to the woman subjecting herself to the man. In a handfasting, both are equal partners, and must equally honor one another. But the woman obeying the husband is considered slavery, not a true union. Afterall, the man is the representation of the male aspect of the Divine, as the woman is the feminine aspect of the Divine as well.

Then there is the one big thing, that causes non-Pagans to sneer at and is perhaps one of the reasons they consider it 'not a real marriage'...A handfasting also allows for SSM, because it isn't the gender of the partners that determine the relationship...But the joining of two halves that complete one another on more then just the physical level.

I'm on the other side of the river from St. Louis. About 30 minute drive from downtown St. Louis to be exact.

And thanks for the welcome. (((HUGZ)))

Does paganism allow polygamous handfastings?

And I soooo appreciate it. ((((HUGZ))))

Welcome, I was just reading about handfasting. I thought how it was only for a year to start was interesting....There would be much less divorce if you could take marriage out for a test drive don't you think (for the people that don't think things through, and jump right in)

Again Welcome

Typically, those type of handfastings are not the norm. It's a neo-Pagan tradition, not a mainstream Pagan practice. A mainstream Pagan handfasting recognizes such unions as permenant ones, not 'test drives'.

But hey, if the neo-Pagan one is what a couple wants...Who am I to tell them they can't?

One thing you have to realize is that currently in the US, the handfasting ceremony isn't included in the religiously protected forms of religious ceremonies. In the majority of cases (except for a couple of state counties in the east), on whole handfasting isn't recognized unless a civil union ceremony is also included prior to the handfasting ceremony itself.

And the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are'nt a protected species either

Wonder why?

Hey, Ali!!! Good to see ya!