Marry you, I will: Jedi strike back over weddings criticism
By Tony Hudson
Jedi groups have struck back against a Scottish church who called the idea of a legally accepted Jedi wedding "completely nonsensical".
The Free Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian denomination, had spoken out in opposition to a bill currently being debated in the Scottish legislature to expand the institution of marriage.
Now a senior Jedi has hit back by insisting there is a legitimate place in society for Jedi weddings.
Writing for Politics.co.uk, Rev Michael 'Akkarin' Kitchen of the Temple of the Jedi Order dismissed the criticisms and argued in favour of expanding the institution of marriage.
"The Free Church of Scotland should not feel that the integrity they see in marriage is being reduced by allowing other, lesser known, groups perform the ceremony," he wrote.
"The importance is the connection between the people taking part, not the religious affiliations of the minister presiding over it.
"The more people there are to promote and support the love and care between individuals the better."
The marriage and civil partnership bill aims to legalise gay marriage in Scotland.
Free Church spokesman Rev Iver Martin flippantly grouped the Jedi in with the Flat Earth Society in his response to the proposed bill.
"There are loads of people in a diverse society like this for whom belief can mean virtually anything – the Flat Earth Society and Jedi Knights Society – who knows?" he told the BBC.
"I am not saying that we don't give place to that kind of personal belief, but when you start making allowances for marriages to be performed within those categories then you are all over the place."
While Jedi knights in the Star Wars universe are not allowed to marry, Jedi groups in the UK have objected to the characterisation of their wedding ceremonies as unworthy of legal recognition.
The emphasis on love is shared by other Jedi groups who have come out against the Free Church and mirrors the sentiment of a young Anakin Skywalker: "You might say we are encouraged to love."
