Who does Rikk look more like...

[Nabiki_neumann]

But that begs the question, is sleeping with Alison? (A sin, I mean) They are "married" in what sense, that they made vows and exchanged rings? He calls her "wife" to his friends but "girlfriend" to his parents.

Now, I'm not condemning Rikk for this -- I did similar things and worse before I was married -- but... that's a <i>chink</i> my friend!

I hold to the idea that Rikk was earnest in his proposal of marriage and Alisin was horny and purposfully misunderstood, not being one to get into ceremony. Rikk, too, was a hornball and let it carry him away. Having 'done the deed' it would have broken his male self-image/mind to think of their union as anything less that valid. Thus the vicious cycle. Alisin is his weak spot in his faith and in his Rikk-ness, imho. Guys are just so like this, feh. Gotta love 'em, huh?

[AntiEntropy]

On 2002-03-14 11:48, Vitriol wrote:
Marriage was originally secular; proests were asked to bless the couples later, and soon took over. Rikk meant his vows (though Alison may not have done...) before himself and God, and that's all that really matters.

I don't think that the Oops! strip has any sins at all; they're married, so what they do is up to them. Actually, you could claim that both Alison and Rikk's mum are sinning by being out in public without headwear; it's especially forbidden for women to uncover their head in church. Also, you could make a case that Rikk's Dad is sinning by entering the church with poor eyesight.

...but not much of one.

Rikk and Alison are in a de facto marriage, I agree, and as long as they don't sleep with other people, I don't think they're sinning. But they're also not being very wise.

Can Rikk claim Alison on his taxes? No, because he's not legally married. Can he instroduce Alison to his pastor or parents as his wife? No, because he's not religiously married.

So you can have the last word if you want, 'cuz I'm done! Hey, no hard feelings, right?

[SKJAM!]

I note that Rikk *did* discuss his situation vis-a-vis Alisin with his pastor before he made his decision. So we may presume it's not entirely without church blessing.

Also, since Alisin is described as Rikk's "common-law wife" in the official descriptions, we may presume that Billberg is in a state that recognizes common-law marriages. For it to go from de facto to de jure, they simply have to live openly as husband and wife for a certain length of time (usually six months, IIRC.)

I'm also pretty sure that Rikk's parents know the score as of the end of the ring saga, since I seem to recall them being in earshot when he said "wife" to Jones on the phone.

Speaking of the official descriptions, today we've seen the first of the "impulses" Meighan is said to act on...and I don't think Alisin knows what she's started there.

SKJAM!
"Say the name, feel the power!"

[Blanc]

http://www.faans.com/d/20000927.html

[Nabiki_neumann]

Hey, wait, isn't that the way T's supposed to communicate his message to us? Are you trying to usurp his powers? lol

[Maccabee]

Welcome to Blanc and SKjam!

Oh, and just as a side note-- according to my Roman history professor, the Empire was only about 1/3 Christian when Constantine took over. The various Christian sects were growing rapidly, but Christianity was still a minority faith being given special privileges because the guy in charge was a follower.

I don't recall what percentage of the population was Christian when Theodosius banned all other religions a few generations later.

Maccabee

[Ray Radlein]

On 2002-03-14 17:45, SKJAM! wrote:
I note that Rikk *did* discuss his situation vis-a-vis Alisin with his pastor before he made his decision. So we may presume it's not entirely without church blessing.

Also, since Alisin is described as Rikk's "common-law wife" in the official descriptions, we may presume that Billberg is in a state that recognizes common-law marriages. For it to go from de facto to de jure, they simply have to live openly as husband and wife for a certain length of time (usually six months, IIRC.)

In some states, such as South Carolina, there is actually no stated minimum period -- a fact with which I am intimately acquainted from my years in college, mumblemumble years ago.

I have a great understanding of where Rikk is coming from in this. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he will never regret it, whatever may happen, because he is a Believer; and one of the many things he believes in is The Power of Love.

I'm also pretty sure that Rikk's parents know the score as of the end of the ring saga, since I seem to recall them being in earshot when he said "wife" to Jones on the phone.

Ooooh. I had forgotten about that. They were still pretty distracted by Alisin's ring at the time, so maybe they didn't hear him. On the other hand, the fact that he was willing to say it out loud kind of implies that he wasn't trying to hide it from them any more.




_________________

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Strom Thurmond Congress wagh'nagl fhtagn.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ray Radlein on 2002-03-14 22:39 ]</font>

[AntiEntropy]

On 2002-03-14 19:42, Maccabee wrote:
Welcome to Blanc and SKjam!

Oh, and just as a side note-- according to my Roman history professor, the Empire was only about 1/3 Christian when Constantine took over. The various Christian sects were growing rapidly, but Christianity was still a minority faith being given special privileges because the guy in charge was a follower.

I don't recall what percentage of the population was Christian when Theodosius banned all other religions a few generations later.

Maccabee

Yes I agree, although some are suspicious of Constantine's "conversion". Rome was in decline and he could read the writing on the wall so he picked a religion that would put him in good graces with the masses. But I guess we're point is that it was only 1/3 of the population? I think "growing rapidly" is the key. Christianity was on the rise and he wanted to ride the wave of popularity.

I hope I'm wrong and he conversion was true, it's just that those emperors were known for being pretty politically astute. And it was around this time that Christianity turned and started becoming the very thing Jesus had preached against. It wasn

[Maccabee]

I admire the military skill of the early Maccabees and the nationalist resistance to imperialism resonates with me. My image of the Maccabees comes mostly from Howard Fast's novel My Glorious Brothers, and that's what he emphasised. I love Fast's stuff. Besides, I owe all those Channukkah presents to them.

My rabbi probably doesn't like it when I refer to Channukkah as "a celebration of a PLO movement that succeeded" though.

Besides, I had an RPG character who was an Israeli Defense Forces veteran who called himself "Maccabee."

Ironically enough, I was a classical civ minor at W&M and have a lot of sympathy for the Maccabees' rivals, the Sadducee faction.

Maccabee

[Alisin]

On 2002-03-13 21:50, joshlamont wrote:
though i would ask, what exactly makes a marriage? what of the the early peoples? were their marriages illigitimate simply because they had no priest to pronounce them married?<p>if rick and alison exchanged vows, then those vows are just as binding as if they were sworn on a bible in church before God and the public. it doesn't matter where you swear

Actually, there is a ceremony called Handfasting in Celtic cultures, by which the bride to be and groom to be exchange vows. They have to hold to those vows for a year and a day, and renew them after that.

It's a binding contract as good as a marriage and all children coming from a handfasting were legitimate.

If it didn't work out between the couple, the children were taken care of by their families, according to the "pre nup" agreements.