Don’t let Jedi Knights hold weddings - Free Church

The Free Church of Scotland has suggested the Scottish Government’s plans to create a third category of marriage could lead to Jedi Knights or members of the Flat Earth Society officiating at weddings.

With consultation on the redefinition of marriage in Scotland drawing to a close this week, the denomination denounced the proposals as “completely nonsensical”.

Repeating its opposition to gay marriage, the Free Church said the Scottish Government’s bid to establish “belief” ceremonies alongside religious and civil ones could raise the prospect of Jedi knights holding ceremonies.

In the 2011 Census, around 14,000 Scots named their religion as Jedi, inspired by characters from the fictional Star Wars films.

The Free Church’s comments came in response to the consultation on the redefinition of marriage.

A spokesman said: “The proposal to create a third category of belief marriage ceremony alongside the current religious and civil ones is an indication of the increasing confusion that we can expect in the coming months and years. Humanists are already able to perform marriages under the religious category and we see no reason why this should not continue.

“Instead we are faced with the Scottish Government seeking to create a new category for something which already happens under the current system, which is completely nonsensical.”

The spokesman added: “We would also question whether this category only includes humanists or will it allow for any belief? Could the Jedi Knights or members of the Flat Earth Society be registered as belief celebrants?

“We believe that once the legislation is passed, the issues and complications will not go away.”

In its response to the second consultation on the redefinition of marriage, the Free Church also set out its opposition to same-sex marriage.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Our current consultation covers not only the introduction of same-sex marriage but also the detail of important protections in relation to religious bodies and celebrants, freedom of speech and education.

“As part of the consultation, we have outlined the reason for suggesting a third type of ceremony. At the moment, marriage ceremonies by bodies such as humanists have been classed as religious, even though the beliefs are non-religious.

“It also makes clear that we are determined to ensure the continued reputation of Scottish marriage ceremonies. We are proposing the introduction of tests which a religious or belief body would have to meet before they could be authorised to solemnise marriage.”

The Jedi Knight helped hero Luke Skywalker defeat Darth Vader using “the good of the Force”.