Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: Did they have an atheist wedding?

[cbayer]

http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2014/08/28/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-atheist-wedding/

Chris Stedman | Aug 28, 2014


Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the Cannes film festival in 2007.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the Cannes film festival in 2007. Photo by Georges Biard, via Wikimedia Commons.
Unless you’ve somehow avoided today’s celebrity news flood, you’ve probably heard that Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married in France last weekend.

(Never mind that Pitt said in 2006 that the couple would “consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.”)

For many, this announcement is an opportunity to peer into the private lives of two famous people. And I won’t deny that I too indulge in celebrity news on occasion.

But the news of their wedding actually got me wondering about the ceremony itself: Who officiated it? What rituals did they use? Was there music?

- See more at: http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2014/08/28/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-atheist-wedding/#sthash.GVYFa1G9.dpuf

[Live and Learn]

1. Not even sure why I clicked on this thread. Why would anyone care? nt

[cbayer]

2. I can understand that. I posted it for a couple of reasons.

First, I really like these two. They have done some really great recovery work in New Orleans. They have done it in a low key and very effective way that has benefitted others while not promoting themselves.

Secondly, I really like the author of this, Chris Stedman, and I enjoyed reading his thoughts on this.

I am generally highly avoidant of celebrities in general, but this one interested me.

[Live and Learn]

3. I agree that they have done some admirable things.

I also like both of them. Their getting married is of slight newsworthiness given their celebrity but whatever religious affiliations they have or don't have really doesn't seem of the least importance (at least to me).

[cbayer]

4. Chris Stedman is an atheist and also a humanist chaplain.

He has a lot of interest in non-religious weddings, which this most certainly was. That's something that is sometimes discussed in this group and there is interest and support.

[Live and Learn]

5. Okay. Not something that really interests me and still don't get the relevance but

since it is a group, okay.

[trotsky]

7. When cbayer declares something can be discussed, then it can be discussed.

If she declares it off-limits, then you need to shut up about it. Pretty simple. Glad we have her here!

[trotsky]

6. WTF is an atheist wedding?

There are religious weddings, and there are secular weddings. Religious people can get married in secular weddings. Nonreligious people can get married in religious weddings. (I should know, because I did.) You don't have to believe in a magic spell to have the signed legal document carry the same weight.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. Marriage is a civil contract legally. Religion doesn't need to enter into it.

I don't know why anyone would care. They both do a lot of charity work with their money.

One of my marriages was in a Unitarian church. I told the minister "No prayers". He was down with that. No problem.

This particular church has an iron sculpture on the wall front and center of a flock of birds flying, instead of an ancient Roman torture device.