Today I got the announcement from a fellow brother in Christ of his upcoming wedding.
In it he made the the mysterious and very ritualistic sounding comment "I presented her with a ring and she accepted the bride price."
This odd sounding comment made me wonder, where does this brother's mind actually come from? Is it from the Bible? If so, then it would come from the Law of Moses which we are not to follow. "Bride price, also known as bride wealth, is an amount of money or property or wealth paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their daughter to the groom." (wikipedia: URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_price) "The practice of the bride price is referred to in the Bible, in the Old Testament. Exodus 22:16-17 says:
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 similarly states:
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
"
Since I don't believe there was a rape, or a consensual act/series of sexual relations, then it surely can't be this. Although this is the part of the Bible speak of a "Bride Price" it certainly does not go to the bride, but rather to the father.
It can't be rabbinical law since we shun that completely. Hmmmm.
Maybe it's mormon?
Over the years I have heard various people come out with some really random things. Maybe this is just another random thing about marriage.
Strange.
Best of luck my brother.
