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Woman Marries Dog

woman marries dog

For many years, humans and canines have had a special bond. Whether we delight in a friend to walk with or a warm ball of fur to cuddle on the couch with, dogs can bring us comfort, laughter, and joy when no one else can. On March 11, 2014, Britain’s ITV’s This Morning featured an interview titled, “woman marries dog.” This was met with laughter and disbelief, but according to Amanda Rogers, the connection between herself and her furry friend is much deeper than anyone could imagine.

A Deep Connection

Amanda Rogers married her dog, Sheba, in Croatia. 200 people attended the service, even though Rogers understands the marriage holds no legal weight. However, she does believe that she and her pooch were “meant to be,” and when Sheba was just two weeks old Rogers fell in love with her at first sight. At 46 years old, and already once divorced, Rogers feels that her connection with Sheba is different than any connection she could ever have with a man. Rogers even claims that Sheba decides what men enter her own bedroom. In fact, Rogers even made a man sleep in the dog bed for a whole week before he was allowed to enter her room!

While the headline “woman marries dog,” has been met with skepticism and jokes, Rogers has defended her decision. In an interview with the Metro she stated that, “Sheba had been in my life for years, making me laugh and comforting me when I was feeling low. I couldn’t think of anything more I’d need from a life partner.” Rogers even claims that Sheba wagged her tail in a response of yes when she got down on one knee and proposed to her.

Not the First in History

While this wedding may seem very weird to some people, stories of marriages between humans and animals play important roles in the legends of many different cultures. A Cheyenne myth titled ‘The Girl Who Married a Dog” explains how a group of seven bright stars known as the Pleiades was born when a Cheyenne chief’s daughter gave birth to seven puppies after she was visited by a dog in human form.

The Chinese people tell a folktale known by some as “The Silkworm.” This story claims that a King’s daughter married a horse to uphold a promise. In the story, the daughter is eventually reborn as a silk worm and was said to imitate the features and actions of a horse.

While the topic, woman marries dog, is not a typical one for morning talk shows, Amanda Rogers has shed new light onto the bond between humans and our canine companions.

2012 ULC Ordinations Up, General Religious Affiliation Down
Interior of Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Canadian Religious Beliefs dip in some provinces, rise in others.

If you are interested in getting ordained by an online church and you live in Canada, chances are that you are not alone as many Canadians have also done the same thing. A recent Internet survey conducted by the Association for Canadian Studies indicates that the number of Canadian citizens who consider religion to be a part of their lives has experienced a slight dip during the past few years. Despite the dip, some provinces of Canada have actually reported being more religious through religious actions conducted by the church. Nontraditional spirituality has also begun to rise throughout Canada and the rest of North America, in part because of the presence of online churches that allow people to follow their own paths. The Universal Life Church (ULC) is one of those churches and seeks to serve Canadians so that they can choose their own path in religious studies.

The results of the survey showed that Canadians who felt religion as a significant presence in their lives fell from 39 percent to 36 percent during last year. However the number of people in Canada who chose to get ULC Ordinations rose steadily throughout 2012. Those who catch a casual glimpse of the survey may come to the conclusion that spirituality and religion are declining in popularity among the citizens of Canada but a closer look tells a different story. There is a rise in those choosing to get involved with organizations that promote acceptance of other belief systems and that shows that rather than experiencing an overall decline, perspectives on religion are shifting in a positive way. This fact is to the benefit of ministers who decide to get ordained with the ULC.

The survey results showed the only part of Canada that didn’t experience a reduction in numbers with traditional religious organizations was in the province of Quebec. Jack Jedwab, a religious scholar who is also executive director for the Association for Canadian Studies, suggested that recent elevation of Kateri Tekakwitha (Lily of the Mohawks) to sainthood by the Catholic Church of an historical figure is at least partially responsible for this regional trend. Kateri Tekakwitha, or Lily of the Mohawks, recently became the first First Nations citizen to be honored with sainthood by the Catholic Church.

Although the original survey results reflect a trend toward exploration of nontraditional spirituality in favor of institutions steeped in tradition, they also indicate that many people who have always been involved with traditional religion are beginning to use ULC Ordinations to enhance their beliefs by incorporating a creed of freedom and tolerance into their existing ideology.

With the number people deciding to get ordained in the ULC growing throughout many parts of the United States, it makes sense that those in Canada will follow the trend.  With their storehouse located in the beautiful city of Seattle, WA, USA; the ULC is an excellent alternative for those who need a significant spiritual presence in their lives but may not feel comfortable in traditional religious venues.