Josiah Concept Ministries

This is the strangest TV wedding I have ever watched. I’ve seen it so many times, but it still makes me laugh every time. Joey really bungles the entire ceremony. But that’s just his character.

I posted this video because of a recent news item I read on people I call “Internet ministers.” I don’t know if that is the official name for these guys, but I’ll define the term now so that there is no confusion.  There are many organizations that offer ordination to anyone who applies for it.  No seminary education is necessary.  No training is necessary.  In fact, in many cases, you need not affirm even the basic doctrinal statements of the church (assuming that they even have one).  Like me, I figure that some people would see the sideline plot in season 7 of Friends where Joey is ordained online and then is able to perform Monica and Chandler’s wedding (and later, Phoebe and Mike’s wedding) and assume that it was only for TV.  Not the case at all.

In fact, this is a real thing that some people do.  Churches that exist only online offer ordination to anyone who applies (some ordinations are guaranteed,  while others stipulate some minimal and simple prerequisites).

Now, however, some of the weddings that have been performed by the so-called Internet ministers are being ruled as invalid by judges.  The officiator, according to the court, was not legally accredited as a person who solemnizes marriages.  That means the marriage isn’t valid, and thus the couple needs to go no further with divorce proceedings.  They aren’t married.

Had the show Friends continued, it would now be in its 13th season.  Monica and Chandler would be celebrating their sixth anniversary.  Almost time for that seven-year itch to kick in.  Maybe they introduce a love interest at Chandler’s office.  Then, Monica and Chandler find out that Joey’s ordination wasn’t legal, and thus, their marriage is not valid.

Time for the new love interest to swoop in.  Does she get Chandler?  Or does Monica win (again)?

What problems could this cause for Phoebe and Mike?  Remember that Mike never wanted to get married in the first place.  Maybe he’s unhappy and can walk away.  Time for David the scientist guy to reappear!

What if Joey had married Ross and Rachel?  I don’t think it would shake those two up a bit.  They’ve already been through enough together.  They would just get remarried after taking the news in stride.

It looks like we’ll never know the answers to these questions.  There isn’t a virtual seasons project for Friends on the web.

These are the kind of posts that happen when bloggers stay up late and get slap happy!  Don’t let this happen to you.  Go to bed at a reasonable hour.