Fake royal titles and priesthoods for a price

[Rev.Cambeul]

Warning on websites offering fake royal titles and priesthoods for a price

http://www.news.com.au/technology/warning-on-websites-offering-fake-royal-titles-and-priesthoods-for-a-price/story-e6frfro0-1226059291424

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/technology/warning-on-websites-offering-fake-royal-titles-and-priesthoods-for-a-price/story-e6frep1o-1226059206139

By Alex Dickinson From: The Courier-Mail May 20, 2011

Websites offer royal titles, priesthoods
Priesthoods free, royal titles $45 each
Want an instant degree? Just go online

MAKING friends and securing dinner reservations is never a problem when you're a Lord.

That's the promise websites are making to Australians eager to break into high society by buying everything from royal titles to priesthoods online.

As reported in The Courier-Mail yesterday, Australians are applying for jobs using dodgy degrees they can buy on the web in a matter of minutes for as little as $122. But the practice doesn't stop there. Priesthoods can be obtained for free, while lordships, knighthoods and countships go for $45 each.

The Universal Life Church Monastery, based in Seattle, says it has ordained more than 20 million ministers, [ULC sells their ministerial certificates to anyone who wants to purchase one. We do not. We only want competent, professional Creators as ministers for the Church of Creativity. ~ Cailen.] while British websites say they can make customers "Lords" of a "square foot of land in the Scottish highlands".

"You'll be astonished how other people can be so attentive and will bend over backwards to serve you if they are serving you as a Lord, Lady, Baron or other such noble title," touts one website. But the titles might not be worth the paper they are printed on.

British Earl Richard Bradford launched a website dedicated to naming and shaming sellers of fake titles.

"I will put it very simply: you cannot purchase a genuine British title, with one exception, the feudal title of a Scottish baron," Mr Bradford said.

"Scottish feudal baronies fetch a mighty price. The Barony of MacDonald was once up for sale at over $1 million."

A spokesman for the Queensland Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages said royal titles were not lodged with or were recognised by the office.

"It's also illegal to change your name to something like 'Lord' if it denotes a rank of some sort," the spokesman said.

A priesthood from the Universal Life Church will not allow you to be a marriage celebrant in Queensland. The position requires training and registration with the Federal Attorney-General's Department. [Same as a Minister for Creativity. See below for the different laws in the USA. ~ Cailen.]

Dr Jarrod Trevathan, deputy director of James Cook University's eResearch Centre, said titles bought online did not appear to have any legal or official standing.

"I wouldn't recommend that people use the title on official documents such as driver's licences or bank accounts despite the claims made on (some) web sites," Dr Trevathan said.

"These schemes seem to exhibit odd loop holes and convoluted legal definitions that might make them legitimate in a specific and extremely narrow context.

"However, you shouldn't rely on these in any legal capacity."


The Rights of Ministers.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Life_Church#Authority_to_solemnize_marriage_and_other_rites_of_the_church

A large number of people seeking ULC Ordination do so in order to be able to legally officiate at weddings or perform other spiritual rites. ... Some people living in remote areas also use their status as ordained ULC ministers to meet the marriage officiant needs of their communities.

Within the USA, all 50 states theoretically authorize ministers who are ordained and authorized by their church to officiate marriages. In most states, ordination as a minister is the only requirement for a minister to be able to officiate lawful weddings. Some states require additional documentation, such as a "letter of good standing" or that the minister present his or her credential of ordination and register. One state also requires that the minister must be a United States citizen, and some states specify that the minister must be at least 18 years of age (although this is probably a presumed requirement in all states, since the minister will attest to a legal document).

Some states do not even require actual ordination, but permit those who declare themselves to be ministers to officiate marriage. ULC ministers wishing to perform legal weddings should refer to the local authority in the

Outside the USA, some countries are very liberal in this regard. Japan, for example, will recognize anyone who claims him- or herself to be a minister, regardless of church affiliation. Many developing countries are also quite liberal in their restrictions and definitions.

On the other hand, several major countries are quite restrictive. In Canada, ULC ministers have been authorized to solemnize marriage only in a few local jurisdictions. In many other countries, ULC ministers have no authority to solemnize lawful marriage. Some ministers avoid this complication by meeting requirements to solemnize a civil ceremony, which might include being registered as a notary public or a justice of the peace. In some places, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, religion and government are one, and anyone caught promoting a religious practice outside of the government complex can be subjected to severe punishment.

In many countries, including much of continental Europe, Turkey, Japan and the countries of the former Soviet Union, only marriages performed by the state in a civil ceremony are recognised legally. It is customary for couples who wish a religious—or any other—ceremony to hold one separately from the civil wedding.

The Universal Life Church authorizes its ordained ministers to perform weddings, baptisms, and funerals. They may hold meetings and services. The church also allows its ministers to perform other rites and sacraments to fulfill the needs of the congregation. The church has a course which qualifies its ministers to provide religious counseling.