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"Many people are for the civil marriage in theory but against it in practice," said Paul Salem, 38, executive director of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. Salem, a strong proponent of civil marriage, does not hide his views. "Two people from the same country should be able to get married in this day and age, regardless of their religion," he said. Zena Jisr and Faris Sayegh hope that their marriage is a sign of a move towards a more secular Lebanon. Perhaps one day, they say, their children will be free to choose --"or not to choose," Sayegh says-- their own religion. "My mom jokes that things are going great in Lebanon when the grandson of a Protestant pastor can marry the granddaughter of a Sheikh," Jisr said with a laugh. ...Previous Page