Quote:
Originally posted by James
IF you want to change all the traditions of marriage, which is of course your right, why get married at all?
IF you change or disagree with the cultural traditions that led to the instituion of marriage, what does it mean to you other than an umnnecessary legal relationship?
Even economically the bennies of getting marred are not that spectacular.
And such things as child support are pretty formulistic now.
So why not just live together and celebrate your own love and committment in a very personal way?
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Cultural traditions, James. Religiously (for most) marriage is a sacred contract/sacrament/agreement to love one another, support one another in life and to raise children together (if that's mutually decided). Marriage is not changing your name (or not changing it), letting your dad walk you down the aisle (or both parents, or your dog, etc). It's about being together in life. Refusing to bow to what some consider to be paternalistic traditions does not in any way undermine the definition and practice of marriage. If one is under the delusion that to be married one must become Mrs. Hislastname, wear a pretty white gown, be given away by Daddy and then afterwards take off for 2 weeks to the Bahamas, then I'd say that person doesn't understand what marriage is. That may partially explain the incredible divorce rate in this country.