Don't worry, this isn't another thread about gay marriage, and I'm sincerely hoping it doesn't turn into one.

The idea of marriage, in most of our minds, goes hand-in-hand with the ideas of responsibility, love, and commitment. To some, it even goes hand-in-hand with being an honorable member of a religious community or of being "Godly". The gay marriage war is being faught with passion, and NAACP advocates are shamefacedly reciting stastistics showing that Caucasians are marrying more than African-Americans, as a form of "motivating" minorities to get married more. As divorce rates are climbing, America is throwing the back of its hand to its forehead and gasping melodramatically.

So I propose this: Maybe marriage really isn't that big a deal. I'm not entirely sure if I ever intend to get married, despite my plans to have children and remain faithful to the woman I have them with. When you get right down to it, aside from a number of government benefits that gays and lesbians are heroically showing they can live without, marriage is as artificial as plastic.

Marriage is not truly synonymous with commitment, faithfulness, or responsibility. It ideally incorporates all three of these things, yet all are perfectly possible without it. It seems to be that a lot more people these days are bragging about their successful marriages than actually upholding these noble ideals that we tie in with marriage. You can love a person, live with a person, have children with a person, and be there for your children and that person without ever calling that person your spouse.

Obviously, those who believe in the "sanctity of marriage" won't care for this argument much, but you guys are overall a liberal crowd, so I thought I'd put it out there. Are you guys planning on getting married? Why? Is it to uphold tradition, to get the government benefits, or for something more? I'd be really interested to know.

It will happen religiously much after politically, if it all...

...Which sucks in many respects but is less crucial than it is politically.

It'll never happen for the catholic church, judeism or islam just to name a few I'm not sure about other deviations of christianity though

I just wish both would hurry up and start changing. I think that if both changed, especially the church, people would do a complete turn around.

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it would take about the same time for both with the way things are going now.

Unfortunately, true.

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Originally posted by freedomordeath:
Sure, it's not justified in my opinion. But politically it is more likely to happen than in the religion.

Ya really think so? It just seems that it would take about the same time for both with the way things are going now. But then again, it seems that it is slowly but surely coming more socially acceptable so I see what you're saying.

Sure, it's not justified in my opinion. But politically it is more likely to happen than in the religion.

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Originally posted by freedomordeath:
It matters what he WROTE and how we now INTERPRET that.

Especially nowadays, interpretation is EVERYTHING. It just seems to me that I can't step a foot outside my door and take a breathe before someone comes over and wants to know why I breath the wrong way.

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Originally posted by freedomordeath:
I mean, I would love for the churches to just open their doors.

I think that it would be awesome for churches to open the doors. Poeple may be hesitant at first but if church-goers stood behind the church = amazing.

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Originally posted by freedomordeath:
So I'll just have to settle for political doors.

The paper doesn't make the love between the people - it only makes the marriage which doesn't do justice for everyone because everyone can't get married and that's retarded.

I would agree with you, Worth... I mean, I would love for the churches to just open their doors, but that's extremely unlikely. So I'll just have to settle for political doors.

Not sure where this topic was heading but...

Marriage can be sanctified IF you view it that way. If you think it is important, a holy ritual, etc. then it becomes as such for you individually.

As a whole in America, the sanctity of marriage has greatly diminished what with spur of the moment marriages that only lead to divorce and hasty decisions.

And as far as gay marriage being brought into it - gay marriage is not going to hurt the "sanctity" of marriage anymore than any of the other stupid marriages (i.e. Britney) going in today's society. In fact, many of them will probably last longer because they have had to stay faithful to each other and have that type of commitment w/o the actual marriage. They already have the strength to stay strong in a marriage - they just want the actual ceremony and legalization of it.

And, finally, to me marriage is important. But it is not as important as it once was. For instance, my boyfriend and I love each other as much as any married couple would and are faithful to each other even though we are more often apart than together (he is a Marine). So anything that marriage entails, I really think we could handle if we had to (of course, we're still going to wait). So marriage is important to me but I can be just as in love and happy without it.

Some laws and ideas from back then (including religious ones) certainly don't apply now, hence some neat-o ideas such as the Elastic Clause and amendment process.

That was one of the reasons. But there were others. It doesn't matter too much WHAT some 200-year ago dead guy THOUGHT. It matters what he WROTE and how we now INTERPRET that.

HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

true but ... wasn't our gov founded on .... religious freedom. shouldnt that in turn.. nvm

Religion has no say in the way our government operates Amordeya kids... And yes, both of you.

its not artificial or plastic. its showing that you are wanting to spend the rest of your natural life with one person and that you want to die next to this person and depending on your religion it also shows that you want to spend eternity with someone.
eternal got most of me right though. It was the was i was brought up and is apart of me.

true....but it does mean something to some people...because of their religion etc..or just they way that they see the world

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Originally posted by Aguagon:
Marriage is as artificial as plastic. You can love a person, live with a person, have children with a person, and be there for your children and that person without ever calling that person your spouse.

I agree. All that really matters is that the two people in the relationship love and care for each other and are willing to spend the rest of their lives with that "one person". I can't speak for everyone, but if I got married to someone, it's not only because I love them and cherish them and want to be with them for the long run. It's because of that "safety net", if you will, of having someone to be there with you and and make decisions if you ever get injured and aren't able to do it (ex. hospitalization, etc). If you're aren't married but live and share a life together and one of you gets hurt - I'll let that thought end right there. Not all marriages work out. Don't quote me on this stat but it's like half of all marriages end in divorce. I think that people be in a relationship with a partner and not have to marry in order love each other. I just guess that it's every little girls dream to grow up and get married to prince charming, but in today's world you have to look at that from a realistic perspective. If I ever get married, I'm going to marriage counsling becuase I don't want to be like my parents and get a divorce.

Well most people who know me wouldnt think i would go for the argument saying marrage isnt important because my dad has had a girlfriend for the past 6 or 7 years and have never married and they are fine along with my gramdma has had a boyfriend for i dont even know how many years and they have not married. while living around all of this i still think marrage is important. when you and a person marry it is a promise made infront of witness's that u will never leave that person that you are willing to dedicate youre life to making them happy and that theyre willing to do the same for you. it is a promise of stability, as a boyfriend and girlfriend you can up and leave when you like but since being married is a legal thing too there is more of a chance for you two to work out your problems theres more there pushing you to get over your trouble and to hold up you promises. so being married usually hold a relationship longer i would say that being married is up to high today though that is y the divorce rate is up. people mistake love for lust so people are quick to jump the gun and get married before they are sure they are ready for such a strong large comitment. promising the rest of your life is a large step and people arent lookin at that fact all they are looking at is the lust they are mistaking for love and the way people are throwing marrage around so easy today.

Marriage in the legal sense, which is the part that the debates tend to be over, is merely a legal document and thus cannot have sanctity. The idea of what constitutes a "legit" family, religious traditions, and all that other bullsh** can be considered sacred, but there is no reason why a marriage document should have any more "holiness" than an apartment rental document.