Why do most people marry?

[Keara]

I'd have to say I will marry because of non-love related reasons. Don't think a ceremony or piece of paper will change the relationship between my other and I. However the title married seems to carry lots of social connotations and benefits otherwise.

I agree 100%. Married since 1997 and counting........

 

[Keara]

Do you guys think that most people who are in love fall out of love eventually, or is it something that should "stay with" forever...?

Love is not something that happens to you it is something you create.... or destroy. If you want it to stay you need to keep on creating it!

 

[darkmatter]

Been married over 30 years. Have no advice for others or any idea how it happened.........something to do with "Yes Dear"

 

[EweSheep]

I agree with this when we decided to live together. Would I have change things? No nor can I change it back if I wanted to. the only regret I had, why haven't I met my husband alot SOONER than later!

As for the marriage is a religious institution, blame it on King Henry for marrying so many wives and he was against the Church of England, probably re wrote the Bible in HIS terms.

Like RedHen said as it echoes with my elderly members of my extended families on both sides, it is just a piece of paper, whether God is involved or not, it is strictly between man and woman to commit themselves in the santity of marriage and be monogamous.

The Bible verses have changed over the centeries, some verses will or won't be applied here in modern times and some verses are well thought out, unchanged over centeries. And we are a different country, a democratic one while the writers of the Bible were from OLD World, somewhat backward ideals of customs and traditions that some of us no longer believe in or not in use.

We have to be careful about this Bible verses going on....it would make the thread lock up so I will step off my soap box.

I
I agree. My partner and I have been together for 8 years, long for some, short for others, but we own a lovely little homestead that we share with 3the dogs, 23 chickens, 2 ducks, 2 pheasants, quail, chukers and a parakeet. We have a great relationship and are very happy.
There are several reasons why we do not get married.
1. Marriage is a religious institution, and I do not agree that it should have so much influence on politics in a country where we are supposed to seperate church and state.
2. We are not religious...seee #1.
3. The divorce rate in this cou try is astronomical. Marriage no longer means commitment and there is n ot more "sanctity" invloved.
4. One can get the same benefits from a Domestic Partnership in many states, including Oregon.
5. First comesits "when... are youa getting married?". Which is followeda shortly by "when are you having kids?"6 in short, its what everyone EXPECTS you to do, and I don't like to do what everyone else expects. Plus, I am not having kids.
6. Until everyone who wan ts to get marries has that right, I will not be a part of such an institution.
That is why I am NOT getting married.

 

[Spookwriter]

I don't remember saying I'm "proud" of her.

More like, I'm just use to her...(and I don't like change)

 

[EweSheep]

I agree with these posts.......from butterflies and mindless, air in the sky kind of feeling right down to "settling down", content, deep fondness and deeper feelings.

I think it is a little bit of both. The person who is "right" for you (and there may be more than one, who knows) is the one who will teach you about how to love positively and what good love is really about. And the stuff that is in parenthesis in my previous sentence - even if there are others who may be right for you in other ways, what makes this person the one you want to spend your life with is the fact that you are willing to forgo all those others because of the love that you share with this individual.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

To expand a bit on what Ewe said, marriage (using the broader terms available for it, not the current US specific legal terminology) is not limited to religion, monogamy, and does not even require a legal contract in many cultures. I have only experienced the claim that it is purely a product of religious institutions within America. *head scratch emoticon needed here* Marriage has a long history, and will likely have a longer one still as it evolves and changes with varying cultures and decades.

 

[EweSheep]

Exactly!

To expand a bit on what Ewe said, marriage (using the broader terms available for it, not the current US specific legal terminology) is not limited to religion, monogamy, and does not even require a legal contract in many cultures. I have only experienced the claim that it is purely a product of religious institutions within America. *head scratch emoticon needed here* Marriage has a long history, and will likely have a longer one still as it evolves and changes with varying cultures and decades.

 

[chickened]

I hope you are not referring to the Middle Eastern marital culture. The treatment of women in American marital culture is far better. I doubt a harem system would cultive the same love triangle.

To expand a bit on what Ewe said, marriage (using the broader terms available for it, not the current US specific legal terminology) is not limited to religion, monogamy, and does not even require a legal contract in many cultures. I have only experienced the claim that it is purely a product of religious institutions within America. *head scratch emoticon needed here* Marriage has a long history, and will likely have a longer one still as it evolves and changes with varying cultures and decades.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

....I'm honestly not even sure how you got that out of what I typed.