Athiests Marriage

[China Doll]

Morning All,

I got to thinking about marriage last night and I started wondering why two athiests would get married?

I can understand if you're an athiest and partnered up with someone religious who might have strong ideas towards marriage but marriage is basically a religious institute isn't it? So if you're both athiests, what's the point?

Cheers
China

[Ethel]

For all the rights marriage provides - pension rights, inheritance rights and so on; to 'legalise' the children; to make a declaration of commitment; to differentiate this relationship from former live in relationships; if one partner has children to provide a formal relationship between child and step parent....

Marriage is not a religious institution - there is nothing religious in a civil ceremony for example.

[Doc.Spock.1]

Quite right Etel, marriage has got bu55er all to do with religion.

[China Doll]

It was though originally Ethel or at least that's my understanding and yes I'm aware of the lack of religion in civil ceremonies. Is there no way to have those rights just being in a partnership? It certainly doesn't seem a particularly romantic reason to get married.

[Quinlad]

It's a romantic gesture. You're gathering all your friends and family together to say to them 'I love this person and I want to spend the rest of my life with them'.

Also a good excuse for a party.

[terambulan]

Marriage is to legalise a partnership and is a civil legal requirement.

[Tom Braider]

I don't think marriage is a religious insttituiton. I think it's a way of publicly formalising any monogamous relationship in order to give it some standing in law and society.

Of course, my reason for marrying was that I loved somebody and wanted to tie them to me so they couldn't get away!

[B00]

I'm with Quinlad- you're a bloody cynical lot aren't you eh?

It's to publicly "announce" your love and devotion to your partner.

Oh and the party afterwards.

[Ethel]

There is no such thing as 'common law marriage' in the UK but live in couples are getting more rights - marriage just makes it easier.

I don't think there is anything romantic in shacking up together either.

Atheists may get married for entirely romantic reasons - to make a public declaration of enduring love and commitment

[terambulan]

China if you find ur partnership romantic then why not a marriage to your partner? A partner is not entitled to the others assets unless formally wed.

If you were in business with your partner you would have legal documentation for share-holdings etc, registered at Cos House, it would be folly to do otherwise.

[China Doll]

While I see the practical side I'm afraid the romantic bit is completely lost on me.

Although I like the party idea.

[annie0000]

Common law marriage or a form of it did exist in Scotland, under Scottish law, until fairly recent times, but has never existed in England and Wales other than in myth.

People get maried for a number of reasons, but the majority are for romantic reasons I would like to think.

[WaldoMcFroog]

I got married in order to make a public statement of my commitment to my g/f.

And to play some serious air guitar at the do.

[naomi24]

You, thinking about marriage, China?! Oh, I'm getting seriously worried now - but looking forward to trying on my bridesmaid's dress!! :o)

Marriage doesn't have any connection to religion. As Tom says, it's a way of formalising a relationship in order to give it standing in law, but additionally it's a symbol of personal commitment to another person.

[flip_flop]

Moving away from the question slightly, what really really gets on my nerves are people who get married in a church when they aren't remotely religious and will only next step foot in a church to get their children christened.

Hypocrites.

[China Doll]

Considering I have always pictured a frog whenever I see you pop up on screen Waldo that mental image has just caused a bit of a giggling fit. :c)

I've decided if it ever comes to the dreaded vowels I'm going to elope to a beach somewhere and just have a very big party when I get back. It seems the best compromise!

[China Doll]

And not for the first time this year I agree with Flip_Flop, I find it irritating too.

[naomi24]

Good idea. I hopped it (sorry Waldo!) to tie the knot (well, I hopped it for the second attempt!) - and we had a party when we got back.

[naomi24]

That's all about the 'do', though, isn't it. The 'day' is everything. Some people don't think about the next 50 or 60 years! (Not that I'm trying to deter you, China!).

[andy-hughes]

To responsd to flip-flp -

marrying in church is not necessarily hypocritical.

Lots of people believe on God but do not go to chuch regularly, if at all. They may well wish to have their children baptised to allow the children a choice to accept or reject a faith when they are of an age to make an informed decision.

In the Catholic church, some children who are ot baptised as Catholics are not elligible to enter Cartholic schools as their first choice - and people may elect for baptism on that basis.

It mnay be hypocracy in some instances - but not by any means all instances, and each person has a right to choose - as I understand it, God is nothing if not all-embracing and non-judgemental - it is for believers to follow that example, especailly about the behaviour of others.

As an atheist, I have no such knotty moral issues with which to wrestle. My wife and children are all Catholic - we married in church because it was what my wife wanted - i had no problem with it.