Do You Believe In Marriage??

EDIT: I phrased the title wrong people. I shouldn't have used the word "believe". Get over it and read the following sentences to get a better idea of what I actually mean.
 
Or moreover, the necessity of using a lavish ceremony to prove to someone that you truly love them and want to spend the rest of your life with them?
 
Loosely inspired by the gay marriage thread as well as my viewing of the movie Away We Go last night, I really am seeing more than ever that marriage is absolutely pointless, at least in my opinion. Do you believe in it? If so, why? What compels you to feel the need to spend thousands of dollars to solidify your love for another individual? Is it just one of those religious traditions that has pointlessly carried on throughout history and I fail to see its point being an agnostic, or is it really proving something??

My answer is no. sooooooo many emotions and reasons that i wont fucking elaborate.

I don't believe in Materialism, but I believe in marriage.... which sounds so scary.....

Yep. I like commitment.

I believe in a thing called love.  Just listen to the rhythm of my heart.

Marriage is an outdated ideal.  I believe in love.  All you need is love.  People who think a ring means something more than a piece of metal need to get the sentimentality of materialism out of their head. 
 
Granted, if marriage is your digs, then more power to ya.  Personally, I just don't see the point in an outdated tradition.

" Yep. I like commitment. "

Yes, I believe it is essential in the function of a modern society, more than not people who are part of the social breakdown in western countries are people where marriage and family was not thought to be important. Im not saying that all people from these backrounds are like this, the minority are like this, but they make up the majority of the social under-class emerging in todays society.
 
Again my opinion, its probably wrong.

I believe that marriage exists. I'm uncertain if it's the thing for me.

" Marriage is an outdated ideal.  I believe in love.  All you need is love.  People who think a ring means something more than a piece of metal need to get the sentimentality of materialism out of their head.  Granted, if marriage is your digs, then more power to ya.  Personally, I just don't see the point in an outdated tradition. "

" I believe in a thing called love.  Just listen to the rhythm of my heart. "

" Marriage is an outdated ideal.  I believe in love.  All you need is love.  People who think a ring means something more than a piece of metal need to get the sentimentality of materialism out of their head.  Granted, if marriage is your digs, then more power to ya.  Personally, I just don't see the point in an outdated tradition. "

Marriage does not have to be a huge materialistic ceremony... It can be something small and personal. So yes, I do believe in it.

" @SpikeSpiegel said:

" Yep. I like commitment. "

So are you saying that long-lasting love and commitment to an individual can only be brought about through a huge ceremony like this? Because I personally fail to see the point of it more and more nowadays... It's a weird hangover tradition of old in my opinion. "

That's a complex question.
 
I don't believe that love lasts forever, but a marriage can.
 
Marriage is not only a question of proving something to someone else. It can be a act of love, personal security, companionship... 
 
Intertwining two lives together.
 
So i believe in it, and i believe it can work, if people really care for the relationship.
 
And like the V for Vendetta said:
 
"A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, blowing up a building can change the world."
 
Marriage can change the world for the people who know how to live it. 
 
It can have meaning.
 
So in the end, for me it depends mostly of the person.
 
Not for me though.

I believe in archaic traditions, religious freedom, old fashioned ceremonies, and a nice tax break. Soooooo, yeah, I'm for it!

"  Or moreover, the necessity of using a lavish ceremony to prove to someone that you truly love them and want to spend the rest of your life with them? 
 What compels you to feel the need to spend thousands of dollars to solidify your love for another individual?"

C made me laugh. That's the real answer.

*High Fives*

Yes.

" Marriage does not have to be a huge materialistic ceremony... It can be something small and personal. So yes, I do believe in it. "

You're implying that marriage doesn't exist.

"No... Mostly"
 
I think if the feelings are true, it doesn't require a marriage to solidify your commitment to someone else, it just requires commitment.
 
Honestly I think a couple could easily love each other more and have a better relationship as legal partners, than a couple who's been married. Love isn't decided on what ceremonies you've had, nor what legal status you hold.
 
Granted if it's something both parties want, I see nothing against it. It just isn't the be-all-end-all proof of love for someone to another.

" You're implying that marriage doesn't exist. "

" @natetodamax said:

" You're implying that marriage doesn't exist. "

By which you mean??? "

After 29 years of it, yes, but with big qualifications. 
 
I like marriage and it works for me.  Doesn't mean it works for everyone.  I think it is the ideal commitment ceremony.  I am an atheist though and religion has squat to do with it (for me).  However, a marriage is no different or better than de facto. Big weddings are an absolute waste of money to just show off.  A small ceremony is just as good and the money is better spent on a good honeymoon or house deposit. 
 
I have raised my daughters to make a choice for themselves.  However, if they do marry, I am not paying for it and I suggest a small wedding or eloping is a decent option. 
 
I have had 3 wedding ceremonies now.  We were married in a registry office in 1980.  We did a full garden wedding for our 10th anniversary in 1990.  Then we got married by the shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada, oddly enough, oddly enough, by a Christian minister (we are going to hell for that).  We will do it again next year for number 30 - still planning.

Not really, I bleieve that anyone who wants to get married should. But I wouldn't do it myself, I don't need a ring and a piece of paper to prove someone I love her.

I'm not cynical enough to be against the idea of marriage yet.  Ask me again in a few years, though. 

i prefer the word civil union it just seems better for some reason.

Definitely do not want.

" @ververdan0226 said:

" @natetodamax said:

" You're implying that marriage doesn't exist. "

By which you mean??? "

You're implying that marriage doesn't exist. "

Marriage is an archaic tradition, but civil unions are necessary. In the event of divorce, there must be some legal assurance of an equitable split. Otherwise, the stay-at-home mom/dad will come out of the divorce with nothing to their name, and that is not acceptable.

I do not believe in love as some sort of magical or metaphysical 'thing' that transcends rationality, but I do believe that it is an intense emotion so strong that it can be very nearly (but not entirely) unconditional and can endure throughout the person's life.

believe is a weird word to use....

" believe is a weird word to use.... "

Hmm.... 
 
No.

" @Famov: Is that what we've come to in society? The point that we have to think about what may happen in the case of a divorce if we should enter a marriage? "

" @ververdan0226 said:

" @Famov: Is that what we've come to in society? The point that we have to think about what may happen in the case of a divorce if we should enter a marriage? "

I believe the divorce rate is over 50% in the US at least. I think doing so would be a smart thing in most cases. "

Don't care about celebrations.

The only reason I would ever agree to get married is if my partner had her heart set on it. I don't think love is something that needs to be bound by a legal contract. The mindset of "marriage is for life" disappeared years ago, so I don't think commitment has much to do with it. Commitment is great and all, but not being married doesn't mean that you'll walk out the door at the drop of a hat. 
 
Marriage as a concept is pretty meaningless to me. My parents are still technically married, but haven't lived together for over 15 years, and they sure as hell don't love each other anymore. Whereas my next door neighbours never married but have been living together happily for 25 years and have three children.

A ring changes nothing in a relationship aside from maybe increasing the length of it a tad. Or at least legally extending the relationship.

Why is this a question?

" Why is this a question? "

" Yes, I believe it is essential in the function of a modern society, more than not people who are part of the social breakdown in western countries are people where marriage and family was not thought to be important. Im not saying that all people from these backrounds are like this, the minority are like this, but they make up the majority of the social under-class emerging in todays society.  Again my opinion, its probably wrong. "

Personally, I refuse to even consider the idea while gays can't.

I believe marriage exists. People are getting married right now.  

The emotion "love" is, in reality, horniness-- or love at first site. People treat it like a magical symbol with destiny supporting it, when all it really is is an extremely persuasive excuse to populate our species. "Love" is just a powerful excuse just to have sex and get kisses. Look at all the divorcements that happen across the globe. The only true love in the world are the people that take care of you from day one, and that is your family. 
 
That is why I'll never force myself to "ask out" somebody. It's totally immature and absolutely foolish.

Hey, I just commented about this :)
I don't think marriage is necessary to express one's love for another. It seems that it's been on a decline recently as less people get married and do so later in life. It has certainly become a staple of society both to the state and religion but I guess we could do without it.